Leadership Institutes
Join us in Charlottesville on July 11, 2012 for the Core Knowledge Leadership Institutes. More…
What Your Child Needs to Know
The New First Dictionary of Cultural Literacy: What Your Child Needs to Know, available from our online bookstore. More…
Staff Directory
Linda Bevilacqua - President
Extension: 350
Linda is the president of the Foundation, a national non-profit organization founded by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., dedicated to excellence and fairness in early education. The Foundation conducts research on best practices and curriculum, develops books and educational materials for teachers and parents, provides professional development for schools implementing the Core Knowledge curriculum, and serves as a resource for the growing network of Core Knowledge schools throughout the United States. Linda is the co-author, with Dr. Hirsch, of three publications, What Your Preschooler Needs to Know: Read-Alouds to Get Ready for Kindergarten and What Your Preschooler Needs to Know: Activity Books 1 and 2. She developed the Core Knowledge preschool program and is presently involved in the development of the Core Knowledge Language Arts Program. She has been asked to participate at the national level in preschool curricular and policy discussions involving the Head Start Technical Committee, the National Science Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation, the Albert Shanker Institute and has also presented extensively at national early childhood conferences. She received her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Virginia, with an emphasis in learning disabilities. She has taught, as well as supervised, programs for children with learning disabilities.
Linda Fromm - Director, Business Office
Extension: 344
Linda holds the distinction of having served the Core Knowledge Foundation for longer than any other staff member. She joined Core Knowledge in 1993, as one of a handful of employees who did whatever was needed to run the Foundation during those early days. Linda is now the business office director where her duties include managing the day to day bookkeeping responsibilities, as well as human resources and benefits administration. Linda continues to fulfill an essential role doing whatever is needed to keep things running smoothly Foundation wide.
Karen Goss - Bookkeeper, AR/AP
Extension: 346
Karen joined the Foundation in December of 2009. She is responsible for daily bookkeeping including accounts payable and receivable, as well as collections. Karen brings over 35 years of customer and financial service experience, both in banking and educational travel fields. Karen attended Piedmont Virginia Community College and James Madison University. She and her husband, Scott, have been actively involved in their community Volunteer Fire and EMS agencies for 36 years.
Molly Nevitt - Chief Financial Officer
Extension: 340
Molly received her B.S. from Radford University and is a licensed C.P.A. She has worked in the field of accounting for over ten years in both the private sector as well as the Federal government, before coming to the Foundation three years ago. She is a member of the AICPA and the VSCPA. In addition to guiding the Foundation with regards to all financial issues, Molly is a key member of the executive management team that articulates the direction and goals of the Foundation.
Robert Pondiscio - Director of Communications
Extension: 718 514-0764
Robert brings over 25 years of media, communications and classroom experience to his role as the Foundation’s Communications Director. Robert launched the popular Core Knowledge Blog in December 2007; he also writes and edits Common Knowledge, the Foundation’s weekly online newsletter. Prior to joining the Foundation, Robert taught 5th grade in the South Bronx for several years under the aegis of the New York City Teaching Fellows. It was there, he notes, “I learned first-hand how badly the lack of Core Knowledge impacted even my most capable students.” Prior to becoming a teacher, Robert was the Communications Director for BusinessWeek magazine. He also served for many years as the Public Affairs Director for TIME. The author of several non-fiction books for young readers, he lives in New York City with his wife and daughter.
Language Arts: Listening & Learning
Michelle Warner - Senior Editor
Extension: 383
Michelle Warner has been a Domain Editor for the Listening and Learning strand of the Core Knowledge Language Arts program since June 2009. A graduate of Palm Beach Atlantic University, Michelle has taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grade and has worked in publishing as both a writer and editor.
