PBIDA Board Members – 2024-2025

President

Jessica McKee, MSW, LSW

Vice President

Richard Sabousky

Recording Secretary

Maria Paluselli, M.Ed.

Treasurer

Regina Anderson

Collect Impact Coordinator

Mindy Bramer, Ed.D.

Board Members

Olabimpe Abayomi-Ige, Ph.D.

Kelly Ballard

Ann Darrow, B.S., Certified in Dyslexia & PACE

Georgette Helbling, M.Ed., MLIS, CALP

Yvonne Howard (D’Uva)

Aileen Hower

Denise Morelli

Ernesto Ortiz Jr.

Jenn S

Shakela Strawberry

Melanie Young

PBIDA MISSION STATEMENT

We champion individuals with dyslexia and all students learning to read. We support their families, community, educators, and related professionals. Throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware, we increase awareness about dyslexia, provide education and resources, and promote best practices for teaching reading based on scientific research.

2024 PBIDA Board Member Bio’s

President

Jessica McKee, MSW, LSW is the Founder of The Literacy Alliance of Pennsylvania, an organization dedicated to transforming lives through literacy. Jessica is actively involved with Decoding Dyslexia PA and is a current board member for PBIDA. Jessica is a Licensed Social Worker with nearly 2 decades experience with mental health counseling and family services, including foster care and adoption. Mrs. McKee obtained her Master’s Degree in Social Work in 2004 from Marywood University.

Jessica is the mother of five children, two of whom have dyslexia. Through her experiences with her sons, Jessica realized the need for increased education and awareness regarding parent rights during special education processes as well as for increased training for educators on dyslexia. She then began volunteering with Decoding Dyslexia and the National Center for Learning Disabilities to create more opportunities for students with dyslexia in education.

Vice President

Richard Sabousky

Recording Secretary

Maria M. Paluselli M.Ed. is the CEO for Provident Charter School for Children with Dyslexia in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Prior to being named CEO, she was the Chief Learning Officer for the school and was actively involved in the founding of the school. Maria has worked as a special education teacher, an adjunct instructor at the University of Pittsburgh, and a consultant to the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Non-Public Schools division (AIU) and for Winsor Learning Corp. At PITT and the AIU, she trained over 300 teachers in the basic principles of Orton-Gillingham methods. In 1999 she became the first director of the Pittsburgh Children’s Dyslexia Center. During her ten years as director, more than 150 dyslexic students were taught to read, and Maria trained more than 40 tutors. Maria is certified as an Orton-Gillingham Tutor at the Advanced Level as well as a certified Wilson tutor.

In 2001 Maria helped found a regional group of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) in Pittsburgh as part of the Pennsylvania Branch (PBIDA). Maria served as the second chair of that group. In 2014 Maria was awarded PBIDA’s Gardner Award for her work training teachers, tutors, and students and for expanding the knowledge of how to teach students with dyslexia to read. She a graduate of Duquesne University with a master’s degree in special education.

Treasurer

Regina Willis, a dedicated parent, found herself on a transformative journey when her child was diagnosed with Dyslexia in 2020. Since then, she has wholeheartedly committed herself to gaining a profound understanding of all aspects related to dyslexia.

Despite lacking an educational background, Regina has navigated the intricate terrain of dyslexia with unwavering determination. Her perseverance has led her to acquire knowledge in fundamental school processes, curriculum intricacies, and the timelines associated with special education. Empowered by her newfound insights, Regina has taken on the role of a disseminator of information, ensuring that other parents benefit from her experiences. She volunteers her time to share valuable insights until everyone has access to the information needed for their children to read as they should.

Regina’s dedication is evident in her active pursuit of education and training, including Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking at Temple University’s Institute on Disabilities in 2021, The Arc of Philadelphia Advocacy Curriculum in 2021, Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) Comprehensive Virtual Orton Gillingham Training (30 hours) in 2021, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates Special Education Advocate Training in 2022, and Collaborative on Racialized Disability (CORD) and Easterseals Special Education Advocacy Training in 2022.

Regina Willis continues to be a beacon of support and information for parents navigating the challenges of dyslexia, contributing to a more informed and empowered community.

Collect Impact Coordinator

Mindy Bramer, Ed.D. serves as the Director of Professional Development for Provident Charter School.  Prior to arriving at PCS, she served as a literacy consultant for the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance and Network (PaTTAN) working on Pennsylvania’s Dyslexia Screening and Early Literacy Pilot Program.  Dr. Bramer is a Nationally Board-Certified teacher in the area of Reading-Language Arts: Early and Middle Childhood and also has her Special Education Supervisor and Principal certifications.  In addition, she has Orton-Gillingham Level I certification and is a Wilson® credentialed trainer.  

She has been an elementary and special education teacher, reading specialist, and has taught ninth grade English Literature.  Dr. Bramer earned her Doctorate in Special Education Leadership from Slippery Rock University where her dissertation focused on dyslexia and multisensory instruction. 

