Meet the Balanced Literacy Consultants

Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., is Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College. He has served as a teacher, language development specialist, and administrator in public schools and non-profit organizations, including 8 years as the Director of Professional Development for the City Heights Collaborative, a time of increased student achievement in some of San Diego’s urban schools. Doug has engaged in Professional Learning Communities for several decades, building teams that design and implement systems to impact teaching and learning. He has published numerous books on teaching and learning, such as Assessment-capable Visible Learners and Engagement by Design.

Nancy Frey, Ph.D., is a Professor in Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. She has been a special education teacher, reading specialist, and administrator in public schools. Nancy has engaged in Professional Learning Communities as a member and in designing schoolwide systems to improve teaching and learning for all students. She has published numerous books, including The Teacher Clarity Playbook and Rigorous Reading.

Dr. Olivia Amador is a Professional Learning Consultant with Corwin. As an award-winning elementary school principal, former bilingual teacher, and reading and language arts specialist, her area of focus and expertise is in creating a culture of learning connected to high-impact practices, English language development, teacher collaboration, and leadership development. 

Aida Rotell is a nationally recognized consultant whose primary aim is to engage all learners through reading and writing. She worked to create a bilingual program designed to build literacy skills in both Spanish and English, and often uses collaborative learning to build the social and academic language skills of her students. She is also an administrator at Health Science High and a lecturer in the  teacher education department  at San Diego State University. 

Cathy Lassiter, Ed.D. is an education consultant with over 30 years experience as a public school teacher, principal, central office administrator and consultant.  She supports large and small districts in the areas of leadership development, school culture, principal and teacher evaluation, collaboration, instruction, assessment and closing achievement gaps.

Toni Faddis, Ed. D. is a Corwin author and fulltime Professional Learning Consultant. Prior to joining Corwin as a fulltime consultant, Toni was a district leader, principal, and teacher in diverse communities in Southern California. Her background in bilingual education and as a Reading Recovery teacher assist her with establishing relationships with teachers, administrators, and learners. Toni also mentors and coaches current and aspiring school leaders in the Educational Leadership Department at San Diego State University. 

Hilda Martinez was named the 2019 San Diego Unifed School District Elementary School Teacher of the Year.

Dr. Nicole Law is a dynamic and passionate educator who provides relevant professional development to schools and districts across the country. Nicole focuses her experience to present instruction on professional teacher teams, leadership improvement practices and structures, data analysis models, school improvement practices and structures, standards-based instruction and design, metacognitive teaching and learning practices, strategies for success in cognitively rigorous instruction and levels of depth of knowledge (DOK), effective teaching strategies for English Learners and students with special needs, as well as culturally responsive and equitable teaching practices.