Meet The Team
Founder & CEO
Molly Ness, PhD
Founder Molly Ness is a former classroom teacher, a reading researcher, and a teacher educator. She earned a doctorate in reading education at the University of Virginia, and spent 16 years as an associate professor at Fordham University. The author of five books and numerous articles, Molly has served on many national literacy organizations. Dr. Ness has extensive experience in reading clinics, consulting with school districts, leading professional development, and advising school systems on research-based reading instruction.
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Team Member
MaryKate DeSantis, Ed.M.
MaryKate is the founder of Left Side Strong LLC. Her experiences working in a
large urban district as a special educator, reading specialist, and district wide literacy coach have
shaped her passion for translational research in ensuring all children receive evidence-based
instruction. As a clinical researcher specializing in literacy and language, MaryKate has worked
on several National Institute of Health grants with MGH Institute of Health Professions in the
Speech Language (SAiL) Literacy Lab and at Harvard University in the READS focusing on
improving literacy outcomes at scale. MaryKate is also a clinician in the Neurology Department
at Boston Childrens’ Hospital and Adjunct at Boston College Graduate School of Education and
Marian University.
Team member
Nicole Rizzo, MEd
Nicole Rizzo is an educator on a quest to improve our future by helping to deliver high-quality, equitable education for all students. As a public school teacher at an award-winning district in Connecticut, she was nominated as Teacher of the Year early in her career. After nearly a decade in the classroom, she earned her advanced degree as a Literacy Specialist and Reading Consultant with Southern Connecticut State University. She also holds a Masters in Elementary Education from the University of New Haven. Always a classroom teacher at heart, Nicole's passion lies in strengthening the Tier 1 structured literacy approach through data-guided and student-first differentiated instruction. She believes strongly in the power of empathy, community, and education in solving the world's most challenging problems. Nicole is committed to empowering educators and students to achieve their fullest potential.
Team member
Justin Browning
Leading with humor and heart, Justin Browning is the owner and lead consultant at SoR for More, LLC and was most recently the K3 Field Implementation Coordinator for Marietta City Schools at The Rollins Center for Language and Literacy. In his current role, he works locally and nationally with district and building level leaders to rethink, redesign, and realign systems and structures that support literacy success for all students. Prior to his current role, he served as a K-5 Instructional Coach at a turn-around school and has taught 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 4th grade. Justin holds a Masters in Educational Leadership from Kennesaw State University and a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from The University of Mississippi. He also trains leaders, teachers, and support staff in implementing evidence-based practices - with leading names including The Reading League, 95 Percent Group, and others. He is especially passionate about implementation of high-quality instructional materials.
Team member
Marguerite Haldin, EdD
Dr. Marguerite Haldin has served as a classroom teacher for five years, a reading specialist for nine years, and a literacy coach the past year. Most recently, Dr. Haldin has been instrumental in the planning, preparation, and delivery of Structured Literacy Professional Development for K-8 teachers in a large high-performing suburban school district. She has also served as adjunct faculty at Duquesne University, teaching graduate coursework on Literacy Theory, Assessment, Disciplinary Literacy, and Literacy Development. Her research passions are centered on self-efficacy, comprehension, and metacognition. She has previously served in private, charter, and public schools as well as in an intermediate unit in the Pittsburgh area. She brings a vast knowledge of the inner workings of school systems as well as a deep love of literacy and equity for all students.
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Team member
Doug Distefano, PhD
Dr. DiStefano received his doctorate degree in Literacy and Interdisciplinary Research from Fordham University. He received his Master’s degree in Supervision and Administration, Master’s of Science in Teaching and a Bachelor of Science degree from Fordham University. Dr. DiStefano has college teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate level. He also has 27 years of experience as an elementary classroom teacher and as an educational consultant. Dr. DiStefano is a past Fulbright Teacher Exchange recipient of Durham, UK. He is also a past award recipient of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program at Columbia University, as a co-founder of #hackingracism. Dr. DiStefano is passionate about reading mysteries for himself and introducing his fifth grade students to this passion. He also enjoys getting dirty as he explores nature and works to create an outdoor kindergarten where he currently teaches in Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District, New York.
Team member
Larissa is a highly trained educator with expertise in the areas of literacy, dyslexia, neurological differences, the science of reading, structured literacy, and assessment. She began her career in education, teaching PreK-4, 1st grade, and 2nd grade. Driven to learn more about reading, she pursued a Masters in Education in Reading and Writing and became a Certified Academic Language Therapist with over 200 hours of graduate level instruction in multi-sensory structured language education and 700 supervised practicum hours in providing structured reading therapy. After years of providing reading intervention and dyslexia therapy in a school setting, and to private clients, she went back to school again to pursue a certification as an educational diagnostician, so she could learn more about cognitive and academic assessment. Larissa believes in creating equitable educational opportunities for all learners.