Our Team
A dedicated team of educators, educational product developers, and parents of, or aunts and uncles to, young learners.
Jamie West
Jamie West began her career as a classroom teacher in Austin, Texas. Since then, she has spent more than 20 years contributing to the development of core and supplemental reading and literature programs with a focus on accelerating content knowledge acquisition and academic language proficiency among striving readers and English learners.
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Michael Morley
Michael Morley, MEd., is a former primary school teacher in a school that served inner-city children in Boston, and a highly experienced educational publisher. As an executive at top publishers, he has helped create dozens of print and digital programs for millions of students. He brings over thirty years of experience in creating learning experiences for children to the Johnnie Max program.
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Cherie Bon
Cherie Bon is an independent illustrator-slash-graphic-designer who lives her life spread across Jakarta-Ubud-Auckland. For about 10 years now, she has been involved in various design and illustration projects for both startup and established brands while being on the move among the two cities and one village.
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Andrea Tompkins
Andrea Tompkins holds an MSEd and Certification in ECE and began her career as a preschool teacher. She has devoted many years to developing innovative and engaging educational programs and publications for young children that fill critical voids in early childhood education and child development.
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Linda Koons
Throughout her career, Linda Koons has achieved prominence as an educator, writer, and publisher. Linda has extensive experience working with teachers and parents to bring high-quality literacy instruction to schools and the home and has been a longtime advocate and spokesperson for early childhood education.
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Dr. Lorea Martínez
Dr. Lorea Martínez is the founder of HEART in Mind Consulting & Adjunct at Columbia University Teachers College; author of the EQ Educator. Lorea supports schools and organizations as they integrate SEL in their programs, products and learning communities, and works with Learning Policy Institute, Six Seconds, Hispanic IT Network, and public, private, and charter schools.
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Randy Locklair
Randy Locklair is a software architecture and software development consultant with over 23 years of experience developing web, mobile, and server applications. Randy lives in Brooklyn, NY, with his wife and preschool-aged daughter. He is a certificated pilot, musician, and cyclist, and proudly serves on the board of multiple NYC area non-profits (including his daughter’s elementary school PTA!).
Teacher Contributors
Lana Cruce
Lana Cruce is an elementary school teacher at a small independent school in Bloomington, Indiana, where she lives with her husband, two kids, dog, and chickens. This school year marks her 11th year teaching since receiving her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University, and her experience ranges from preschool through 5th grade. In her free time she loves to travel, spend time in nature, and make things.
Rosario Canul
Rosario Canul is a primary teacher at a small school in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, where she was born and lives with her family and pets. This year marks her 7th year as a teacher since receiving her teaching certification. During her tenure, she has taught 1st through 6th grades in primary and elementary schools. In her free time, she loves to go to the beach, spend time with her family, explore wonderful places in her state, and practice the Mayan language.
Thank You to These Program Reviewers
The following educational experts provided feedback that informed the development process.
Sarah Sprinkel, MAT
Blended Learning Early Childhood Education Consultant
MAT, Early Childhood, Administration and Supervision
Orlando, FL
Tamar Jacobson, PhD
Early childhood development and education consultant for early childhood programs, organizations, and families
PhD, Elementary and Early Childhood Education
Philadelphia, PA
Donna Knoell, PhD
International Educational and Technology Consultant, Instructional Specialist, Nonfiction Literacy Expert, Early Childhood Specialist
PhD, Elementary Education and Teaching
Shawnee Mission, KS
Karen Davis Platt, MEd
Early Childhood Trainer, Coach, and Program Leader
MA, Early Childhood Education from Concordia
Washington, DC; Raleigh-Durham, NC
Karen Parrino, MEd
Kindergarten teacher, NBCT
MEd Curriculum & Instruction and Reading Specialist
Baton Rouge, LA
Deborah Jones, MLIS
Librarian & Library Media Specialist
MLIS. Master of Library and Information Science
Cypress Fair ISD, Houston, TX
And a Special Thank You to . . .
our multi-talented graphic designer/web designer.
Nick Morley
Print & Digital Media Designer
Nick Morley Art & Design, LLC
Ann Arbor, MI