Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia
Research Personnel
Principal Investigators
Tim Odegard, Ph.D.
Tim Odegard leads the research efforts of the laboratory. He is a professor of psychology and holds the Katherine Davis Murfree Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies at Middle Tennessee State University, leading the efforts of the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia. He completed his B.A. in psychology at Hendrix College, his M.A. and Ph.D. in experimental psychology at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville, and his NICHD sponsored postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Texas Arlington. He is also a trained educator who has worked with students with reading disabilities and completed a two-year dyslexia specialist training program at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas. He serves as an Editor-in-Chief of Annals of Dyslexia. Also, he served on the editorial board of Perspectives on Language and Literacy. He also served as a member of the Understood Parent Advisory Committee and currently serves on the AIM Scientific Advisory Board. He received the Luke Waites ALTA Award of Service in recognition of significant contributions to improving services for individuals with dyslexia and the IMSLEC Innovator Award as an outstanding MSLE professional. As a developmental cognitive psychologist, his research focuses on memory and language. His reading research focuses on three areas: identification of children who struggle with reading, intervention for students who struggle to read, and teacher training.
Karen Flynn Kehoe, Ph.D.
Karen Flynn Kehoe is the Director of Dyslexia Services at the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia at Middle Tennessee State University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in American Studies and French from the University of Notre Dame in 1999, master’s degree in education, with a language and literacy concentration, from Harvard University Graduate School of Education in 2003, and a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Virginia in 2022. Dr. Kehoe’s research interests include risk and protective factors impacting the reading development of elementary students with or at risk for reading difficulties and disability, including dyslexia. She is also interested in studying socioemotional and behavioral influences on reading, especially among vulnerable student populations. Prior to pursuing her Ph.D., Karen worked in public and private school settings as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and instructional coach. She also served in leadership roles in the local government and non-profit sectors, where she directed various education and community initiatives, including: GrowSmart, the City of Virginia Beach’s birth to age 8 collaborative; the Virginia Beach Campaign for Grade-Level Reading; and United for Children, a regional, anti-poverty collective impact effort. Karen is passionate about working to ensure all children have access to high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction and intervention.
Jennifer Stewart, Ph.D.
Jennifer.Stewart@mtsu.edu
Jennifer Stewart received her Ph.D. in Education from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. During her program, she was a scholar with the National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention (NCLII), funded by the Office of Special Education Programs. Through this program, Jennifer participated in research directly related to her interests, including reading and behavioral interventions for students with intensive learning needs, special education teacher training, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), and special education policy. Dr. Stewart continued her research as an Institute of Education Sciences (I.E.S.) Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Virginia, where she supported research and outreach conducted through the Virginia Literacy Partnerships office. Jennifer’s current research focuses on observations of literacy instruction for students at-risk for reading difficulties and disability and administrator perceptions of providing MTSS (focusing on their campus-wide support of data-based decision making and delivery of intensive interventions). Before beginning her Ph.D., she spent time as both a special education teacher and instructional specialist in Dallas and London, England.
Research Affiliates
Stuart Bernstein, Ph.D.
Stuart Bernstein is a professor in the psychology department at Middle Tennessee State University. He received a Ph.D. in experimental psychology at Michigan State University under the direction of Dr. Thomas Carr, with specialization in the cognitive processes that underlie reading and spelling. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in spelling development at Wayne State University under the direction of Dr. Rebecca Treiman. Dr. Bernstein has over 20 years of experience teaching undergraduate and graduate classes, publishing research, and conducting community service projects in literacy. Awards he has received include Outstanding Faculty in Experiental Learning, the Educator of the Year Award from the National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee, Stones River Chapter, and Community Volunteer of the Year award from Read to Succeed. Dr. Bernstein has published research articles on reading development, spelling development, dyslexia, and health literacy, and was coauthor on a book chapter about dyslexia. Dr. Bernstein has served on the board of Read to Succeed, a community adult literacy organization, for the past 15 years.
Margie B. Gillis, Ed.D.
