Meet the Team


  • Site Director

    Tim Duggan, Ed. D (he/him) is Professor and Chair of the Teacher Education Department in the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education at Northeastern Illinois University. In his 41-year career as an educator, Tim has taught high school and college English, as well as a variety of teacher education courses, including teaching methods, educational research, and clinical practice. Tim is a fellow of the 1984 South Coast Writing Project’s Winter Institute. Tim’s main area of expertise is secondary English language arts education, and he has published on topics ranging from writing pedagogy to arts incorporation into literacy learning. Tim has served as the co-chair of the National Council of Teachers of English ELATE Commission on Arts and Literacies and has directed a number of youth development programs. He is also a performing singer/songwriter with six full-length recordings and collaborations. Tim lives in Skokie, IL with his wife, Heidi, and his two children, Eamon and Liesel.

  • Justin Gillam writes songs, poems, short stories, and, more recently, lesson plans. He’s currently in the M.A.T. program at Northeastern Illinois University, focusing on Secondary English Language Arts. A first-year member of the Illinois Writing Project, Justin is excited to be part of a community that values the power of words, both in and outside the classroom. He believes writing is a tool for reflection, resistance, and connection, and he’s always looking for new ways to bring those values into his work as a writer and future teacher.

  • Comfort teaches 6th grade at Poe Classical Elementary School in Chicago. She also hosts the “Lit and Love” web-based program that provides engaging weekly writing activities for young people at www.litandlove.com .

  • Jan Booth has been a teacher leader with IWP for over 25 years. She retired from the classroom with experience in special, elementary, and gifted education. She now serves as adjunct faculty in Concordia University’s literacy department. Jan and her husband are active members of the Stage Coach Players theatre in her home town, DeKalb. They also enjoy agility training with their four dogs.

  • Ben is a middle school Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts teacher at Holmes Middle School in Wheeling, Illinois. He is also an adjunct writing instructor, tutor, and reading specialist. Ben is the cofounder of the #TeachWriting chat. He is also part of the group of teachers that helps organize EdCamp Chicago. Most of all, he is interested in how writing helps teachers and students make useful connections across disciplines and genres.

  • Mindi taught 7th grade English/Language Arts for 18 years, served as a middle school Literacy Coach for 4 years, and is currently a third grade teacher in Northbrook School District 28. Mindi earned a Master of Science – Instruction in Secondary Language Arts from Northeastern Illinois University, an Ed.S. in Administration and Supervision from National Louis University, and trained as a Literacy Coach at the Illinois Reading Recovery Center at National Louis University. Mindi has served as a Literacy Lab Teacher and curriculum writer at Northbrook School District 28 and has presented at numerous state and national literacy conferences. In her free time, she enjoys reading, knitting, and traveling.

  • Thalia Piseaux Ochoa (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Northeastern Illinois University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She is involved in many on campus organizations, being the vice president for NEIU’s Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) and the Latin American Student Organization (LASO). She hopes to become a lawyer in the future. In her free time, she enjoys playing her guitar, making art, and spending time with loved ones. 

  • Pat retired from public school teaching and is now Assistant Professor of Education at Benedictine University at Springfield. She and her husband live on Lake Springfield where they boat, fish, and bird watch. She enjoys the Springfield area rich with history, art, and outdoor activities and where she encourages elementary education majors to take advantage of the local resources. She is Past President of the Illinois Reading Council and begin a term as Treasurer in 2015.

  • Speaking at many conferences, Debra focuses on urban education, diversity among learners, and school-based professional learning. She taught kindergarten, first, and multi-age groups, mentored classroom teachers as a reading coach and served as a K-­‐8 district reading specialist. After completing a doctorate from National Louis University, she served as an Associate Professor in Reading and Language, taught graduate clinical reading specialist courses, and continues to direct the Urban Summer Reading Program. Publications include Complete Guide to Tutoring Struggling Readers: Mapping Interventions to Purpose and CCSS (Fisher, Bates, Gurvitz, 2014) and a chapter in Partnering for Content Reading (Ogle, 2010).

  • Russell Mayo is an English Language Arts teacher at Burley School, a public K-8 school on the northside of Chicago. Previously, he worked as an assistant professor of English at Purdue University Northwest, where he served as Writing Center Director and Writing Program Director. Russ completed his doctorate in English Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2020. His research centers on writing studies, critical pedagogy, and the environment. Most recently, Russ co-edited and contributed to Teaching Writing in the Age of Catastrophic Climate Change (Lexington Press, 2024).

  • A longtime high-school English teacher and expert in curriculum integration and interdisciplinary teaching, Katy formerly taught at Northeastern Illinois University and served as IWP Director along with Steve Zemelman. She has authored journal articles: “Becoming an ‘honors student’: The interplay of identities, literacies in an interdisciplinary classroom” and “Becoming the guide on the side.” She is a co-author, with Steve Zemelman and Tonya Perry, of “Teaching for Racial Equity: Becoming Interrupters.” Katy has led many IWP workshops on writing and leadership.

  • As Founding Director of IWP Steve has worked on writing instruction and school reform for many years in Chicago and across the country. Among many activities, he helped found an innovative high school in Chicago, and served on the Steering Committee of the Consortium on Chicago School Research. His most recent book, “Teaching for Racial Equity: Becoming Interrupters,” was written with partners Tonya Perry (Director of the Red Mountain Writing Project in Birmingham) and Katy Smith. He’s promoting student civic engagement through this book and on his blog, Civic Action in Schools.

  • Dr. Tina Curry is an award-winning coach, professor, and teacher. Tina brings a 24-year distinguished track record and innovative success as an educator in Chicago, as well as her experiences as a valued member of the adjunct faculty at National Louis University and a lead equity facilitator for DePaul University’s Office of Innovative and Professional Learning. Tina currently works as lead instructional coach at Fernwood Elementary School in Chicago. She has been an invited presenter for IWP, AERA, LRA, NCTE, and IRC as well as a featured guest on Coaching Conversations Podcast with Jim Knight. Dr. Curry is a longtime teacher leader in the Illinois Writing Project. She has supported professional learning at the leadership and classroom level and has transformed lives professionally and personally.