The Reading League Kansas
The Reading League Kansas is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction. The Reading League Kansas was created in 2020 by Kansas educators to support the advancement of the Science of Reading in Kansas while collaborating with educators across the nation and world.
The Reading League Kansas is committed to fostering diversity and equity within our organization and work across Kansas. You can read The Reading League’s Diversity Statement to learn more.
Meet Our Team
Meet Tiffany Seaman
Tiffany is the K–5 Literacy Coordinator for the Blue Valley School District in Kansas. She has served as a classroom teacher, reading and math interventionist, special educator, and instructor in the Department of Elementary Education, Early Childhood, and Special Education at Emporia State University. She earned her doctorate from Mount St. Joseph University’s Reading Science program, where her dissertation focused on family–school collaboration. Tiffany also serves as Board President for The Reading League Kansas. As a parent of three, including two children with dyslexia and ADHD, she is deeply committed to literacy advocacy across Kansas.
Meet Rachel Rubio
Rachel Rubio is a passionate educator dedicated to advocating for the use of evidence-aligned reading instruction and supporting students with dyslexia. She spent 9 years as a special education teacher before becoming the Dyslexia Specialist for Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia. Now back in her home state of Kansas, Rachel serves as the Chapter Technical Support Specialist for The Reading League. As a parent of a child with dyslexia, she is a strong advocate for parent partnership and works closely with Decoding Dyslexia Kansas. Through her efforts, she aims to connect with literacy advocates across Kansas to further the mission of The Reading League Kansas and ensure all children in Kansas become proficient readers. Rachel is the proud parent of two bright and creative children who inspire her ongoing work in education.
Meet April Schoenberg
April Schoenberg has worked as an early childhood educator, elementary teacher, MTSS Literacy Support Specialist, and is currently an Instructional Coach for the Olathe School District Supporting elementary buildings. She is also a certified LETRS facilitator and supports professional development in the Olathe school district. As the parent of a child that struggled in reading she is passionate about evidence aligned literacy instruction for ALL students. She has been married for over 30 years and has 2 adult children that are KSTATE wildcats.
Meet David Martin
Special Education Teacher
OG/Associate
Private Reading Tutor
Meet Colleen Zink
Colleen Zink is a Fellow in the Orton-Gillingham Academy and has 25 years of experience in education. She is a National Board-Certified Teacher and holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s in curriculum and instruction. She taught for 16 years in the general education classroom before completing her reading specialist certification. While working for 5 years as a reading specialist, she began training through the Orton-Gillingham Academy to learn more about dyslexia and helping students with this language-based disability. Colleen’s time is dedicated to training others in evidence-aligned reading instruction across all levels, K-12. She serves as the K-12 Literacy and Dyslexia Coordinator for the Blue Valley School District in Overland Park.
Meet Stephanie Stindt
Stephanie Stindt, M.Ed., has spent more than 30 years ensuring all students receive high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction. She began her career as a classroom teacher and reading specialist in Kansas, where learning the science of reading reshaped her purpose: expanding that knowledge to more educators to prevent reading difficulties before they start. She went on to serve as a reading specialist on the Kansas MTSS state training team, providing statewide professional learning and implementation support in MTSS, science of reading, structured literacy, and data-based decision making. Stephanie later served as Regional Manager of LETRS State Success, supporting large-scale, state-level implementations of LETRS. She now works as a literacy implementation facilitator and consultant. In addition to her consulting work, Stephanie is an adjunct professor at Bethany College, teaching graduate-level coursework in the science of reading. She holds a Reading Science Certification from Mount St. Joseph University and is a CERI Certified Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher, grounding her work in the most current research and evidence-based practice.
Meet Andrea Young
With more than 25 years in education, Andrea Young brings deep experience and a passion for literacy to her work. She began her career teaching special education, where she developed a strong foundation in meeting the diverse learning needs of students. From there, she became a reading specialist and later a literacy coach, supporting teachers and students through research-based instructional practices. Her work is grounded in the science of reading, with a focus on building strong, equitable literacy outcomes for all learners. She is currently an Elementary Literacy Coach in the Blue Valley School District.
Meet Sarah Bondy
Sarah Bondy has 20 years of experience in education with a strong focus on early literacy. She has taught elementary education, served as a reading specialist supporting PreK–4 students, and spent five years as the K–5 Literacy Lead for the Arizona Department of Education. After moving from her native Phoenix to Kansas in 2023, Sarah continued her passion for literacy rights and now trains teachers nationwide in evidence-aligned reading instruction. She is also passionate about the revitalization and sustainability of rural Kansas and currently serves as the CEO of the Pratt Area Chamber of Commerce, where she supports community growth and vitality.
Meet Jennifer Gessley
Meet Kristin Venable
Kristin Venable has served as principal of Indian Valley Elementary in the Blue Valley School District since 2016. She brings a broad range of experience to her leadership role, having previously worked across multiple districts and states in positions including administrative intern, reading specialist, fifth-grade teacher, kindergarten teacher, and junior high teacher. Kristin has served in five different school districts across three states, supporting students across ten grade levels. These diverse experiences have shaped her strong belief in the power of collaboration, dedication, and passion to help all students reach their full potential.
Outside of school, Kristin enjoys spending time with her two children, Reid and Taylor, both high school graduates. She also enjoys reading, traveling, exploring Kansas City, and spending time with friends and family. A fan of local sports, she loves cheering for KU basketball, Sporting KC, and the Kansas City Chiefs.