Holly Manson is part of the literacy team at the Louisiana Department of Education where she leads the state’s tutoring initiatives. With 20 years of education experience, her roles have included a classroom teacher, academic dean, master teacher, federal programs coordinator, and principal. She is committed to improving student outcomes by removing barriers through high dosage tutoring.

Ignite! Reading is a tutoring service provider offering virtual early literacy instruction with tutors trained in the Science of Reading. The organization works with school districts to embed 15 minutes of daily tutoring into the school day, providing each student with 1:1 virtual tutoring in foundational reading skills with a trained reading tutor. In school year 2023-24, Ignite! Reading will serve 10,000 students in grades K-8. Ignite! will also participate in a rigorous evaluation with Accelerate’s support.

IMMERSE is an interactive 3D language learning platform where students can practice real-world conversations in safe, engaging virtual environments. With AI-powered tutors and immersive scenarios, students build confidence and fluency while having fun.

Intervene K-12 will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the impact of high-impact virtual tutoring for K-12 students in ELA and math at multiple campuses across 2-3 districts throughout the 2024-25 academic year. The organization will provide virtual or hybrid tutoring services either individually or in small groups, with students engaging in synchronous, live, and interactive tutorial video sessions aligned with State Standards. Intervene K-12's model includes targeted support based on assessments and spiraling of objectives to reinforce students' foundational knowledge and skills while accelerating their ability to achieve grade-level mastery.

Jacqueline Cheadle is a Literacy Policy Specialist based in Columbus, Ohio, with a strong commitment to advancing high‑quality learning experiences and supporting educators in delivering effective instruction. She collaborates closely with program teams, leadership, and partner organizations to design, implement, and refine educational initiatives that improve outcomes for learners and strengthen professional practice.
Known for her thoughtful approach, attention to detail, and dedication to serving both educators and students, Jacqueline contributes expertise in program coordination, training support, and strategic communication. She brings a passion for building meaningful connections across teams and ensuring that educational programs are responsive, impactful, and aligned with organizational goals.

Outside of her professional role, Jacqueline is recognized for her collaborative spirit and her desire to help create learning environments where every individual has the opportunity to succeed.

Jazmin Sanders serves as the Senior Director of Innovative Learning, where she leads efforts to ensure students across Indianapolis have access to high-quality educational opportunities. In this role, she designs and directs impactful out-of-school programs and oversees the Indy Summer Learning Labs (ISLL), which serves more than 5,000 students annually and has driven double-digit gains in math and literacy.

Previously, Jazmin served as Manager of School Support and Incubation at The Mind Trust. She began her career in education as an Indianapolis Teaching Fellow and elementary educator before becoming a Teacher Development Coach for TNTP.

Jazmin holds a B.S. in Kinesiology from Indiana University, an M.A. in Teaching from Marian University, and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Butler University. Her passion for educational equity continues to expand opportunities for students and schools across Indianapolis.

Jeff Norris, 2024 Alabama Teacher of the Year, has a teaching background that includes elementary, gifted education, and middle school (ELA and math). He is a National Board Certified Teacher and also holds degrees in Educational Leadership and Teacher Leadership. Jeff was an assistant principal and principal for almost eight years at the K-2 level prior to returning to the middle school classroom at Oak Mountain Middle School in Shelby County, Alabama. He is currently an Education Specialist in the newly created Office of Extended Learning at the Alabama State Department of Education. Jeff firmly believes all members of the education community, from office personnel to classroom teachers to district administrators, and especially to students themselves, have the ability to positively influence and lead others.

Jennifer Wise, Ed.S. is the Assistant Director of the Florida Tutoring Advantage at the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning. A dedicated instructional leader with 27 years of school and district leadership experience, Wise is committed to improving learning outcomes for all students. In her role, she oversees the design, implementation, and evaluation of the statewide tutoring initiative, manages relationships with district partners and tutoring vendors, and ensures program success through strategic planning and performance goals.

Jess Sobin is the High-Impact Tutoring Program Manager at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), which is the DC state education agency. In this role, she leads OSSE’s three-year initiative to expand access to HIT for at least 10% of DC students, with a focus on those who are furthest from opportunity. Before joining DC government, Jess worked for global education organizations, and began her career as a middle school teacher in New York City.

Jill Snell serves as Executive Director of Literacy Programs and Initiatives at the Maryland State Department of Education, where she leads statewide efforts to strengthen PreK–12 literacy instruction. With extensive experience in literacy and instructional leadership, she collaborates with state and local leaders, school administrators, coaches, educators, and national partners to develop professional learning, guidance, and resources aligned with evidence-based practices. Jill is committed to building effective instructional systems that equip educators to provide high-quality literacy instruction and ensure every student has the opportunity to become a proficient and confident reader.

John-Paul Smith serves as Executive Director of North Carolina Education Corps. He has spent the last 15 years in the nonprofit sector, and he earned his BA in History from Elon University and MBA-MPP from UNC and Duke. He lives with his wife and their dog in Chapel Hill, NC.

John-Paul Smith serves as Executive Director of North Carolina Education Corps. He has spent the last 15 years in the nonprofit sector, and he earned his BA in History from Elon University and MBA-MPP from UNC and Duke. He lives with his wife and their dog in Chapel Hill, NC.

Joyful Readers is a non-profit organization committed to helping students gain the literacy skills needed to become successful, confident, and joyful readers! They recruit, train, manage, and coach a racially and generationally diverse cohort of AmeriCorps members who provide daily in-person reading tutoring to students in grades K-3. Joyful Readers AmeriCorps tutors receive a school placement where they serve full-time – 5 days per week and 8 hours per day for a school year. They provide 30 minute reading tutoring to 10-11 pairs of students per day utilizing the Wilson Fundations curriculum, a multi-sensory, structured language program that provides research-based materials and strategies essential to a comprehensive reading, spelling, and handwriting program. This model was piloted in the 2022-23 school year. They will serve  approximately 1,120 students in grades K-3 for the 2023-24 school year.

JUMP Math is a nonprofit curriculum provider that is developing tutoring content aligned with its core curriculum. Through this grant, JUMP Math will conduct a one year pilot with diverse schools in Michigan and rural Louisiana. JUMP Math's resources will be paired with Pearl's tutoring platform and data collection tools to equip tutors with JUMP Math's evidence-based methodology and resources, including a micro-tutor certification that tutors will complete prior to supporting students. They will serve 300 students in grades 1-9, seeking to develop students' confidence and enthusiasm for math through an improved understanding of the subject. Their aim is to inform the field's understanding of how alignment between core instructional materials and tutoring materials can drive student outcomes.

Katherine Bassett is the founding CEO of the New Jersey Tutoring Corps, Inc. Throughout her career in education, Katherine has advocated for students to receive the highest-quality of education regardless of their zip code or family circumstances. She was named New Jersey’s 2000 State Teacher of the Year, and served as President and CEO of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year.

Katherine spent 26 years in the classroom as a middle school librarian. Moving to ETS, she led the development of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificates for Library Media and Literacy, performance-based assessments in four states, worked with six states to develop a common continuum of practice, and led the development of the Teacher Leader Model Standards. She served as Director of Policy and Partnerships for the Center for Educator Effectiveness at Pearson. She has co-authored more than 15 research studies.