meet the grow team
DEDICATED EXPERTS EMPOWERING YOUNG LEARNERS
Meet the Educators Behind the Mission
Meet the passionate team behind our program—educators, researchers, and child development specialists united by a shared dedication to nurturing children’s social-emotional growth through literacy. Driven by a deep belief in the power of early intervention and meaningful connections, our team created this curriculum to help young learners build essential life skills through engaging stories and thoughtful dialogue. Every member brings unique expertise and an unwavering commitment to supporting children, families, and educators on the path to emotional and academic success.
Our Team
AnnMarie Alberton Gunn, B.S., M.Ed., Ph.D.
Dr. AnnMarie Alberton Gunn is a mother of three children, former elementary school teacher with eight years of experience and currently serves as a Professor of Reading Education at the University of South Florida. Dr. Gunn teaches graduate and undergraduate literacy courses aimed at preparing current and future educators. She collaborates closely with local schools, aftercare programs, daycare centers, and families to provide literacy support. Dr. Gunn has authored numerous publications and presented at conferences on national, international, and local levels. Her research, which has been funded by various organizations, focuses on strategies to support teachers and children’s literacy development.
Susan V. Bennett, B.A., B.S., M.Ed., Ph.D.
Dr. Susan V. Bennett taught elementary school for a little over six years on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico and in Ohio and Florida. She is currently an Associate Professor of Literacy Education at the University of South Florida, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate students in teacher education programs. Dr. Bennett collaborates with local afterschool centers, schools, families, juvenile justice sites, and the department of corrections to support literacy education. She has published her research in a multitude of journals, as well as and presented nationally and internationally. This research focuses on preparing teachers with best practices to develop children’s literacy skills and strategies and to improve literacy achievement in children and adults.
Emily McConnaughy, B.S., M.A.
Emily McConnaughy is a doctoral student in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Literacy Studies at the University of South Florida. She holds a Master’s degree in Reading Education from USF and has five years of experience teaching English Language Arts in Florida public schools. Emily’s research interests are centered on the intersection of literacy and humanizing pedagogies, particularly in how these pedagogies can be used to support marginalized populations. She is passionate about integrating trauma-informed and culturally sustaining literacy practices to create more inclusive and supportive learning environments. Emily’s work extends beyond traditional classroom settings, as she is dedicated to enhancing educational experiences for students in both community and incarcerated spaces. Her research and teaching practices aim to empower students and foster a sense of agency, resilience, and belonging.
Margaret Robertson Stemme, B.S., M.A.
Margaret (Maggie) Robertson Stemme is currently a doctoral student of Literacy Studies in the College of Education at the University of South Florida. She comes to this work as a previous kindergarten teacher of 10 years and advocate of equitable early childhood teaching practices. During her time in the classroom, she worked with immigrant, refugee and multilingual children from around the world and used these experiences to bring multicultural literature, critical thinking and student-centered learning provocations to her beloved students. In her future research, Maggie is interested in working with early childhood pre- and in-service teachers to help bring critical literacy practices to our youngest learners.
Aarti P. Bellara, B.A., MAT, Ph.D
Dr. Aarti Bellara is a former elementary school teacher and current Associate Professor of Educational Research in the College of Education and Allied Professions at Western Carolina University. Dr. Bellara is a methodological expert focusing on quantitative research methods and measurement. She is a prolific scholar and applied educational researcher and has presented over 100 different research studies at national and international conferences.
A special Thank You
We want to express our sincere gratitude to Barbara J. Peterson, a language and literacy consultant, for her countless hours of dedication, expertise, and care in supporting this project and so many others that uplift children, families, teachers, and child care educators in their literacy and language growth.
