OUR TEAM
Lori Norton-Meier is the Director of the Jacobson Center for Comprehensive Literacy. Norton-Meier earned a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in language, literacy, and culture from the University of Iowa as well as a master's degree in early childhood education. Her research examines the role of play and inquiry in teaching and learning, particularly related to language and literacy practices of teachers, children, youth and family members. She studies the role of play in understanding media literacy, how family inquiry fuels learning in and out of school settings, and argument-based inquiry in teaching and learning particularly related to science. She has multiple publications including 30 journal publications, 20 book chapters and five books, with two of these books focusing on the voices of teachers who describe their process of learning as teacher researchers in their own classrooms.
Thaddeus Atzmon is a Research Coordinator for JCCL. His research examines systemic inequalities with a focus on literacy education, research methods for the social sciences, and ascribed identities. Atzmon has published his work in journals and book chapters that focus on systemic racism in education, social theory, and ascribed identity.
Marissa Schweinfurth is the Professional Development Coordinator for JCCL and a supervisor for the Literacy ALP course for our literacy club hosted within schools in Cedar Falls and Waterloo. She is currently working on bringing the Young Readers and Writers conference back to UNI as well as starting a new opportunity for educators who want to be stronger literacy leaders. Marissa taught 4th grade in the Waterloo School District for 11 years and is now about to launch into work towards completing her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction.
Chelsea Eilers is JCCL's Graduate Assistant. She is pursuing her Master’s in School Counseling and she has her Bachelor's degree in Social Work, also from UNI. She is researching classroom environments and wants to learn what the most conducive learning environment is for students. Chelsea is in the beginning stages of a study that will explore this idea further.
Keaton Wessel is JCCL's Undergraduate Research Assistant. Her role is to design and manage the JCCL social media accounts, organize data and articles, contribute to outreach efforts, and assist with any of the projects going on at the JCCL as needed. Keaton is an undergraduate student at the University of Northern Iowa working towards her bachelor’s degree in both elementary and middle level education. She is also taking classes with the goal of getting endorsed in the subject areas of both science and history at the middle level.
Theresa Johnson joined JCCL in 2013 and serves as the Center’s administrative assistant. She performs secretarial duties for the staff, oversees budgeting operations, and maintains personnel records.
History of the Jacobson Center
The Richard O. Jacobson Center for Comprehensive Literacy was established in November 2010 with a gift of $11 million. In the first years of the Center, under the direction of Salli Forbes, Ph.D., the focus was on preparing Reading Recovery teacher leaders through the Reading Recovery Program of Iowa, and the preparation of classroom and intervention literacy coaches in the Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy (PCL) model working in concert with Reading Recovery. We applaud Dr. Forbes’ efforts in working with teachers and districts across the state in developing Reading Recovery leaders and Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy schools.
With the retirement of Dr. Forbes as director, Deborah Tidwell, Ph.D., served as interim Center director for the 2019-2020 academic year. While no longer working with Reading Recovery, the Center will maintain its focus on comprehensive literacy, supporting and sustaining educators and districts in comprehensive approaches toward literacy teaching and learning. Lori Norton-Meier, Ph.D., began serving as the director of the Center in August 2020.