Melanie Raymond-Baerg is a Senior Instructor in the School of Education at the University of Northern British Columbia, a Licensed School Psychologist and a BC Certified Teacher. Melanie has been involved in public education for over 25 years, spending the first half of her career as an Inclusive Education and classroom teacher, and the latter half as a school psychologist. Melanie is committed to understanding and implementing culturally responsive, evidence-based educational practices across K-12 and in teacher education. Since 2021, she has been teaching preservice teachers in the Regional Teacher Education Program and practicing teachers in the Master of Education program at UNBC.

Kate Lyon is from the North Coast and has been teaching for 25+ years, with much of her experience in early primary. She has a passion for learning and has successfully implemented a structured literacy approach in her instructional practices. Kate is a graduate student in the Literacy, Language, and Learning program at Vancouver Island University and will begin her Masters in Educational Leadership in the spring. Currently, she holds a District position supporting students and staff as Teacher Librarian.

Erica Roberts is a teacher in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. She has been a teacher for the last 20 years, almost solely at the intermediate level, and is currently teaching grade 4/5. Last year Erica was excited to join the Literacy, Language and Learning Diploma program at Vancouver Island University to learn about the most recent evidence/research-based practices in literacy to better support the striving readers in her class. In the spring she will begin her Master’s of Special Education.