Rosie McCormick - Writer/Editor
Extension: 384
Rosie McCormick, M.A., is the author of over 30 children’s fiction and non-fiction books published in both the US and the UK. She began working for Core Knowledge as a freelance writer in 2009. Rosie joined the Listening & Learning team in 2011 as an in-house writer and editor. Rosie studied English and History at London University, and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. Rosie has an extensive background in trade and educational publishing, and has also taught third, fourth, and fifth grades.
Debbie Samley - Editor
Extension: 360
Deborah Samley has been with the Foundation since November 2011. She received a B.A. in journalism at Shippensburg University and a J.D. from the Penn State Dickinson School of Law. Prior to joining the Foundation, she taught both high school and middle school history and civics.
Robin Luecke - Editor
Extension: 341
Robin Luecke has been working in educational reform since 1989. She taught writing to elementary school children while pursuing her B.A. at St. Mary’s College, and has studied abroad at the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies in Oxford, England. She earned her M.A. in Literature at Salisbury State University, where she taught composition and literature, and has been teaching in Central Virginia for ten years.
Language Arts: Skills
Paula Coyner - Editor
Extension: 357
Paula is responsible for editing the Skills Strand of the program. Prior to working on the Skills Strand program she worked for over 25 years in school districts around Central Virginia. Paula has a master’s degree in Reading Education from the University of Virginia.
Sarah Zelinke - Editor
Extension: 371
Sarah is an editor for the Skills strand of the CKLA program. She has taught first and second grades in Maryland and Virginia. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the College of William & Mary. Sarah also earned her PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, with a focus in Reading, from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research focused on nonfiction read alouds and content vocabulary learning. She has taught classes at the undergraduate level on reading assessment and instructional materials for reading.
Sue Fulton - Editor
Extension: 358
Sue joined the Foundation after 30 years of experience as a K-6 teacher and administrator in Illinois, Florida, and Virginia. She holds two masters degrees, one in Elementary Education from Northwestern University, and one in Gifted Education from the University of Virginia.
Language Arts: Graphics
Scott Ritchie - Creative Director
Extension: 363
Scott Ritchie began working for the Language Arts program's graphics department in 2008. He has previously worked in graphics-related capacities for two other Charlottesville-area businesses. Outside of the Foundation, Scott enjoys information design and experimental music. Scott holds a degree in Chemistry from the University of Virginia.
Matt Leech - Graphic Designer
Extension: 379
Matt began freelancing for Core Knowledge in July 2010, and joined the Foundation full time later that year. Matt has created branding and marketing material for non-profits, Universities, and small businesses as a freelance designer, a member of a small design studio, and as an employee of the James Madison University web team. Matt is a graduate of James Madison University with a BFA in Printmaking, and currently resides in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
PreK-8 Schools Department
Alice Wiggins - Vice President, School Consultation and Special Projects
Extension: 351
Alice Wiggins, is Vice President, School Consultation and Special Projects. As such, Alice has responsibility for all aspects of Core Knowledge implementation in schools, preschool-grade 8. In three and a half years at the Foundation, Alice has taken on an ever growing role in supporting Core Knowledge schools. Alice was project director, author and editor of both the recent edition of the Core Knowledge Preschool Sequence and Teacher Handbook and the Preschool Snapshot: Implementation and Observation Checklists. She has Virginia teacher licensure in preschool through grade six and holds Master's of Education degrees in both Instructional Design and Educational Psychology. Prior to joining the Foundation, Alice was a member of the research staff and served as Associate Director of the Preschool Language and Literacy Lab at the University of Virginia. In addition to research articles, Alice is author of Preschoolers at Play: Building Language and Literacy through Dramatic Play and contributing author to Scaffolding With Storybooks: A Guide for Enhancing Young Children's Language and Literacy Achievement and Assessment in Emergent Literacy. Alice's interests and expertise in education are enhanced by fifteen years of experience as a consultant and project manager in the private sector business arena.
