Meet Our Team

TWR Team

Judith C. Hochman, Ed.D.
Founder

Dr. Judith C. Hochman is the creator of the Hochman Method and founder of The Writing Revolution. Dr. Hochman served as the Head of The Windward School in White Plains, New York, a nationally renowned independent school focused on teaching students with learning disabilities. She is the founder of the Windward Teacher Training Institute and a former Superintendent of the Greenburgh Graham Union Free School District in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. In addition, Dr. Hochman lectures, presents workshops, and gives courses for educational organizations, colleges, and universities, as well as public and independent schools throughout the United States. Read More

She is on the Advisory Board of Everyone Reads, a national advocacy organization for dyslexia and related learning disabilities. She received the New York Branch Award from the International Dyslexia Association. The Reading Reform Foundation presented Dr. Hochman with the Leona D. and Phillip J. Spector Leadership Award. Dr. Hochman is the author of The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing In All Subjects and Grades (along with co-author Natalie Wexler), Teaching Basic Writing Skills, a chapter entitled “Composition: Expressive Language and Writing” in the publication Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills, and numerous articles.

Toni-Ann Vroom
Co-Executive Director

Toni-Ann was previously a lead social studies teacher and school-wide writing coordinator at New Dorp High School in Staten Island, New York. At New Dorp, she was responsible for supporting the implementation of the Hochman Method across multiple content areas. Read More

She has developed content for textbooks and materials for The Writing Revolution and she has presented at The Aspen Institute, South by Southwest and The College Board Foundation, as well as many other venues, on the topic of writing. Toni-Ann is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Literacy at St. John’s University.

Dina Zoleo
Co-Executive Director

Dina was previously the Assistant Principal of Social Studies at New Dorp High School in Staten Island, NY where she co-led the effort to bring the Hochman Writing Method to New Dorp by seeding and developing it in her department, and then supporting its adoption school-wide. Read More

She has developed content for textbooks and materials for The Writing Revolution and she has presented at The Aspen Institute, South by Southwest and The College Board Foundation, as well as many other venues, on the topic of writing. Dina is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Literacy at St. John’s University.

Kristin Cardone
Assessment and Support Services Associate

Kristin spent the first four years of her professional career as a fourth grade teacher in Massachusetts. After moving to New York, she taught at The Windward School in White Plains, a nationally renowned school for students with language-based learning disabilities,  where she received training in research-based multi-sensory instructional methods (notably, the Hochman Method). Read More

Currently, Kristin is also a 4th grade teacher and writing liaison in Tuckahoe, New York. She received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Education and M.A. in Education from the University of Massachusetts.

Alexandria Chalonec
Senior Faculty

Alexandria taught middle school language arts and social studies for six years at The Windward School in White Plains, NY, a nationally renowned school for students with language-based learning disabilities. In addition to receiving training in research-based, multisensory instructional methods (notably, The Hochman Method), she received certification by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC). Read More

Prior to teaching at Windward, Alexandria was a special education teacher and department leader at the Urban Assembly School of Business for Young Women (UASBYW), an all-girls public high school in New York City. As a New York City Teaching Fellow, she received her Master’s in Education with honors in special education from the City College of New York and received her B.A. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Before beginning a career in education, Alexandria worked in the marketing & communications industry engaged in brand strategy development and corporate public relations.

Jessica Creech-Levine
Assessment and Support Services Associate

Jessica was previously the Writing Coordinator and 7th grade Lead ELA teacher at New World Preparatory Charter School, where she supported the school-wide implementation of the Hochman Method. Prior to her tenure at New World Preparatory Charter School, Jessica held a variety of roles within the New York Public Library, including Senior Children’s Librarian, in which she oversaw all children’s library services in Staten Island’s largest branch. Read More

Jessica holds an M.S. in Library and Information Science from Pratt Institute and a B.A. in English from the State University of New York at New Paltz.

Adrienne Dammacco
Finance Associate

Adrienne was previously a Business Education teacher at Rye Neck High School for 27 years and was responsible for implementing and overseeing the Rye Neck Senior Intern Program, in which the entire senior class was placed in internships, as well as the Rye Neck Community Service Program. Read More

Along with these duties, she has taught a multitude of business classes at Rye Neck High School including a SUNY 4 credit accounting class and Managing Your Future in which she worked with eleventh grade students helping them with career/college searches and resumes. Adrienne has served on many boards including the SUNY Purchase Teacher’s Center Board and the NYS School-to-Career Board.

Devon DeSimone
Finance Manager

Devon was previously an Associate at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Young Adult Literacy Program. Her responsibilities included coordinating outreach and social media efforts, administrative support, and occasionally teaching students. Read More

Devon holds a B.A. in English and Psychology from Barnard College. She also has experience as a freelance writer creating content for companies, as an animal shelter volunteer, and as a coordinator for multiple educational summer camps.

