Susan B. Neuman, Ed.D., is a professor in educational studies specializing in early literacy development. Previously, she directed the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement. Her research and teaching interests include early childhood policy, curriculum, and early reading instruction from prekindergarten to Grade 3. In her role as Assistant Secretary, she established the Reading First program and the Early Reading First program and was responsible for the implementation of all activities in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Act.

Julie Dwyer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education, Early Childhood Department, Boston University; Boston, Massachusetts; [email protected]. Dr. Dwyer holds an M.Ed. in Language and Literacy from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on early language and literacy learning and teaching. She specializes in conceptual knowledge, vocabulary development, and vocabulary instruction. She is on the editorial board of "Reading Research Quarterly." She has published papers in "Reading Research Quarterly, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, The Reading Teacher, " and "Early Childhood Education Journal."