The Literacy Advisory Councils support the Maine Department of Education’s implementation of the State Literacy and Numeracy Action Plans by bringing practitioner voice and field-based perspective into statewide work.
Council members serve as thought partners and ambassadors, helping ensure that Maine’s literacy and numeracy efforts remain grounded in classroom practice and responsive to the diverse contexts of schools and communities across the state.
Specifically, the councils:
- Share insights from daily practice to inform ongoing refinement of resources, guidance, and professional learning
- Strengthen connections between the Department and educators, school leaders, and higher education partners
- Help surface implementation challenges and promising practices from the field
- Champion high-quality, equitable literacy and numeracy learning for all Maine students
- Support alignment and coherence across related statewide initiatives
The councils do not oversee programs or make policy decisions. Instead, they provide an ongoing forum for collaboration, reflection, and practitioner-informed guidance as Maine advances its long-term literacy and numeracy goals.
| Name | Role | School/SAU | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Peter Lancia | Chair | Westbrook | Cumberland |
| Chris Pirkl | Teacher and Maine DOE MLTI Ambassador | Portland High School, Portland Public Schools | Cumberland |
| Kim Fadrigon | Instructional Leader (K-8) | Gorham School Department | Cumberland |
| Leslie Constantine | Teacher (Grade 7) | Saco Middle School, Saco School Department | York |
| Julie Montalbano | Literacy Coach and MTSS | Biddeford Primary School, Biddeford School Department | York |
| Dawn Lee | Librarian and Literacy Teacher | Morse High School, RSU 1 (Bath) | Sagadahoc |
| Amanda Belanger | Superintendent | AOS 90 (Baileyville) | Washington |
| Amy Tucker | Middle School Teacher | Caribou Community School, RSU 39 | Kennebec |
| Penny Inman | Title I Teacher | Thompson School, MSAD 11 | Kennebec |
| Jennifer Ladd | Literacy Coordinator (PK-5) | Cascade Brook & Mallett Schools, RSU 9 | Franklin |
| Amanda Doherty | Multilingual Teacher | Connors Elementary School, Lewiston Public Schools | Androscoggin |
| Carole Celani | Literacy Coach | Fairview & Washburn Schools, Auburn School Department | Androscoggin |
| Rhonda Ulichny | Teacher (K) | Hancock Grammar School | Hancock |
| Allison Woodard | Assistant Principal | Old Town Elementary, RSU 34 | Penobscot |
| Carolyn Hatch | ELA Teacher (CTE) | MSAD 54, Somerset Career and Technical Center | Somerset |
| Jennifer Strazzulla | Teacher (Grades 3/4) | Hope Elementary School, Union 69 | Knox |
| Linda Martin | Interventionist | Milo Elementary School, RSU 41 | Piscataquis |
| Lori Smith | Teacher (Grade 3) | Etna-Dixmont, RSU 19 | Penobscot |
| Alternates | |||
| Julie Riordan | Instructional Coach (Grades 5-12) | Westbrook Middle School, Westbrook School Department | Cumberland |
| Shannon Swiger | Director of Teaching and Learning | MSAD 60 | York |
| Haley Fenton | MTSS and Principal | Ella Lewis School, RSU 24 | Washington |
| Tarsha Lescourd | MTSS | Blue Hill Consolidated School, School Union 19 | Hancock |