I hope your new year is off to a good start. We were glad to see so many of you at our Annual Members Meeting and Brunch, where we celebrated two individuals who have greatly contributed to the field of dyslexia. This year we honored Nancy Cushen White and Cheryl Theis (see details in this issue). Both women have elevated our knowledge of and support for dyslexia through research, teaching, and advocacy. At our brunch meeting, we discussed upcoming IDA NorCal plans and introduced our slate of IDA NorCal board members and officers. Later in the year, we will host another panel discussion on implementation of AB 1369, offer Experience Dyslexia® simulations, and host Nancy Coffman, of the Shelton School in Dallas, TX, on October 19, for a multisensory seminar on spelling strategies.
It is my honor to serve as your new branch president. On behalf of the board of directors, I want to extend our sincere thanks to Cawley Carr for her leadership in the role of branch president over the past three years. I would also like to thank our retiring board member, Julia Neff, for all the work she has done on IDA NorCal events.
Speaking of events, IDA’s annual Reading, Literacy and Learning conference is returning to the west coast this year. Mark your calendars for November 7-10, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR. Registration details will be available in the coming months.
Emma Elizalde
President
IDA Northern California