About Us
The Reading League Iowa
The Reading League Iowa was launched in 2025 by Iowa educators to support the advancement of the science of reading in Iowa while collaborating with parents, educators, school leaders, pre-service teachers, colleges and universities, mission-aligned partner organizations, and community leaders across the nation and world.
The Reading League Iowa is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction.
The Reading League Iowa’s goals and objectives include:
- Promote an understanding of how the evidence base informs classroom practice.
- Support educators to implement evidence-based practices.
- Create a community of advocates with shared missions around reading success for all including universities, non-profits, businesses, policymakers, families, school districts, and other reading organizations.
- Provide evidence-based reading resources to families and educators.
- Improve literacy rates across the State of Iowa.
Meet Our Team
Meet Amy Numedahl
Amy Numedahl is currently serving as a K-12 District Literacy Coach with the Ankeny Community School District. She has 28 years of experience in literacy education as a primary classroom teacher, special education teacher, instructional coach, and special education consultant. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, and a master’s degree from The Colorado College. Currently, her Iowa endorsements include Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, K-8 Special Education Strategist I, and K-12 Dyslexia Specialist. In addition, Amy is a trained LETRS Facilitator, and seeking certification as a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction.
As a member of The Reading League Colorado, when Amy returned to Iowa, she knew she wanted to continue her involvement and was excited to join the founding members as a new board member with The Reading League Iowa. Her philosophy is grounded in the belief that literacy is the foundation for lifelong learning and success. She believes that all students, regardless of background, deserve access to high-quality literacy instruction that fosters critical thinking, creativity and a love for reading and writing. She strives to empower teachers by providing the tools, strategies, and professional development they need to help students build strong literacy skills. Through reflective practice, ongoing learning, and fostering a growth mindset, she aims to inspire both students and educators to become confident, independent and passionate readers and writers.
Meet Papae Wymore
Papae Wymore is a lecturer at Central College in Pella, Iowa where she teaches a range of courses including literacy classes. She holds a master’s degree in Elementary Education along with endorsements in K-8 Reading, 5-12 Reading and a 5-8 Middle School Generalist. Additionally she earned an Administrator License and is authorized to serve in PK-12 Principal and PK-12 Special Education Supervisor. With over twenty plus years in education, Papae has served in preparing pre-service teachers, as a kindergarten teacher and a middle school at-risk coordinator and exploratory teacher.
Papae’s passion for literacy extends beyond the classroom; she is a founding member and President of The Reading League Iowa. She serves on the Literacy Leadership Team for the Iowa Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the Iowa Reading Research Center Advisory Council and is a member of the Iowa Department of Education Statewide Literacy Leadership Team. Additionally, Papae is a consultant and advisory member for Reading Horizons. She is committed to advancing the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned instruction throughout the state of Iowa and beyond.
Meet Rhonda Nelson
Rhonda Nelson, M.S., C-SLDI, serves as the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Coordinator for the Bettendorf Community School District. She brings a rich background in educational leadership with a focus on literacy, curriculum development, and teacher training. Currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Reading Science from Mount St. Joseph University, she is dedicated to advancing the science of reading to improve educational outcomes and literacy for all learners. As a LETRS District Facilitator, she has successfully initiated and designed professional development strategic planning, directly impacting the district’s vision for literacy.
In these roles, she focuses on universal instruction improvement through Structured Literacy practices, technical assistance to school leadership, and data-informed instructional strategies. Her efforts are aimed at closing achievement gaps and promoting equitable, inclusive education practices. Rhonda holds a Master of Science degree in Instructional Design and Technology. This background has proven to be instrumental in influencing district-level change in Multi Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). She also earned a Dyslexia Certificate from Mount St. Joseph University and maintains a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist Certification from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction. She serves on board of The Reading League Iowa and is a member of the Iowa Department of Education Statewide Literacy Leadership Team. Her research interests include phonemic awareness, rapid automatized naming (RAN), MTSS, and implementation science.
Meet Lisa Williams
Lisa Williams currently works as an Instructional Coach in a PK-5 elementary building in Altoona, Iowa. She has 19 years of experience as a classroom teacher in the primary grades and as an elementary instructional coach. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Simpson College and her Masters of Science in Education in Literacy Education at Drake University. She holds endorsements in Language Arts, Early Childhood, K-8 Reading, K-12 Reading Specialist, and K-12 Dyslexia Specialist. In addition, Lisa has spent time as an adjunct instructor in the Dyslexia Specialist endorsement at Grand View University. She currently serves as a member of the Iowa Department of Education Statewide Literacy Leadership Team. Lisa is a founding member and treasurer for The Reading League Iowa. Lisa is passionate about providing educators with the knowledge and tools they need to provide students with evidence-based instruction in all Tiers of our MTSS system.
Meet Megan Kruse
Megan Kruse is an instructional coach for the Fort Madison Community School District. She has 28 years of experience in literacy education, both as a classroom teacher and as a literacy coach. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in middle childhood education, and is a National Board Certified Teacher. Megan is LETRS trained, and is currently receiving training in LETRS for administrators. She is a founding member and secretary of The Reading League Iowa.
In her current role as an instructional coach, she is privileged to work with students and teachers from preschool to 12th grade. She is passionate about supporting and implementing effective literacy instruction, a strong MTSS system, and is committed to ensuring high levels of literacy for all.
Meet Kara Veach
Kara Veach is a literacy consultant and Dyslexia Specialist with Great Prairie Area Education Agency in southeast Iowa. Kara has over 22 years of literacy experience in and out of the classroom serving as a classroom teacher, interventionist, and instructional coach. She is a certified Orton-Gillingham tutor, holds endorsements in K-8 reading as well as a Dyslexia Specialist endorsement. Currently, she also serves as an instructor in the Dyslexia Specialist endorsement program at Grand View University. Additionally, she is a one of the founders and presenters with the Southeast Iowa Dyslexia Teacher/Pre-service Group that provides free, online workshops and resources for teachers. Kara is passionate about Structured Literacy, a self-proclaimed word nerd, and is deeply committed to supporting teachers and administrators as they work to implement evidence-based instructional practices aligned with the science of reading.