Lab Bios

DR. LESLY WADE-WOOLLEY became a Canadian citizen in 1995. She likes bluegrass, big jewellery, and giant cups of coffee (with double milk and half a sugar). She hates to fly and has a zillion frequent traveler points with VIA Rail. She wears all the gear all the time (ATGATT) when riding her Vespa – safety first! She lives with two golden retrievers, as well as other assorted family members.

CHRIS MATTATALL is a third year Ph.D. student whose work focuses on the Response to Intervention (RTI) model, Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS), and teacher collaboration around data to improve student achievement. The loves of his life are his wife Gloria, his three boys, their miniature Schnauzer, Oscar, and the great and wonderful Montreal Canadiens. In his “spare” time, he enjoys golfing, walking, and travelling.

CHRISTIE FRASER is a Gemini vegetarian. She has a bachelor’s degree in fashion and merchandising from CULA. She was a Zeta Lambda Nu sweetheart, president of her sorority, Delta Nu, and last year, she was homecoming queen. Oh, and two weeks ago she saw Cameron Diaz at Fred Segal and talked her out of buying this truly heinous angora sweater… whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed! P.S. She is currently an M.Ed. student, researching PA’s prediction of word reading.

PAM BRIAND is a first year M.Ed. student whose research interests include prosody, literacy development, and reading intervention. She is supported by her loving husband Steve and her three beautiful children. She likes to unwind by making stained glass panels, fused glass jewelry, and most of all by hanging out with friends and family. She was born in Glasgow, spent her childhood in Africa, and has made Canada her home ever since.

MEAGHAN CROSBY is a fourth year BScH student with an interest in reading development and difficulties. Her plans for the future aren’t in concrete form yet, but they will probably be really great when they do eventually come into being. She likes clean rooms in theory, but in practice can never seem to keep them quite right. She loves history and chemistry (but not too much chemistry), reading, cooking, baking, eating, and running into old friends in strange situations.

MICHELLE KOTANKO is in her fourth year of a BScH degree majoring in Psychology. She enjoys working with children and has a keen interest in language and cognitive development. Her plans for the future include completing a PhD in Developmental or Clinical Psychology and working with young children as a licensed Psychologist. In her spare time she enjoys swimming, skiing, horseback riding, shopping, and eating President’s Choice Chocolate Fudge Crackle vanilla ice cream!

WINNIE TSAI is completing her fourth year in the Concurrent Education program majoring in Psychology and minoring in Geography. She loves working with children (as evidenced by her summer job for the past 6 years – camp) and cannot wait to have her own classroom. She also loves learning new things, traveling, exploring, and most of all… food.
 

ELAINE CHAU is currently in her third year in Concurrent Education, doing a medial in psychology and biology. Upon graduating, she plans to become a teacher or a counsellor. She likes to get involved in the Kingston community by volunteering and working with children. She loves friends, sweets, music and dancing!
 
 

LAURA HERDMAN is a third year English major, hoping to one day become an editor (so she can defend her use of split infinitives). She is fascinated by the development and relationships between languages and writing systems: she speaks Spanish, some German and Estonian, and is reasonably proficient at reading Braille. In her spare time, Laura enjoys swing dancing, reconnecting with her trumpet, and peppering her conversations with references to xkcd comics.
 

LINDSAY HEGGIE is the LLRLab’s part-time manager. At work, she enjoys ticking things off to do lists, uncluttered desktops, and colour coding. At home, she likes making things, trying out new recipes, practicing her ukulele, and spending time with friends. She holds multiple degrees and is close to having as many letters after her name as in it.
 
 

ARLETTA is a yellow 2007 Vespa LX150, conceived in Italy and born in China. Her turn-ons include the ignition switch and the kick-starter, and her turn-offs are the same, in reverse. Her dream is to one day be licenced to ride the 401. She elicits many admiring comments from passers-by.