EKC Founder Erin Kent taught literacy for many years in urban, independent, and international schools before becoming a literacy coach and then P–12 Director of Curriculum and Instruction. She knows how important it is for professional development to be tailored to a school's specific needs and context, and that is why EKC specializes in creating bespoke professional learning plans for schools around the world. This work allows EKC, and its team of more than 50 literacy strategists, to identify current global trends and needs and to continually develop resources and materials to meet the moment. Or as Erin likes to say, "We use the world to lift the world." In recent years, EKC has grown to offer more opportunities for this global collaboration through the addition of global chats, regional literacy retreats, and the expansion of bespoke projects to include the curation of custom text sets.

Jenny Killion is an experienced teacher, K–12 instructional coach, and literacy consultant. She has worked at the American School of Barcelona for over a decade as an elementary, middle school, and most recently as an IB DP teacher and HS Instructional Coach. She has extensive experience working with teachers from a variety of international schools on implementing inquiry-rich literacy frameworks, developing integrated curriculum, connecting instruction across languages, and literacy coaching.

Since 2004, Erika Olson has been working in international schools around the world assuming various roles such as elementary classroom teacher, IB PYP coordinator, assistant principal, and instructional literacy coach. She brings extensive experience with curriculum development and instruction in a variety of global contexts. Currently residing in Thailand, Erika finds inspiration in the power of inquiry-based literacy learning that blends research-informed methodology, curriculum goals, and student interests and backgrounds. Erika holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master's Degree in Advanced Education.

Molly Ball has worked as an IB PYP classroom teacher, curriculum developer, and literacy coach in the United States, Korea, and Singapore. She has led teachers in curriculum development with a specific focus on unpacking standards and benchmarks to create tailored reading and writing units that align with and/or enhance units of inquiry. She has extensive experience in inquiry-based literacy frameworks, word study, Student-Centered Coaching and in supporting multilingual learners. Molly is always eager to learn about each schools’ unique context, needs and the demographics of learners and loves to collaborate with educators around the world. Currently, Molly is a Literacy Coach at Stamford American International School in Singapore.

With over 15 years of experience in international education, Katie Vis has taught in both elementary and middle school classrooms across four continents including Europe, Africa, Asia, and Central America. Katie has worked in a variety of school settings, including IB and non-IB programs, and brings a global perspective to her leadership. She is passionate about strategic planning and designing practical tools and systems that help schools work smarter and make teachers’ lives a little easier. Katie holds a Master’s in Teaching from Georgia State University and an Instructional Leadership Certificate from Harvard University. She is currently the Teaching and Learning Director at Daegu International School in South Korea.

In addition to the featured speakers, we're bringing in some other fantastic EKC strategists to host additional sessions. You will have the opportunity to learn from:

Annie Ng

Lauren Hateley-Crowe