Margie B. Gillis is a Research Affiliate at Fairfield University and Haskins Laboratories, a Certified Dyslexia Therapist, an Academic Language Therapist and the founder and president of Literacy How, Inc. of North Haven, CT. She became interested in reading while at the University of Connecticut where she studied with Isabelle Liberman. Subsequently, she received her Doctorate of Education from the University of Louisville in special education where she began her work training teachers of reading. As president of Literacy How and as a research affiliate at both Fairfield University and Haskins Laboratories, Dr. Gillis creates new opportunities to empower teaching excellence. In 2010, she founded the Anne E. Fowler Foundation to continue the work of her mentor Anne Fowler. The Foundation supports scholarships for teachers to earn their Masters or Sixth Year degree in Reading and Language Development at Fairfield University. In 2012, Dr. Gillis co-founded the Early Language and Literacy Initiative with Rhonda Kiest, the President of Stepping Stones Museum for Children. Dr. Gillis has also worked at the policy level with the CT state legislature and the Connecticut State Department of Education to pass bills that support evidence-based reading instruction as well as policies that support the identification and treatment of dyslexia. She is the co-founder and former president of Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, the former president of the CT Branch of the International Dyslexia Society, and a board member of the Dyslexia Society of CT and the New Alliance Foundation. She is also a professional adviser for the International Foundation for Effective Reading Instruction (IFERI), Read Works and Understood.org. Dr. Gillis and her team of Mentors provide professional development opportunities for teachers on how best to implement evidence-based reading practices in the classroom.
Anna Middleton, Ph.D., CALT
Anna Middleton is the Research Scientist in the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, TX. She earned her Ph.D. in communication sciences and disorders from the University of Texas at Dallas, with a focus on neurolinguistics, language development, and literacy. She earned her M.A. in psychology at San Diego State University in 2010, focusing on cognitive and linguistic development, and she earned her B.A. in psychology in 2006 at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is a Certified Academic Language Therapist and has provided intervention therapies to children with dyslexia since 2007. She also serves as a consulting editor for Annals of Dyslexia. Her research interests include improving student outcomes by optimizing treatment efficacy, characterizing treatment resistance, and better understanding the psychological and neurological mechanisms underlying specific learning disabilities, particularly dyslexia.
Megan Gierka, Ed.D.
Dr. Megan Gierka is a nationally recognized leader in literacy education and implementation science, dedicated to ensuring every child has access to evidence-based reading instruction. She specializes in bridging the gap between research and practice – helping schools, districts, and state agencies design and sustain effective, scalable literacy initiatives that drive long-term student success. With extensive experience in both the classroom and policy arenas, Megan brings a unique blend of practitioner insight and systems-level expertise. She has co-authored professional learning courses with leading reading researchers and co-developed the Animated Alphabet with Dr. Linnea Ehri, a supplemental phonics resource designed to strengthen early literacy instruction. Megan has partnered with state education departments in Maryland, Mississippi, and North Dakota to support large-scale structured literacy implementation and has advised policymakers on literacy legislation in Pennsylvania and beyond. In 2023, she was appointed to the U.S. Department of Education’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Advisory Committee, where she provided strategic guidance on educational priorities and literacy initiatives. A former teacher, Title I reading specialist, and instructional coach, Megan is passionate about empowering educators with the tools and systems needed to create lasting, equitable literacy outcomes for all students.
Lab Coordinator
Madalyn Larson, B.S.
Madalyn Larson is a first-year student in the School Psychology program. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology with minors in neuroscience and honors at Middle Tennessee State University. During her time in undergrad, she had the opportunity to complete an honors thesis under the mentorship and guidance of Dr. Odegard. Upon graduation, she took a job as a 6th grade teacher in a small school out of state. After time spent in the classroom, she saw the need of many students that were unmet, which lead her to return to Middle Tennessee State University to complete the School Psychology program. After completion of the program, she plans to serve as a school psychologist in a public school district with the desire to ultimately apply for a PhD program.
Graduate Student Members
Katy Kloberdanz, M.Ed., LDT, CALT-QI
Katy Kloberdanz is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the MTSU Literacy Studies program and a Literacy Fellow within the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia. She is a Certified Academic Language Therapist – Qualified Instructor (CALT-QI) and a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist in the state of Texas. She most recently served as an Education Consultant for Dyslexia and Related Disorders at Education Service Center – Region 20 in San Antonio, Texas, where she provided technical assistance and training for 91 districts and charter schools in 19 counties of central and south Texas. Her direct feedback was incorporated into the Texas Dyslexia Handbook, 2021 Update, helping shape the state’s dyslexia guidance document. Having taught in both private- and public- school settings, Katy has worked with diverse student populations and served in a variety of roles. She has worked as a classroom teacher, instructional specialist, data analyst, and dyslexia specialist, and she served as the dyslexia coordinator of a large urban district. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of North Texas and a M.Ed. in educational administration from Lamar University. Her research interests center around early dyslexia screening and identification, particularly for English Learners and twice exceptional students.
