LITERACY MATRIX - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Senior Specialist
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager / Product Development
UF alumni Allen and Delores Lastinger envisioned a center where high-impact education programs would be developed by strategically integrating research with frontline educator experience. Their generous gift and vision brought forth the Lastinger Center for Learning in 2002.
The Lastinger Center celebrated its 20th year as an education innovation incubator in 2022! We spent some time reflecting on our past, present and future during our anniversary year. Check out our interactive timeline and the Lastinger Legends podcast to learn more about where we started, where we are now, and hear some stories about our journey along the way.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Professor, Associate Director for Teaching and Teacher Education / School of Teaching and Learning
- Director / School of Teaching and Learning / College of Education / University of Florida
Job Titles:
- Web Design Specialist
- Web Designer / Communications
- Web Designer at the Lastinger Center for Learning
Alyssa (Allie) Pearson serves as a Web Designer at the Lastinger Center for Learning. In this role, Allie works to strengthen our visual identity online, ensure consistency across front-facing sites and LMS content, and rework user flows to ensure a satisfactory user experience.
Allie's previous experience starts with several internships at UF, including graphic design work at UF Facilities Services and motion graphics work at Digital Worlds' LUMA program. She joined UF Creative Works as a Motion Graphics Specialist, but learned more design and interactive media skills during the job and began Google's UX Design certificate in her free time. After joining Lastinger as a UI/UX Specialist, she helped formulate the new visual identity of The Center before applying it to LMS and interactive content through visuals and hierarchy systems. She also worked to streamline the internal production process through template creation, asset consolidation, and documentation.
Allie is a recent Summa Cum Laude graduate from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in Digital Arts and Sciences, a Computer Science and Information Engineering minor, and a Graphic Design certificate. In her free time, she loves to paint and sketch, try new restaurants and recipes, and play fantasy RPGs (both virtually and tabletop).
Job Titles:
- Specialist / Lead Literacy Navigator
Amanda Pate serves as the Lead Literacy Navigator at the Lastinger Center for Learning. In this role, Amanda is leading the implementation of the Center's online literacy K-12 professional learning programs. She recruits, trains and coaches course instructors and develops content and implementation support resources for course instructors and educators enrolled in the online professional learning courses. She works closely with research and evaluation and course development to make adjustments to the learning experience to ensure success in the coursework.
Amanda began her career as a 5th grade reading teacher. In this role, she served in many leadership capacities; serving on committees, mentoring new educators, and serving as the team lead for her team for many years. She has also served as an exceptional education teacher, developing IEP's and coaching students, teachers and parents in best practices for teaching and learning. She is certified in Elementary Education, Educational Leadership, Exceptional Student Education and holds a Reading Endorsement and an ESOL endorsement.
Amanda has a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a master's degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida. She has a doctorate of education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Florida. In her free time, Amanda enjoys reading new research on teaching and learning, listening to podcasts and audiobooks, traveling and being on the move; both for exercise and movement. She is an avid runner and recently started to enjoy other forms of exercises; biking, swimming and yoga. She enjoys spending time with her two sons and encouraging their curiosity about the world around them.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Project Management Team
- Senior Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Research and Evaluation Methodology / Associate Director of Human Development and Organizational Studies in Education
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor / School of Teaching and Learning
Job Titles:
- Instructional Design Specialist
- Instructional Designer, Specialist
Anthony serves as an Instructional Designer Specialist at the Lasting Center for Learning. In this role, Anthony collaborates with teachers and subject matter experts to shape their visions for learning into e-learning experiences that are accessible, engaging, and well-aligned to instructors' desired outcomes.
Anthony began his career as an Instructional Designer in 2015 at the University of Florida College of Education's E-Learning, Technology, and Communications (ETC) department, regularly contributing to the redesign of many university courses and academic programs with careful attention paid to course content alignment and seamless integration with interactive multimedia elements and learning management systems. In addition to this work, Anthony has provided instructional design expertise to several research and grant projects external to traditional academic courses, including educational websites, micro-credential programs, and immersive (XR) simulation experiences.