Board Members

Olabimpe Abayomi-Ige, Ph.D. currently works for the School District of Philadelphia as a Special Education Lead (SPECM) and as a Special Education Teacher. In this position, she works with a team of specialists including a school psychologist, occupational therapist, school counselor, vision itinerant, and physical therapist. She has worked with students with special education needs for more than two decades and has wealth of experience serving students with specific learning disabilities such dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia; and with students with ADHD, autism, emotional disturbance, and other health impairments. She has an in-depth knowledge of the special education law, IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Act) and its implementation as well as the ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act). Dr. Abayomi-Ige received her Ph.D. from Temple University.  Her dissertation analyzed special education policy in Lagos, Nigeria compared to IDEA in the United States.

Kelly Ballard

Ann Darrow is a Dyslexia Specialist having earned a degree in Bachelor of Sciences in Communication Sciences and Disorders (College of Health and Human Development) at Penn State with a Minor in Psychology and Sociology at Allegany College of Maryland. She is Certified in PACE, a training for Processing and Cognitive Enhancement and for Barton Reading and Spelling System.  She also has a Family Literacy Certification and an Advocacy Certification.

Ann is the mother of four adult children and has one grandson.  One of her children is severely dyslexic.  One is undiagnosed.  All have an auditory processing disorder. Ann currently tutors students privately and is co-chair of the Family Support Group for PBIDA.  She is also part of the team that holds the Dyslexia Simulations. Last year she became certified in Advocacy so that she could take a larger role in helping the families she works with.

Ann and her family are very involved with Lions Club International, and she serves as the secretary of their area club and her husband is the current president. She and her husband own the Darrow Bison Range and Bison Corral Gift Shop in Schellsburg, PA.

Georgette Helbling is a Certified Academic Language Practitioner in the Orton-Gillingham approach, with 20+years of theoretical instruction and teaching experience, Georgette received training in the Orton-Gillingham approach from the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE) and The Children’s Dyslexia Center Inc. Her educational background includes: Certified Academic Language Practitioner Certification (CALP), ALTA (Academic Language Therapy Association), Certified Dyslexia Specialist, (International Dyslexia Assoc.) Master of Education with Concentrations in Literacy Studies, Reading Specialist, & Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), ESL Certification, and a Certificate in Digital Literacy.  Master of Science – Library and Information Science – Specialization in Urban Libraries, and School, Librarian Certification.

The mother of two dyslexic sons, and herself a dyslexic, she understands the negative experiences struggling readers encounter on a regular basis, which negatively impact their self-esteem.

Yvonne Howard (D’Uva)

Aileen Hower

Denise Morelli

Ernesto Ortiz Jr.

Jenn S

Shakela Strawberry, a dedicated advocate, has devoted the majority of her career to making a positive impact. Her journey began by working with the most vulnerable population on Public Assistance and has since transitioned to a focus on inner-city youth in Education.

When faced with the challenge of her son being identified as Dyslexic, Shakela found herself navigating a complex system. As a Ph.D. program participant at the time, the initial evaluation felt like deciphering gibberish, leading her to question her identity as an educated woman. During a pivotal meeting about the evaluation, Shakela and her husband sought clarity, asking, “What does all of this mean for our son?” The psychologist whispered, “Look up Dyslexia. Your son is Dyslexic.” Undeterred, Shakela insisted on noting it down for future reference, unaware of the journey that lay ahead.

Shakela encountered obstacles advocating for her son within the public school system. In her quest to find suitable schools for dyslexic children, she discovered a disparity. Private schools, often unaffordable for low-income families, lacked diversity in both student and staff populations. The academic landscape revealed tiers, with affluent schools resembling college campuses and less affluent ones showcasing greater diversity among students but lacking in faculty, staff, and administration diversity.

Recognizing the profound impact of academia on the mental and emotional health of dyslexic children, Shakela embarked on a journey into Dyslexia. She obtained certification in Dyslexia and co-founded a non-profit with her son. Their mission is to bridge the equity gap in Special Education, addressing the disparities she witnessed and advocating for a more inclusive and supportive educational environment.

Melanie Young works as an education consultant/advocate and a cofounder at Thrive Advocacy Group. As a devoted advocate and educator for children with special needs, Melanie Young has had the privilege of teaching and advocating for students with special needs for over twenty years. Melanie has a broad range of experience spanning from preschool special education to transition-aged services. She is passionate about developing individualized programming to best meet each child’s needs.

Melanie’s career began when she acquired her PA teaching certification in both elementary K-6 and special education K-21. While teaching in the elementary and middle public school setting as a special education teacher, she earned her graduate degree in special education from George Washington University.  During this time, Melanie attended congressional hearings that sought to improve the lives of individuals with special needs. She volunteered at the Heath Resource Center, a national clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities.

In 2016, Melanie completed the intensive Wilson Reading Certification program, which led to the development of her private tutoring company, teaching individuals with dyslexia, Young Literacy Connection. Melanie worked as a Reading Specialist Independent Contractor for the Chester County Intermediate Unit. Melanie completed her Slippery Rock University’s Reading Specialist Certification program in 2020 and is a PA-certified Reading Specialist.

Since 2018, Melanie has worked for a local law firm specializing in education law as an advocate.