Phil Capin is an assistant professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His research focuses on understanding individual differences in reading development and on designing and evaluating effective instructional practices, particularly for students with or at risk for reading difficulties. Supported by grants from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Capin has conducted randomized control trials examining instructional approaches for improving reading opportunities and outcomes for children in K-12 settings. He directs the BRIDGES Lab (Building Reading Instruction to Drive Growth in Every Student), which is dedicated to rigorous, collaborative research with educators to bridge the gap between research and classroom practice. Currently, Dr. Capin’s research includes: (a) developing interventions that support both foundational reading skills and text comprehension, (b) integrating social-emotional supports within reading interventions for students with co-occurring reading difficulties, and (c) improving educational opportunities and outcomes for English learners. A core aim of Dr. Capin’s work is translating research insights into practical solutions that address the everyday challenges faced by educators and students. Before joining academia, Dr. Capin was a teacher in El Centro, California. 

Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan is president of the Valley Speech Language and Learning Center in Brownsville, Texas, and a research associate with the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics at the University of Houston. 
Elsa has dedicated 25 years to working on national research projects sponsored by the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, the Institute of Education Sciences, a research arm of the United States Department of Education and the Office of Special Education Programs. Her research interests include the development of language and literacy skills among Spanish-and English-speaking students. She has also worked with teams of researchers designing assessments and interventions for this linguistically diverse population of students. 
Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan serves as the chairperson of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities and is a Professional Advisory Board member of the Learning Disabilities Association of America. She is also a past vice-chairperson of the International Dyslexia Association. Elsa was honored to receive the Margaret Byrd Rawson Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Dyslexia Association, the Luke Waites Award of Service by the Academic Language Therapy Association, and the Learning Disabilities Award by the Learning Disabilities Association of America. She currently serves on the New York City Public Schools Literacy Advisory Council and the Literacy Advisory Boards for the states of Utah and Texas. Her book, entitled Literacy Foundations for English Learners: A Comprehensive Guide to Evidence-Based Instruction, was published to help educators implement Structured Literacy among English learners. 

Dr. Tommie Mabry is a globally renowned speaker, nationally recognized educator, and best-selling author whose story of resilience has inspired millions. Raised in one of Jackson, Mississippi’s toughest neighborhoods, he faced suspensions, expulsions, and was arrested in the fifth grade. After a judge told him he’d be dead or in jail in five years, Tommie chose a new path. Basketball gave him purpose, taking him around the world, and eventually led to a full scholarship at Missouri State University-West Plains—even after being shot in the foot during his senior year of high school. Dr. Mabry graduated cum laude from Tougaloo College with a B.A. in Education, earned an M.A. in Child Development, and completed an Executive Ph.D. in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University. He went on to teach in the same school district that once expelled him. He is the founder of the Tommie Mabry Company and author of A Dark Journey to a Light Future and other impactful books. He has appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show and has received the Corwin New Voices Award, and in 2025, was named one of Mississippi’s Top 50 Men in Business. His mantra: “I cannot walk in my future with my foot in my past.”