Anthony has earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of Florida's ProTeach program, which includes several semesters of co-teaching internship in Florida classrooms and certification from the University of Florida Literacy Initiative (UFLI). In his free time, Anthony expresses a deep affinity for audiovisual media in all forms by specializing in music curation, experimental video collage performances, and A/V art installations at venues around the Gainesville area.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Associate Professor of Special Education and Special Education Program Area Leader
Job Titles:
- Member of the Project Management Team
- Administrative Specialist
Job Titles:
- Coordinator
- Finance
- Member of the Project Management Team
Job Titles:
- Implementation Specialist at the Lastinger Center for Learning
- Literacy Implementation Specialist
- Specialist
Brittany Duquaine serves as a Literacy Implementation Specialist at the Lastinger Center for Learning. In this role, she works alongside the Academics Team to design and implement professional development courses. In her role, she is often found in person at events and trainings representing the Lastinger Center for Learning supporting literacy implementation throughout the state.
Brittany served as a classroom teacher for many years in Wisconsin and Florida. She has experience in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms, as well as experience as a K-2 reading interventionist.
Brittany holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education as well as a master's degree in education. Brittany received her Florida Reading Endorsement from the University of Florida. She also holds a certification in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). In her free time, Brittany enjoys weightlifting, scuba diving, and exploring new cities and countries.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager / Product Development and Marketing
Job Titles:
- Member of the Project Management Team
- Specialist
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor / School of Teaching and Learning
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Development Director
Job Titles:
- Coordinator / Experience, Design and Development
Job Titles:
- Dean / College of Education / University of Georgia
Job Titles:
- Specialist / Learning Services
Job Titles:
- Specialist / Human Resources
Job Titles:
- Senior Specialist / Human Resources
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor / School of Human Development and Organizational Studies
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Senior Specialist
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor / School of Inclusive and Special Education
Job Titles:
- Senior Coordinator / Finance
Job Titles:
- Research Professor of Public Policy and the Founding Director of the Equity Research Action Coalition at FPG Child Development Institute at University of North Carolina
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Author
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor, Research and Evaluation Methodology Program / School of Human Development and Organizational Studies
Job Titles:
- Manager / Experience Design
Job Titles:
- Manager / External Affairs and Communications
Job Titles:
- Interim Manager / Communications
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Coordinator / Research
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director / Communications
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor / Special Education
Job Titles:
- Member of the Project Management Team
- Implementation Specialist at the Lastinger Center for Learning
- Specialist
- Specialist, Literacy Implementation
Kimberly Youmans serves as the implementation specialist at the Lastinger Center for Learning. In this role, she designs and facilitates professional learning experiences in the area of small group instruction by developing and creating learning activities, assisting in the selection of materials, infusing adult learning strategies within materials, and providing the evidence base that supports the selection of materials, programs, and strategies.
Kimberly has 18 years of experience in education. Previously she has served as a classroom teacher, literacy coach, mentor, district literacy coach, and assistant principal in Florida. She is passionate about ensuring that all children are provided quality literacy instruction, resulting in children who are life-long proficient readers.
Kimberly holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of South Florida. She earned her Masters in Education in Educational Leadership from the University of South Florida. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Job Titles:
- Interactive Media Specialist at the Lastinger Center for Learning
- Specialist / Interactive Media
Lexi Reyes serves as an Interactive Media Specialist at the Lastinger Center for Learning. In this role, Lexi creates assets for and develops interactive e-learning courses.
After graduating from UF, Lexi began her career as an Interactive Media Specialist at Creative Works, where she designed online coursework using Articulate Storyline 360.
Lexi graduated from the University of Florida with a BA in Digital Arts and Sciences. When she's not thinking about, making art for, or playing video games, she's usually rollerblading or trying to befriend stray cats.
Job Titles:
- President / Miami Dade College
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager / Research and Evaluation
Job Titles:
- Coordinator / Content Design
Job Titles:
- Coordinator / Communications
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Coordinator / Product Development
Job Titles:
- Specialist
- Specialist, New Worlds Reading Initiative
Mercedes serves as a Family and Community Engagement Specialist for the New Worlds Reading Initiative. In this role, she works to share the New Worlds Reading Initiative with schools, families, community organizations, businesses and more throughout Palm Beach, Martin, St Lucie, Indian River, Okeechobee, and Glades counties.