Heather Joslin, M.A., BCBA
Heather Joslin is a third-year student in the Literacy Studies Ph.D. program at MTSU. She currently works as a behavior coach for Murfreesboro City Schools providing support for four elementary schools within the district. Ms. Joslin has a master’s degree in psychology with a concentration in Applied Behavioral Analysis. She has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) since 2001 and became a Licensed Behavior Analyst in the state of Tennessee in 2015. Her research interests center around how literacy skills influence social interactions and behavior in education.
Rachel Rubio, M.Ed.
Rachel Rubio is a first-year student in the Ph.D. Literacy Studies program. She began her career as a special education teacher, serving students with specific learning disabilities that primarily affected reading. Rachel earned her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the American College of Education, where she developed a strong interest in literacy policy and large-scale systems change. She has led district and state initiatives, focusing on sustainable systems of support that empower educators, families, and communities to ensure every child has equitable access to high-quality literacy instruction.
Undergraduate Student Members
Gamze Mert
I am a senior psychology major with a minor in neuroscience and human sciences. As a student in MTSU’s Honors Program Buchanan Transfer Fellowship, I wanted to do my honors thesis on dyslexia. I am collaborating with MTSU’s Dyslexia Center to explore the experiences and opinions of parents with dyslexic children to improve the educational, social, and mental services parents and kids receive. I am also the treasurer of the Student Organization of Advancement of Research and volunteer as a data collector in Dr.Houston’s EEG lab at the psychology department.
Lab Alumni
| First & Last Name | Years | Role While Active in the Lab | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shonna Phelps | 2021-2025 | Literacy Fellow, PhD Student | |
| Pam Shewalter | 2021-2025 | Literacy Fellow, PhD Student | |
| Erika Allen | 2021-2022 | Undergrad Student | |
| Kaitlyn Berry | 2019-2020 | URECA Scholar | Enrolled I/O Psychology MA student (MTSU) |
| Jayden Cottam | 2022 | Undergrad Student | |
| Theodore Cristan II | 2018-2019 | Grad Assistant; Lab Coordinator | Completed I/O Psychology MA (MTSU) |
| Jessica Dainty | 2018-2022 | Grad Assistant; PhD 2022 | Statewide Dyslexia Coordinator (TN Dept. of Education) |
| Adam Dockery | 2020-2022 | Undergrad Student | Enrolled Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner student (Vanderbilt University) |
| Madalyn Dye | 2022-2023 | URECA Scholar | Practicing Educator |
| Denise Ealy | 2022-2023 | Lab Coordinator | |
| Samantha Eisenberg-Godsey | 2020-2022 | Grad Student | Completed Clinical Psychogy MA (MTSU) |
| David Hughes | 2019 | Undergrad Student | |
| Lauren Hunsicker | 2020-2022 | Undergrad Student; Lab Coordinator | Practicing School Psychologist |
| Tammy Hutchings | 2017-2022 | Grad Assistant; PhD 2022 | Speech-Language Pathologist in a Public School |
| Sarah Jenkins | 2021-2022 | Grad Assistant | |
| Hannah Johnson Morley | 2019-2021 | Grad Assistant; Lab Coordinator | Practicing School Psychologist |
| K. Melissa McMahan | 2016-2019 | Grad Assistant; PhD 2019 | |
| Kellie Payne | 2018-2022 | Grad Assistant; Lab Coordinator | Practicing School Psychology |
| Anne Phillips | 2016-2020 | Grad Assistant | |
| Sarah Pope | 2019 | Undergrad Student | |
| Ifeoluwa Popoola | 2020-2024 | Literacy Fellow; PhD 2024 | |
| Susan Porter | 2019-2022 | Grad Assistant; PhD 2022 | Instructional Specialist & MTSS Academic Team Lead |
| Esmeralda Ramirez | 2020-2021 | URECA Assistant | |
| Curtis Rookard | 2020 | Grad Student; Biostatistics | Completed Professional Science – Biostatistics MS (MTSU) |
| Robyn Sessler | 2019-2020 | URECA Scholar | Enrolled Psychology MA student (MTSU) |
| Dara Zwemer | 2020-2022 | URECA Scholar | Enrolled Psychology PhD student (Oklahoma State University) |
MTSU Students Interested in Joining our Research Team
We are not currently recruiting graduate research assistants at this time. Please check back for future opportunities!