Julie has been a public school teacher for nearly 40 years, as a reading specialist and a K-8 classroom teacher. Her interest in literacy sparked early in her career after an introduction to The Writing Road to Reading: The Spalding Method. Julie has helped countless students become confident readers and writers through her knowledge of Orton-based instructional approaches, which she has expanded and honed over time. In addition to teaching time with children, Julie is committed to staying abreast of the latest reading science by attending conferences and receiving additional training in linguistics and Orton-based methodologies. Julie shares her enthusiasm for the science of reading by leading classes for teachers on phonology, orthography, spelling, handwriting, and reading. As president of the nonprofit Read Washington (readwa.org), Julie dedicates her time to helping other teachers learn the science of reading and put it into practice in their classrooms.