Regional Board Members

 BOARD MEMBERS BY REGION

SERVICE AREA 1 – NORTHEAST

Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblin, Hancock, Hawkins,
Jefferson, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Washington

		VICE-PRESIDENT – AREA 1 WENDY O’NEAL Wendy has been in education for 26 years. She holds an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership, a Master’s in early childhood special education, and a dual Bachelor’s in elementary and special education. Wendy is a highly qualified reading intervention teacher with certifications in English Language Learners and as a TEAM evaluator. Her experiences span classroom teacher, instructional coach, and school administration with a proven record of success at the school, district, and state levels. She has served for almost two decades as an adjunct professor and supervisor to future teachers in education preparation programs. Recently, she worked as a consultant for the Tennessee Department of Education, evaluating universities’ teacher preparation programs strengthening alignment to reading practices and standards. She is a parent of a child with dyslexia.

SERVICE AREA 2 – SMOKY MOUNTAIN

Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Cumberland, Fentress, Knox, Loudon,
McMinn, Monroe, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Roane, Scott, Sevier

		VICE-PRESIDENT – AREA 2 DENISE HOLMES Denise is a Certified Academic Language Practitioner (CALP) and Structured Language Dyslexia Specialist (C-SLDS). She provides one-to-one academic therapy and multisensory math intervention. Denise also serves on the Knox County Dyslexia Advisory Council. She has a B.S. in Psychology from the College of Charleston and lives in Knox County.
		DIRECTOR – AREA 2 MIKE MATVY Mike serves as a Director of Service Area 2, representing Knox County. He has Bachelor’s in Education, Master’s in Guidance and Counseling, and Ed.S. in school psychology. Mike retired from public education in 2010 and currently shares his talent and expertise in assistive technology services and app development specifically for individuals with dyslexia.
		DIRECTOR – AREA 2 ALEXIA BOUCHER Alexis is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Tennessee. Her research focuses on developing effective interventions for students with dyslexia in upper elementary grades. Alexis is an experienced elementary special educator who enjoys mentoring and teaching pre-service and in-service educators, administrators, and researchers in reading development, instruction, and intervention.

SERVICE AREA 3 – SOUTHEAST

Bledsoe, Bradley, Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, Meigs,
Putnam, Rhea, Sequatchie, Van Buren, Warren, White

		VICE-PRESIDENT – AREA 3 VACANT
		DIRECTOR – AREA 3 ASHLEY SMITH-MATZEN Ashley lives in Putnam County and has her bachelors of Science in Nursing from Tennessee Tech University. After Ashley’s oldest son was diagnosed with dyslexia in 2017, advocating for him and other dyslexic children became her passion. She completed an advocacy certification through Vanderbilt University to improve her ability to advocate. In the near future, she plans to become a Wilson Certified Practitioner, and provide 1:1 tutoring for dyslexic students.

SERVICE AREA 4a – NORTH CENTRAL

Cheatham, Clay, Davidson, Dickson, Jackson, Macon,
Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Wilson

		VICE-PRESIDENT – AREA 4a MELINDA HIRSCHMANN Melinda earned her Ed.D. from Lipscomb University and her Master’s in Special Education from Tennessee State University. Melinda is the Assistant Director for Educational Services and School Outreach for the Tennessee Center for the Study & Treatment of Dyslexia at Middle Tennessee State University. She provides literacy education to pre-service and in-service teachers and is a certified academic language therapist (CALT). As a director in Area 4B, she represents Wilson and Rutherford Counties.
		DIRECTOR – AREA 4a LYNNE WALKER Lynne serves as a Director of Service Area 4a, representing Sumner and Davidson County. She has her Bachelor’s from Baylor University and her Master’s in Educational Counseling from the University of Memphis. Lynne works as a teacher trainer in Structured Literacy and is a parent, teacher, and Certified Academic Language Therapist (C.A.L.T.) for students with dyslexia.
		DIRECTOR – AREA 4a SANDY PARUS Sandy serves on the board, representing Rutherfod County. She has her Bachelor’s in Journalism and Marketing for Lewis University and her Masters’ as a Reading Specialist from Olivet Nazarene University and Teaching English Language Learners from the American College of Education. Sandy is currently a reading specialist working as a dyslexia tutor in her own private practice. After working in public school for several years, Sandy has devoted her career to ensuring that students with dyslexia had access to high quality services and education to reach their fullest potential.

