Learn from peers about best practices and innovative ideas being put into action at literacy programs across our great state. Best of Texas aims to bring local experts together to share their wisdom and experience – and maybe help us all avoid a few pitfalls along the way.
Thank you so much for your interest!
This event is now over.
This online discussion will be held on:
Thursday, September 26, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM (CT).
The Zoom room will open at 9:50 AM.
Please arrive on time – the Zoom room will close to late arrivals 30 minutes after the session begins.
This panel discussion will focus on how to do outreach and advocacy in your local community.
ABOUT THIS SESSION
Join Dr. Jenny McCormack Walker to learn about preferred practices for advocacy and outreach. Learn practical tips for building relationships with elected officials, media, and business leaders in your community. Jenny will show you how to access and understand adult literacy data for your county.
She will then be joined by Federico Salas-Isnardi from the Houston Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy who will talk about the exciting advocacy work happening in Houston and his work through the national All-In Campaign.
There will be time available for advocacy questions and answers with Jenny and Federico.
Federico Salas-Isnardi
Director
Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy
Federico Salas-Isnardi is Director of the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy in Houston, Texas, where he leads innovative collaborations to address issues at the intersection of adult education and equity. He oversaw the development of Houston’s Adult Literacy Blueprint, a strategic plan to rebrand and reimagine Adult Literacy with a focus on digital equity.
A linguist by training, Federico is an adult ESL and literacy educator, diversity, social justice and equity trainer, and professional developer with 35 years of experience in adult education.
Federico was interim CEO of Literacy Texas in 2018 after serving as an ex-officio member of the Literacy Texas Board for 9 years. He is currently a member of the Coordinating Council of the Adult Literacy National Action Plan and serves on the board of advisors of the TexShare Consortium of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Dr. Jenny McCormack Walker
Executive Director
Literacy Texas
Dr. Jenny McCormack Walker joined Literacy Texas in January 2024, after a successful run as the Executive Director of the Literacy Council of Bowie and Miller Counties, a small non-profit that made a big impact on the Texarkana community during her tenure. Dr. Walker helped the organization find financial stability and expanded innovative academic and workforce program options for adult learners at her center. She and her team launched the first 100 Families Alliance in Texas, and this innovative approach to holistic support for students led to impressive growth in enrollment and goal completion rates for those she serves.
Dr. Walker was a first-generation college student who personally knows the powerful role that education plays in helping change the course of a person’s life. This passion has fueled a career in education that has spanned two decades and impacted thousands of students. She is a certified Texas teacher and principal, and she has worked in both adjunct faculty and staff positions in higher education. She has also led professional development trainings for teachers and administrators and served as a public speaker. She earned a doctorate in education leadership from Texas A&M University–Texarkana, and her dissertation research focused on the importance of holistic support for adult learners. She holds a master’s degree in education administration from Texas A&M University–Texarkana, and she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of North Texas. Dr. Walker also attended Texarkana College and was a graduate of Liberty-Eylau High School.
Registration will open soon – watch this space
This online learning session is offered free of charge to Texas nonprofit professionals who work in the fields of adult and family literacy.
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Every online registration will generate an automated email response with further information. If you don’t see it arrive, please check your junk mail!
Special thanks to:
Federico Salas-Isnardi & The Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy
The Texas Workforce Commission
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