Nancy E Hennessy

Nancy Hennessy is an experienced teacher, diagnostician and administrator who currently works as a literacy consultant. Nancy has worked across grade levels K–12 with both general and special educators. While in public schools, she provided leadership in the development of innovative curriculum for special needs students and a statewide revision of special education code, and she led a state-of-the-art professional development program for all teachers. She is a former Wilson Language Lead Trainer and National Trainer for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS; Sopris-West).

Nancy has delivered keynote addresses, workshops, and training to educators nationally and internationally on topics including professional development, strategic planning, and components of skilled reading and writing and dyslexia. She has also developed professional development offerings on reading instruction for the AIM Institute of Learning & Research and on dyslexia for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Most recently, Nancy has focused on delivering virtual and in-person professional learning opportunities focused on reading comprehension.

Nancy co-authored the second revision of Module 6 of LETRS, Digging for Meaning: Teaching Text Comprehension, and authored Chapter 15, “Working with Word Meaning: Vocabulary Instruction,” in Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills, fourth edition (Birsh & Carreker, 2018).

Nancy has held various positions for the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), including President, Branch Council Chair, and National Conference Chair. She also served on the National Joint Committee for Learning Disabilities. She is an honorary member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, the 2011 recipient of IDA’s Margaret Rawson Lifetime Achievement Award, and the recipient of the 2012 June Lyday Orton Award from the North Carolina Branch of IDA (NCIDA).