Dr. Judith C. Hochman is the creator of the Hochman Method and founder of The Writing Revolution, a nonprofit organization dedicated to training and supporting teachers and school leaders in implementing this explicit set of evidence-based strategies for teaching writing. 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. 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.
Jacki was previously the Chief Development Officer at Harlem Educational Activities Fund and Director of Development at Young Women’s Leadership Network (YWLN). Prior to those positions, she was a founding staff member at READ Alliance, a literacy and youth development organization which grew to become a thriving nonprofit serving thousands of New York City students in partnership with dozens of K-12 schools. She has taught English to adult immigrants as well as second grade ICT and fifth grade in New York City elementary schools. She is on the boards of College and Community Fellowship and The Petey Greene Program. Jacki holds an M.A. in Elementary Inclusive Education from Teachers College Columbia University and a B.S. in Journalism from Northeastern University.
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. 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.
Katherine was previously the Senior Manager of Development at Young Women’s Leadership Network (YWLN), a nonprofit focused on youth services and education. There, she managed development processes and systems, while also serving as a front-end fundraiser and grant writer. In her four and a half years at YWLN, Katherine helped to operationalize YWLN’s strategy as their budget grew from $6 million to $11 million, reaching thousands more students. Prior to YWLN, Katherine worked for the Performance Project and the Salvation Army Welfare Office in Massachusetts, and the DOME Project in NYC. Katherine holds a B.A. in Psychology from Smith College, where she focused her studies on culture and human development.
Diane served the New York City Department of Education for 31 years as a Network Leader, Executive Officer for Instruction, Community Superintendent, Local Instructional Superintendent, and a teacher and supervisor in K-8 classrooms. She has experience in K-8 literacy, as well as in instructional practice and supervision. She helps principals establish a collegial professional learning community through designing and delivering differentiated professional development resulting in continuous school improvement. Diane has presented at numerous national conferences including Association of Supervisors and Curriculum Development, International Reading Association, National Council of Teachers of English, and the National Center on Education and the Economy on topics related to Standards Based Literacy Instruction. She was a contributor to the New York City Edition of the Language Arts Performance Standards.
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 IEP documents. 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 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.
Sherry previously taught eleventh grade English and Advanced Placement Literature to low-income students at an international school where English Language Learners and mainstream students learned side by side in integrated classrooms. Additionally, she taught playwriting and coordinated her school’s arts programming. During her teaching career, she was a lead teacher, co-led professional development for faculty, mentored new teachers, and worked in partnership with teachers and administration at other schools to improve school quality. Sherry first discovered her passion for helping students improve their writing as an undergraduate Writing Fellow at Brown University, where she later studied again for a Masters in Teaching. She has a background in journalism, having written for the education website Chalkbeat.org and The Star-Ledger.
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. 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.
Destiny previously taught in New York City schools for eleven years. She has served as a general education teacher, a literacy teacher, and an ELL Program Manager in elementary and middle schools. Destiny provided professional development for staff, coached teachers, and advocated for the needs of multilingual students and families. Additionally, she served on her school’s Cultural Competency Committee, leading workshops and staff conversations around race and culturally responsive teaching. She received a B.A. from Wesleyan University and a Master’s in Childhood Education from Hunter College.
Scott held a variety of roles in accounting and finance during his early career. He spent thirteen years with American Express, reaching the position of Senior Vice President and Lead Financial Officer, before returning to St. John’s University to earn his Master’s in Adolescent Education. Most recently, Scott spent five years as a classroom teacher where he supported the implementation of The Hochman Method at his school. He also continues to teach undergraduate cost accounting at Baruch College in New York. He holds a Master’s in Accountancy from the University of Iowa and his CPA license.
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. A seasoned Hochman Method Senior Faculty member, 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 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. A seasoned Hochman Method Senior Faculty Member, 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.