SERVICE AREA 4b – SOUTH CENTRAL

Bedford, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln,
Marshall, Maury, Moore, Williamson

		DIRECTOR- AREA 4b LORIE RICHARDSON Lorie received her bachelor’s degree in Business of Administration from Belmont University and a Master’s in Christian Education from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Master’s of Arts in Teaching from Belmont University. Lorie is a special education teacher in Bedford County and teaches struggling readers, including those with Dyslexia. “The Dyslexia Center at MTSU gave me my first training on how to teach struggling readers. Through their training, I transformed my reading instruction and have become a more effective teacher. My collaboration with others on the board has deepened my understanding of Dyslexia and how to provide intervention to my students”.
		DIRECTOR – AREA 4b JULIANNE BORNE Julianne holds a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary English Education, a Master’s degree in Dyslexia Therapy, and an Education Specialist degree in Psychometry. Julianne is a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and academic coach at Hoover Learning Group in Brentwood. She is passionate about helping students build confidence and teaching them to read using a variety of multisensory methods.
		DIRECTOR – AREA 4b PAM FAHEY Pamela has a Bachelor of Arts in French from Southern Methodist University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Trevecca Nazarene University. She has served in public education as an involved parent of two, a substitute teacher, a paraprofessional, an elementary classroom teacher for nine years, and is currently in her 6th year as reading coach at Liberty Elementary in Franklin, Tn. She has administered the universal screeners and additional dyslexia screeners for kindergarten through fourth grades at her school over the past six years. She is passionate about ensuring that all elementary students receive explicit, systematic, multisensory phonics instruction.

SERVICE AREA 5 – WEST

Barton, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman,
Hardin, Henry, Haywood, Henderson lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy,
Oblon, Perry, Shelby, Tipton, Wayne, Weakley

		VICE-PRESIDENT – AREA 5 PAM DeMATO Pam lives in Shelby County. and has her Bachelor’s of Science in Early Childhood Education from Southern Connecticut State University and her Master’s of Education from Christian Brothers University. She is CERI and ALTA certified and runs the RISE Learning Center in Collierville. Pam’s interest in advocacy and structured literacy programs began when her own children were diagnosed with dyslexia and she has proudly been involved with TN-IDA for 15 years. Pam is the Executive Director of Shelby Literacy Center and also runs RISE Learning Center in Collierville.
		DIRECTOR – AREA 5 GAY LANDAICHE Gay has her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Louisiana State University and her trainings include several Lindamood Bell courses and Associate Level training with the Orton Gillingham Academy.  Gay is the Director of the Erika Center at Bodine School doing community outreach in the area of dyslexia. She lives in Shelby County.
		DIRECTOR – AREA 5 NICHI HICKERSON Nichi is a long-time resident of Trenton, Tennessee, and she works as a reading specialist in the neighboring district in Bradford, TN. She and her husband, who is a school board member for the Trenton Special School District, are active supporters of the two school districts in which they work. Nichi has a Master’s Degree in Education with a Reading Specialist Endorsement. She has taught kindergarten, third grade, and Title I in an RTI classroom. Nichi ‘s passion for teaching children to read began as a teenager when she worked in an after school program and later when she worked as an assistant in a special education classroom. These experiences led her to obtaining a degree in education.

MEMBER AT LARGE

ADVISORY COUNCIL

		MARTIE WOOD Martie serves as an advisor to the board and represents Knox County. She has her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Special Education from University of Tennessee-Knoxville and is certified through Slingerland, ALTA, and IDA as a Dyslexia Therapist. She is a past-president of TNIDA and has served in many board positions. Martie is the owner of Martie Wood & Associates: Academic Therapy which offers one-to-one services in Knoxville and surrounding areas. She is the originator and facilitator of the Knox County Dyslexia Advisory Council. Martie is a co-recipient of the 2019 Massey-Sexton Excellence Award.
		JENNIFER FLEMING Jennifer serves as an advisor to the board, representing south-central Tennessee. She served as the president of the organization from 2021-2023. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Education, her Master’s degree in Administration and Supervision and is a Certified Academic Language Therapist. She is also IDA and CERI Certified as a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist. Jennifer is the parent of a child with dyslexia.