Kelly Downing
Senior Faculty

Kelly is a dynamic educator with over twelve years of experience teaching in the New York City Department of Education. During his tenure, he served as TWR Coordinator at A. Philip Randolph Campus High School where he oversaw the program’s successful school-wide implementation. Read More

Kelly’s previous experience as the Coordinator of Student Activities at Harlem Children’s Zone-Promise Academy High School included developing school culture and implementing several male mentoring initiatives. His understanding of the challenges faced by socio-economically disadvantaged students in grades 7-12 and adult learners was shaped by his experience as the Co-Director of the Letters Department at The College of New Rochelle, School of New Resources. Kelly graduated from New York University. He holds a Master of Music degree in Jazz Voice from Manhattan School of Music and a Master of Science in Teaching from Fordham University. Additionally, Kelly has earned a Master of Education degree from the College of Saint Rose and is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Literacy at St. John’s University.

Mayra Guallpa
TWR Intern

Mayra graduated from Manhaattan Comprehensive Night & Day High School, a TWR partner school, where she learned the Hochman Method.  She is currently in her junior year at Fordham University, majoring in Computer Science with a minor in New Media and Digital Design. Mayra hopes to keep supporting TWR in the future and help more students who were just like her.

Tania Haselwander
Senior Faculty

Tania held a variety of roles in public, charter, and private schools throughout New York City. She spent many years teaching students with disabilities at the middle school level and has served as a special education coordinator, which involved advocating for students and families and managing Individualized Education Plans. Read More

During her teaching career she served as a lead teacher and developed curriculum in math, science, and English language arts. She continues to teach English to low-income students through the Liberty LEADS program at Bank Street College. Tania completed a double major in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Sociology at Stony Brook University, became a New York City Teaching Fellow, and holds a Master’s in Education from The City College of New York.

Leo Johansson-Lebrón
Program Manager

Leo first became interested in education and writing instruction while working as an English Consultant to foreign graduate students. Leo is a graduate of Brown University, where he majored in Literature and Creative Writing. He spent a year after graduation teaching at a bilingual primary school in Madrid, Spain.

Jana Lee
Faculty

Jana was previously a Special Education ELA and Global History teacher at The Young Women’s Leadership School of the Bronx. A graduate of American University with a B.A. in Law and Society, she received her M.A. in Special Education at City College and her M.S. in Educational Leadership at Hunter College. She is currently working towards a Ph.D in Reading, Language and Literacy at Concordia University.Read More

During her teaching career,  Jana served as a Peer Instructional Coach, Writing Development Coordinator, and Special Education Department Chair. She received the YWLN Blue Ribbon Teaching Award in November 2015 and was an NYC Big Apple Award Finalist in March 2017.

Kathleen Maloney
Director of Assessment & Support Services

Kathleen was previously a Literacy Assessment Specialist at the New York City Department of Education. Prior to that, she was the founding Literacy Coach, Title I Coordinator, and 6th grade ELA teacher at New World Preparatory Charter School. Read More

While there, Kathleen supported all teachers to be literacy instructors by leading the school-wide implementation of The Hochman Method and developing a school-wide literacy program, for which she received the 2014 Outstanding Teacher of Literacy Award from the Staten Island Reading Association. Kathleen holds an M.A. in Literacy from New York University and a B.A. in Childhood Education from the Macaulay Honors College at the College of Staten Island.

Madalyn Marcano
Faculty

Madalyn is a seasoned Literacy Coach with over 10 years of teaching experience working with historically underserved populations.  During her tenure, she led collaborative inquiry efforts to investigate persistent problems of practice that resulted in predictable low student achievement outcomes for specific groups of students. She’s directed group collective efforts to generate innovative solutions that teams could use to motivate the most reluctant learners to persevere and strive for success. Read More

Most formerly, at The Renaissance Charter High School for Innovation, she served as the Language Department Chair, where she worked with novice and experienced teachers in the ELA, Foreign Language and ELL/MLLS department to improve their pedagogical practices and student achievement outcomes. She also served as the TWR Coordinator where she developed and oversaw the program’s school-wide implementation. Madalyn holds an M.A. in Adolescent Literacy Education from Hunter College and a B.A. in English/Education from Marist College.

Charles Sahm
Director of Development

Charles comes to TWR after serving as a senior fellow and director of education policy at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. Previously, he led the Institute’s development team. His writing on education issues has appeared in numerous outlets, including Education Next, Education Post, The 74, New York Daily News, New York Post, Daily Beast, and U.S. News & World Report. Formerly, he worked for a number of elected officials and educational nonprofits. Read More

Charles serves on the board of LEEP Dual Language Academy and the President’s Council of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in American history via a unique partnership Gilder Lehrman has established with Pace University. He is a graduate of Fairfield University.

Christine Teahan
Faculty

Christine spent the first eleven years of her professional career working at The Windward School in White Plains, NY, a nationally renowned school for students with language-based learning disabilities, where she received training in research-based, multisensory instructional methods (notably, The Hochman Method). In addition to teaching every subject in almost every grade at the middle school, she directed the Windward Summer Program for 5 years and held a variety of leadership roles.

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Prior to directing the Windward Summer Program, Christine spent four summers as a director of Camp Morty, a sleep away camp for underprivileged children in Westchester, NY. In addition, she spent three years as a trustee on the board of Villages in Partnership, a nonprofit that works with some of the poorest villages in Malawi.
Christine received her B.A. and M.A. in special education from the University of Maryland.