Board Members
Catey Roe
President
Catey is thrilled to be taking on the role of president of the WABIDA board. She is currently the Learning Support Coordinator at Westside School in West Seattle, and has spent her career working with students with learning differences in both Washington and New York states. She is trained in a variety of structured literacy approaches, including Wired for Reading, Slingerland, and Orton-Gillingham. She completed both her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Rochester, where she studied brain and cognitive science and inclusive education, respectively.
Jessica Schwartz
Vice President
Jessica has been involved with IDA since 2008, serving as a board intern and then board volunteer for the New Jersey Branch (NJIDA). During her time at NJIDA, Jessica provided public relations consultation and event assistance. She also designed and managed the New Jersey branch website from 2010 to 2017. Now living in Seattle, Jessica is excited to continue her involvement with IDA at WABIDA. Jessica has a BS in Communication from Boston University and a Masters in Public Administration from the Evans School at the University of Washington. Her focus is nonprofit management and social innovation, with a particular interest in literacy and education.
Megan McCall
Vice President
Megan McCall is the Director of Learning Support at Seattle Academy (SAAS) and a WABIDA board member since 2019. Her 19 years as an educator have focused on supporting students experiencing challenges in school for any number of reasons. Her teaching career began working with dyslexic students at ASSETS School in Honolulu. Her professional training has focused on understanding learning differences, the functional challenges they present to students and educators in school, and tools, strategies and systems that can support students in understanding their strengths to work around their challenges.
Marla Chandler
Treasurer
Marla is currently a Learning Specialist at Bertschi School in Seattle. During her 20 years as an educator, she has worked in both public and private school settings, as well as in private practice. Having found great success with structured literacy instruction, she is devoted to educating the greater community of the value and need for structured literacy instruction. Marla holds a BBA in Finance from the University of Georgia and an M.Ed. in Middle Grades Education (Math Concentration) from Mercer University. She is an Associate Member of the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators, as well as a member of the Slingerland Institute.
Bonnie Meyer
General Board Member
Bonnie is currently the Vice Principal and Director of Student Support Services at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School in Northeast Seattle. She graduated from the University of Washington and is a Certified Slingerland Instructor and Instructor of Teachers. Her professional experience includes more than 30 years of both teaching and administering programs for students with dyslexia and related learning differences. She has many terms on the WABIDA board over the past 30 years and has presented at both local and national conferences. Personally, she is the parent and grandparent of children with dyslexia.
Cindy Dupuy
General Board Member
Cindy Dupuy is a private practitioner, working in the Seattle area. Being both dyslexic and dysgraphic, Cindy brings real life experience to the diagnostic and intervention process. Cindy earned her Ph.D. in Learning Disabilities from Northwestern University, a Master’s degree in Secondary Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. She previously served on the Board of WABIDA for five years. In her private practice, she currently works with families and students to help them understand how their brains work, and how to take advantage of their strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. She has been in private practice in the Seattle area since 2001.
Jessica Ruger
General Board Member
Jessica is currently the Head of Lower School at Hamlin Robinson School. Having joined the WABIDA board in 2016, she has previously served as Board President. She is motivated to help find and promote reliable resources to benefit those with dyslexia, as well as to aid in spreading awareness and education to the greater community.
Staci Bain, Ed.D.
General Board Member
Staci joined the WABIDA board in 2018 with the aim of ensuring literacy acquisition access for all individuals in the Pacific Northwest. Professionally, Staci has worked in public education as a classroom teacher, principal, and director. In 2013, Staci began working across the country to support educators’ understanding of literacy, assessment, and MTSS. Staci was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, completing a B.A. in Psychology at the University of Washington. Staci went on to receive her Master’s in Teaching, National Board Certification (Early Childhood Generalist), and Administration credential. In 2019, Staci completed her doctorate and Superintendent credential from the University of Washington with a published dissertation pertaining to online, adult learning in a corporate setting. Staci currently works for the Wenatchee School District while serving as an Associate Professor for City University. Staci is responsible for WABIDA’s online Lecture Series and is honored to support the scaling of literacy resources and information in the PNW.
Stacy Turner
General Board Member
Stacy Turner is the Head of School at Hamlin Robinson School. He first became a member of the International Dyslexia Association in 1994. Over the years he has served as WABIDA Board President, Treasurer, and Secretary. He has also served on the Branch Council Executive Committee as the Western Region Representative, mentoring seven IDA branch presidents. He has a strong commitment to IDA and effective structured literacy instruction for all students. Stacy has been a classroom teacher, working in 1st, 4th, and 7th grades.
Stephanie Sensenbrenner
General Board Member
Stephanie is currently the Department Chair of the St. Teresa Program at Kennedy Catholic High School. The St. Teresa Program is a program that specifically works with students with diagnosed learning disabilities. This is her sixth year at Kennedy Catholic and first year on the Board. She is also a person who has dyslexia, so the mission of the WABIDA is personal and professional in nature. Stephanie is a graduate of the University of Washington teaching program with endorsements in secondary History, English, and Special Education. She is excited to work with families in finding resources and networking opportunities.
Toni Altug
General Board Member
Toni is a former public school special education teacher. Later she taught in the private school sector, working with students with language based learning difficulties. She moved to Istanbul, Turkey, where she taught in both local and international schools and later became the Head of Special Education and Inclusion Co-ordinator at the British International School of Istanbul. She has had experience working with primary, secondary, adult and EAL dyslexic students as a tutor and a classroom teacher. She has also been a consultant and trainer of teachers.
Wendy Nelson
General Board Member
Wendy is a speech-language pathologist and owner of Tiny Dog Dyslexia & Language Strategies in Everett, where she uses intensive, multi-sensory methods to help people become effective readers. Before becoming an SLP, she spent 12 years teaching English to international students in the USA, Poland, and Turkey. She has been a member of the WABIDA board since 2019 and is excited to continue finding ways to help others discover the joy of reading. Wendy has an MA in Sociolinguistics from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland, and an MS in Communication Disorders from Eastern Washington University.