Mercedes began her career as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher in Gadsden County, Florida. She has 15 years of experience working with preschool through elementary school-age students in a variety of roles and settings throughout the state of Florida. Most recently, Mercedes served as the VPK Services Manager for the Martin County School District.
Mercedes has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Education, both earned during her time as a student at Florida State University. In her free time, Mercedes enjoys spending time with her three daughters and extended family and friends watching college football, attending concerts, and enjoying all things the great state of Florida has to offer.
Job Titles:
- Research Administrator / College of Education Post Award Services
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer / Florida Alliance of Children 's Councils & Trust / Ex - Officio Members
Job Titles:
- Design Specialist at the Lastinger Center for Learning
- Graphic Design Specialist
Mireya Ramirez serves as the Graphic Design Specialist at the Lastinger Center for Learning. In this role, Mireya works as part of the Interactive and Visual Design Team to design Teacher Reading Guides as well as the Interactive Reading Guides that help strengthen student literacy skills.
Mireya began her career at the University of Central Florida's Center for Distributed Learning working as a web designer for over four years. She contributed as the lead designer to the advancement of the open education resources initiative through the creation of Pressbooks textbook graphics and illustrations that have helped not only UCF students but has reached as far as Europe and Asia. Her work in the open educational resources initiative gave her a profound understanding of the importance of ensuring that education and reading are inclusive, accessible, and devoid of barriers. She also collaborated with instructional designers and faculty to establish clear project scopes as well as develop creative concepts for more than 50 course graphics, handouts, and other materials for both print and digital distribution.
Mireya has a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts specializing in Graphic Design from the University of Central Florida. In her free time, Mireya enjoys working on personal projects that resonate with themes rooted to her indigenous Mixteca heritage as well as dedicating time to training her 5 month old puppy.
Job Titles:
- Principal / Washington Education Strategies
Job Titles:
- Chief Academic Officer / Literacy Principal
Job Titles:
- Member of the Project Management Team
- Post Doctoral Associate / Mathematics
Job Titles:
- Director / Executive Leadership
Educational Technology, School of Teaching and Learning
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Specialist / Finance
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Development Coordinator
- Director / Development
Stephanie serves as the Development Coordinator at the Lastinger Center for Learning. In this role, Stephanie leads the Center's philanthropic fundraising efforts in partnership with the executive leadership team to carry out its mission to build and scale innovative and impactful teaching and learning programs.
Beginning her career in the marketing industry, Stephanie was drawn to the field of education and the opportunity to invest in the next generation. She transitioned into the K-12 education system as a secondary mathematics teacher, where she had the opportunity to hone her skills and knowledge in implementing research-based, engaging instructional practices, understand the critical role that connection and community play in learning, and becoming acutely aware of the challenges that children and teachers face within the current educational system.
Her desire to enact sustained, significant change in the field of education led her to join the Lastinger Center in 2014. During her tenure, Stephanie has held a number of roles that include overseeing marketing and communications, external affairs, product development, and philanthropic development, contributing to the securing of $250M+ in public and private funding to support the development, implementation, and scaling of the Center's flagship programs, including Math Nation, New Worlds Reading, and Early Learning Florida.
A double graduate of the University of North Florida, Stephanie holds a B.S. in Marketing and M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction. Stephanie resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Avid Floridians, Stephanie and her family enjoy being outside.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Project Management Team
- Coordinator / Video Production
- Video Production Coordinator at the Lastinger Center for Learning
Steve Zill is the Video Production Coordinator at the Lastinger Center for Learning. In this role, Steve oversees the production of video and audio content for the center.
Steve has a bachelor's degree in advertising and visual art from the University of Florida. Steve enjoys gardening, attending local food systems events, and taking photographs in his free time.
Job Titles:
- Retired Chief Executive Officer
Job Titles:
- Specialist / Learning Services
Job Titles:
- Clinical Assistant Professor / School of Teaching and Learning
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Specialist / Mathematics
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean / College of Education / University of Florida
Job Titles:
- Senior Coordinator / Technology
Job Titles:
- Professor, Research and Evaluation Methodology Program / School of Human Development and Organizational Studies
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor / School of Teaching and Learning