Dianne Hamilton - Director, School Consultation and Special Projects
Extension: 355
Dianne Hamilton is the School Consultation and Special Projects Director for the Schools Department at Core Knowledge. She graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Science degree in English Education and a Masters in Administration & Supervision. Dianne has over 37 years of experience that includes involvement in urban, rural, and suburban schools. She retired from Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland where she most recently served as a staff developer and coach for those in, and aspiring to, instructional leadership positions. While in that system, she served as project manager for the leadership and technology academies, new teacher training, and MSDE continuing professional development courses. She was also an instructional specialist for school improvement and for English and K-12 reading. As a member of a school team, she wrote the narrative application that carried her school to national Blue Ribbon status and was nominated by her peers for the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award. Prior to joining the Core Knowledge Foundation, Dianne worked as a national consultant with a Washington, D.C. Educational firm and as an adjunct professor for the Educational Leadership Program of Hood College where she taught Principles of Clinical Supervision and Teaching Learning, and Assessment. Dianne is a member of Phi Delta Kappa, Association of Supervision & Curriculum Development, and Learning Forward.
Christina Erland - School Consultation and Special Projects Associate
Extension: 361
Christina Erland is a School Consultation and Special Projects Associate in the Schools Department. She graduated from Providence College in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary/Special Education, and was the recipient of the college's award for highest academic record in her major. Christina began her career as a Special Education teacher working with students who ranged in age, needs, and ability. After working in Special Education, Christina most recently spent taught students in a second grade classroom. In 2009, she became a National Writing Project Teacher Consultant through the Maryland Writing Project. In August 2010, she earned a Master of Education in Reading Education from Towson University. Through this program she also obtained a certificate as a Reading Specialist in grades K-12. In addition, the topic of her seminar research paper focused on the role of background knowledge in enhancing reading comprehension.
Richard Talbot - Special Projects and Workshop Coordinator
Extension: 345
Richard (Jamie) Talbot is the Special Projects Coordinator. Jamie comes to us from the Social Development lab at the University of Virginia. He has a B.A. in Biology, a M.T. in Secondary Biology Education, and is currently working toward an Educational Specialist degree with a concentration in Instructional Technology. Jamie has a keen interest in online education - he was instrumental in the selection and implementation of a distance learning system for district level home-bound and alternative students.
Julian Molitz - Professional Development Coordinator
Extension: 352
Julian has been with the Foundation since 2005. In addition to managing the day-to-day professional development logistics, Julian maintains the school profile database for the Foundation. Julian is an accomplished musician, and can be found performing in the percussion sections of several local symphonies from time to time.
Publication Sales
Melanie Jones - Director of Publication Sales
Extension: 349
Melanie manages the operations surrounding the sales of Core Knowledge publications, the online bookstore, customer call center, warehouse & inventory management, and reprint activities. Additionally, Melanie oversees all IT and Website related activities, and is currently managing the implementation of our new Website redesign initiative. Melanie joined the Foundation in January 2008. Prior to joining Core Knowledge, Melanie spent 13 years at the UVa Darden School as a Marketing case-writer and research associate, and helped to implement the MBAExec Program. Melanie studied computer information systems and general studies at Piedmont Virginia Community College.
Lee Sensabaugh - Shipping Coordinator
Extension: 348
Lee has been with the Foundation since November of 2008. Lee coordinates shipments for all Publications Sales activities, as well as manages the fulfillment process for the Core Knowledge Language Arts Pilot Program. Lee brings to the Foundation a wealth of knowledge in the warehousing and distribution industries, and has made considerable contributions to the Foundation in a very short period of time.
Sherman Thompson - Warehouse Manager
Extension: 348
Sherman has been with the Foundation and has managed our warehouse operations since November of 2003. In addition to managing the day-to-day shipping operations, Sherman manages the facilities for the Foundation. Sherman ensures timely order fulfillment and accurate inventory, and ensures our parking lots and sidewalks have been safe during the recent abundance of snow storms.
Educational Excellence and Equity for All Children
Phone: (434) 977-7550 | Fax: (434) 977-0021
Website design & programming by
