Diane Stephens was the Swearingen Chair of Education in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina. She is a founding editor of NCTE's Primary Voices, served as co-editor for 7 years and was a member and Chair of the Reading Commission for the International Reading (now Literacy) Association. Diane took a leadership role in South Carolina's state-wide Reading Initiative and helped write the Read to Succeed law, which requires all SC K-5 classroom and K-12 special education teachers to have 12 hours in reading as pre-service teachers and all in-service educators to have advanced course work in reading. Throughout her career, she has worked with individuals who do not yet find reading pleasurable.

Jerome C. Harste is the Past President of the National Council of Teachers of English, the Literacy Research Association, and the National Conference on Language and Literacy Research. In addition, he has been inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame and has received the Squire Award from NCTE, the LRA Oscar S. Causey Award for his lifetime contribution to reading research, NCTE's Russell Award for his book, Language Stories and Literacy Lessons, and was honored by NCTE with the Outstanding Elementary Education Award. Hi is currently a member of the Alliance of Distinguished Professors at Indiana University.

Jean Anne Clyde is Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita of Literacy Education at the University of Louisville who is most joyful when learning alongside teacher researchers and kids searching for innovative ways to appreciate, celebrate and support learners. Her work with preschoolers, elementary and middle grades kids, and her decade-long role as co-director of the Kentucky Institute for Arts in Education has left her passionate about the need for arts-integrated, inquiry-based instruction. Her discoveries and strategies can be found in books and articles published by Stenhouse, Heinemann, NCTE, ILA, NAEYC, and ASCD.