MONICA H. RILEY, Ph.D.

TPI-US REVIEWER

Monica Riley, Ph.D. serves as a lead reviewer, logistics agent, and team member with TPI-US and supports the delivery of technical assistance to educator preparation programs. She holds a Ph.D. in Elementary Education with a minor in Reading.

Dr. Riley has pursued extensive professional development in literacy education. She has completed 30 hours of Orton-Gillingham training and comprehensive training in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS), including the Foundations Module and Modules 1–9. Additionally, she has completed nine hours of master’s-level coursework in special education and is currently working toward certification as a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT).

With deep expertise in literacy and science education, Dr. Riley has made significant contributions to teacher preparation and educational leadership. She began her career teaching elementary and middle school literacy and science, and is a licensed teacher in Florida. During her doctoral studies, she taught literacy courses and supervised interns at Mississippi State University. She later joined Mississippi University for Women as a faculty member and became department chair in 2010.

In 2017, Dr. Riley transitioned to the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, where she served as Executive Director of the School of Education. In this role, she led the implementation of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) model within the school. She collaborated with literacy faculty to integrate the Science of Reading Curriculum into courses. This initiative created a structured pathway for achieving Science of Reading Proficiency in Arkansas teacher licensure. She also co-founded and co-facilitates the Arkansas Higher Education Literacy Council.

Dr. Riley remains deeply committed to advancing literacy education and supporting educators in implementing evidence-based instructional strategies to improve student outcomes.