The EBLI team consists of an extremely special group of people who are dedicated to carrying out the mission to Teach the World to Read. We welcome visitors to observe us in action at Ounce of Prevention Reading Center or in schools where EBLI is being taught.
Check out our bios below.
Nora is responsible for all training and consulting activities at EBLI and interacts directly with schools, foundations, and nonprofits on implementing the EBLI methodology to deliver effective, efficient literacy instruction. She is the founder and inventor of the EBLI system, a methodology that provides the research-based skills, concepts, strategies, and activities that can teach readers of any age and skill level to read to their highest potential. Since 2003, she has personally trained thousands of educators and tens of thousands of students in EBLI. Nora is also the founder/owner of Ounce of Prevention Reading Center (OOPRC), where people of all ages learn to read to their highest potential in a one-on-one teaching environment. OOPRC acts as a research and test lab for EBLI, refining the delivery of the strategies and activities which in turn results in refining EBLI trainings. Nora opened OOPRC in 1999 and was led to her work as a result of her own child’s struggle with learning to read and spell. Nora’s passion and dedication to improve literacy for everyone motivates her to expand the reach of EBLI and to realize her dream of teaching the world to read.
Jordan is responsible for business and technology development at EBLI and provides the overall strategic direction to the organization. He was previously the founder/owner of uwemp, an educational software company that developed an assessment and authoring engine for online learning. Jordan’s passion is education and is focused on incorporating technology, sound pedagogy, and community to fundamentally change the way education is delivered. After working with EBLI as a client of his for over a year, Jordan joined EBLI as a partner in 2011 to help accomplish the mission to Teach the World to Read. He is very active in the city of Detroit around the issue of attracting and retaining young talent and is the founder of two 501c3 organizations, CommunityNEXT and Detroit Harmonie. Jordan is dedicated to creating the Reading Revolution in Detroit and reversing the trend of high illiteracy rates that have plagued the region for decades.
Jordan started his career advising, investing, and operating software and services companies as both an investment banker and private equity investment professional at Credit Suisse First Boston, ThinkEquity Partners, and Mainsail Partners.
Hannah joined EBLI in August 2011 and is responsible for all operational activities at EBLI and is the glue that holds it all together. She is also involved in teacher training and consulting. Previously, she lived and worked in Ann Arbor, MI where she attended and graduated from University of Michigan. While in high school and college, Hannah attended several EBLI trainings and taught students in Detroit public schools as a volunteer for Beyond Basics.
Hannah is also Nora’s oldest daughter, and therefore spent many years of her life being immersed in the evolution of EBLI. A lifelong bookworm, she loves teaching EBLI and helping learners and teachers become excited about reading. There is no company that she believes in more than EBLI, and she is excited to be part of such a great team.
Cricket began working at EBLI and Ounce of Prevention in 2004 where she has taught hundreds of clients in one-on-one instruction. Cricket also works directly with educators as an EBLI trainer and consultant as well as provides guidance and support to EBLI interventionists at Ounce of Prevention. In 1998, Nora taught Cricket’s daughter Kylee, who struggled with reading and writing in second grade. Cricket then wrote a grant so she could be trained in Nora’s first teacher training and went on to teach reading in the Title I program in Owosso schools.
Cricket believes that everyone deserves to read, and wants to live in a world where every child is taught to read in kindergarten. Nora and Cricket are childhood friends who grew up together in Owosso, MI and she has an intense passion for the EBLI work she does with teachers and students.
LouCyndra joined EBLI and Ounce of Prevention in October 2009 as the Training Coordinator and Administrative Assistant. She first came to Ounce of Prevention with her three sons, Quentin, Blake, and Cody, who all received reading instruction at the Center.
Loucyndra loves the people at Ounce of Prevention and the fact that she is helping to change peoples’ lives is very inspiring and rewarding to her. She would love to see EBLI influence the way reading is taught in schools across the country.
Shannon is an EBLI and Interactive Metronome Therapist where she has taught hundreds of clients in one-on-one instruction at Ounce of Prevention. Shannon is also an EBLI training assistant where she supports EBLI trainers and works directly with educators. Shannon was trained by Nora in 1999 and when asked how she would use her new knowledge, Shannon told Nora, “I’d like to come and work for you!” She has been at EBLI and Ounce of Prevention ever since.
Shannon loves that almost every moment at Ounce of Prevention provides an opportunity for growth, and feels like she has grown more here than at any other job. Previous to that, she lived and worked many places all over the world.