The Reading League Ohio
We believe that all children can learn to read and all teachers can learn to teach them. Yet, after decades of education policy changes and increased testing, much of reading education is failing millions of children in acquiring life’s most important education endeavor towards knowledge and fulfillment. Only a third of students in the U.S. achieve reading proficiency. Low literacy levels contribute to poor physical health, mental health, employment opportunities, and quality of life. Students who struggle to read often feel alone, as do the educators and parents who experience frustration when they cannot find adequate information and guidance.
Meet Our Executive Committee
As an assistant professor at Marietta College, Michelle Elia helps prepare pre-service teachers to teach reading using evidence-based language and literacy practices. Elia was previously one of two Ohio Literacy Leads, a role that allowed her to train district administrators, teachers, and regional consultants across Ohio in the science of reading. Elia is a nationally recognized literacy professional development provider, training educators in literacy assessments and instruction within an MTSS framework grounded in reading science. She serves as a school board member of her local district and president of The Reading League Ohio. A lifelong learner, Elia is pursuing her doctorate in Reading Science at Mount St. Joseph University. Michelle is passionate about ensuring all students learn to read using evidence-based literacy practices that are inclusive of all students. When she is not talking about reading, her favorite job is being a mom to three active teenagers.
David Brobeck, PhD, is a Research Associate at the University of Cincinnati Systems Development & Improvement Center (UCSDI). A 49-year educator, he was raised in the shadows of the Western Pennsylvania steel mills by his educator parents. He holds a BA from California Lutheran University and a master’s and doctorate from Kent State University. He taught Language Arts and Reading in the Kent City Schools for 17 years, before serving as a principal and superintendent the final 18 years of his P12 career. From 2010 to 2021, David served as a graduate education professor at Walsh University. In 2022, he began his work at UCSDI focusing on leadership, literacy, and connections between P12 schools and university education preparation programs. Currently, his focus is literacy development through explicit and systematic instruction of reading and writing in alignment with the Science of Reading. He is one of twelve developers of the Ohio Reading and Literacy Standards (2024) where he focused on the new standards for writing. David’s wife Gretchen is a retired kindergarten teacher. They are parents to four daughters and grandparents of nine (seven girls, two boys). He is an advocate for all children learning to be proficient readers, writers, and mathematician’s and understands that early education success through effective teaching is a pathway to a life of opportunity.
Ohio Adolescent Literacy Specialist, ESC of Eastern Ohio