 Network Staff Bios Mary Beth Curtis
Mary Beth Curtis is the founding director of the Boys Town Reading Center, Nebraska. Before joining Boys Town USA in 1990, she was Associate Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Associate Director of the Harvard Reading Laboratory. She earned her Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, and did postdoctoral work at the Learning Research and Development Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Mary Beth is the lead author of the STAR Tool Kit and spearheads program evaluation activities for the National STAR Training Network.
John Strucker
John Strucker is a research associate at NCSALL and the Principal Investigator for the Adult Diagnostic Reading Study. A Lecturer at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, he teaches a course in developing reading in adults. He taught ABE for 11 years at the Community Learning Center in Cambridge, MA, and, before that, worked as a labor and community organizer in Chicago. John has a lead role in the development of technical assistance resources and policy analysis for the National STAR Training Network.
Laura Bercovitz
Laura Bercovitz has worked in professional development in adult education and family literacy for more than 22 years. Primarily, she conducts training for teachers and administrators in the areas of reading, family literacy and outcome-based program development with the Adult Learning Resource Center through various state and national projects.
Laura is involved with STAR in a multitude of ways. She is a member of the national STAR team and helped with the Tool Kit and STAR Institute training development, and is also a national STAR trainer. As a STAR coach, she currently assists candidates in the STAR certification process.
In addition, Laura works with the State on the Illinois STAR Initiative and delivers STAR training to programs in northern Illinois. Providing extensive site-based technical assistance has afforded Laura opportunities to visit programs and observe instructors as they implement support, and teach evidence-based reading. When time allows, Laura likes to return to the ABE classroom to teach.
Laurie Martin
Laurie Martin has been involved in adult education for over twenty years and has served in many capacities, including ESL and ABE instructor, program administrator, professional developer, and volunteer tutor. At present, she is a professional development specialist with the Adult Learning Resource Center, where she conducts training for adult education teachers and program administrators at the local, state, and national levels primarily in the areas of reading, ESL and learning disabilities. She continues to teach ABE and ESL classes in local adult education programs.
Laurie was a member of the team which developed the pilot and final versions of the practitioner Tool Kit and training for the STAR project. She also developed and delivered training for the STAR pilot in Illinois and the subsequent expansion of evidence-based reading instruction in the state.
Laurie holds a master's degree in Applied Linguistics/TESL from Northeastern Illinois University.
Jane Meyer
Jane Meyer began her work in ABLE in 1990 as a volunteer tutor, served as a family literacy teacher and Even Start facilitator. She is currently ABLE coordinator for Canton City Schools. Under Jane's direction, the Canton ABLE program has earned several state and national awards.
Jane was a member of the National Institute for Literacy's Reading Research Working Group. She participated on NIFL's design team to develop reading training for family literacy programs based on scientifically-based reading research and EFF. Jane has served the STAR project in many roles including member of the national STAR planning team, assisting in the development of the STAR Tool Kit, STAR trainer, STAR coach, and administrator of a local STAR pilot program.
Jane Meyer has a master's degree in Curriculum and Supervision from Miami University in Ohio.
| 
