Judy Newman (she/her)

Judy Newman is in her 7th year on the Eugene 4J School Board. She is the Co-Founder and was the Co-Director of Early Childhood CARES, the early intervention and early childhood special education program for Lane County, Oregon, for over 30 years. She is currently the Senior Advisor for Early Childhood CARES and the Lane County Early Childhood Hub. Her experience includes direct service provision, administration, university teaching, participation in numerous research activities, and extensive work on state and local councils, committees, task forces, and boards related to policy, systems, and funding for education, human services, and specifically, early childhood concerns.

Gretchen Scheidel, Ph.D. (she/her)

Gretchen is an independent practitioner with Eugene Psychological Assessments. A clinical psychologist, Gretchen specializes in evaluations for learning disorders and other diagnoses, including ADHD and autism. Over the past 15 years, Dr. Scheidel has conducted nearly a thousand assessments. She has a special knack for connecting with kids. Fun fact! Dr. Scheidel has about 100 novelty socks, with her favorite pairs being: "taco-saurus," "disco sasquatch," and "skateboarding dinos."

Amy Seto Forrester (she/her)

Amy Seto Forrester is a youth services supervising librarian at Eugene Public Library (OR) who is passionate about diverse, engaging books for developing readers. She has a background in the performing arts and a love of puzzles, mazes, and other forms of interactive learning. Frustrated by the lack of diversity in books for beginning readers, she decided to write one herself. She is co-founder of the Guessing Geisel blog and has written for review journals including SLJ, Horn Book Guide, and Booklist. She regularly contributes to Kirkus Reviews.

Carrie Thomas Beck, Ph.D. (she/her)

Carrie is Director of Literacy for CORE Learning. Prior to her time at CORE, Carrie was the Dyslexia Specialist for the Oregon Department of Education (ODE). In 2019, Carrie received the Excellence in Leadership Award from the International Dyslexia Association to recognize her contribution to improving outcomes for students with dyslexia in Oregon. Prior to joining the ODE, Carrie worked as a Research Associate in the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon. Carrie developed and directed the Center's Reading Clinic at UO from 2008-2013. She also led the development of a reading endorsement program at UO and taught literacy courses in the College of Education.

Carrie also co-directed at the university the Oregon Reading First Center.

Jill RW (she/her)

Director of Teaching and Learning for Elementary, Bethel School District

RW oversees K-12 Literacy, Title I & Title III programs, as well as supervises K-5 and K-8 principals. RW has had the privilege of serving in Bethel for the past 22 years. Before beginning her work as a director, RW served Bethel students as a student teacher and then as a substitute teacher while raising her two children. She then became a middle school teacher, teaching language arts and social studies for almost a decade. RW then began her journey into administration becoming an assistant principal and then principal at Prairie Mountain School for 8 years. This is RW’s third year as one of the Directors of Teaching and Learning.

Ayanna Moriguchi (she/her)

Early Learning Program Coordinator
African American/Black Student Success
United Way of Lane County

Ayanna was born and raised in Eugene and is raising her five children here, as well. She attended Pacific University and graduated with a Master’s in Education and Learning. Ayanna has been involved in work for bettering the lives of children of color for as long as she can remember and is happy to be in a job where she can continue helping African American/Black children thrive.