Board of Directors

Board of Directors

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Dr. Kelly J. Grillo, President

Dr. Kelly J. Grillo is an award-winning educator who has served Special Education and Education Justice for over two decades. Currently, Dr. Grillo is a Special Education Director at Lewis Cass Schools. Dr. Grillo has served as a member of the AIM-AT-UDL Florida State oversight Committee, on Florida Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) State board, and as the Education Director of Mills Aviation Charities. Dr. Grillo is on the Leadership Development Committee for the International Council for Exceptional Children and a board member of IN*SOURCE Parent Resource Network in Indiana. Most recently, Dr. Grillo is the International Teacher CEC of the Year 2020. She holds other esteemed awards including, 2019 International Division of Learning Disabilities Teacher of the Year, and in 2018 she was named the Florida CEC Teacher of Year. Having been a student with a significant learning difference, Dr. Grillo expresses that a highlight to her career is when she was a nominee in Washington as a STEM Champion for Change in 2010. Dr. Grillo has numerous publications, conference presentations, and awards. Dr. Grillo is a national advocate for persons with learning disabilities so that she can accept her own disability and create a pathway to literacy for people with dyslexia in her late mother’s name, Gloria J. Grillo, who died a non-reader with dyslexia.

Deb Heindricks, Treasurer

Deb Heindricks has worked with the Dyslexia Institute of Indiana (Dii) since 2013 as a Multi-Sensory Education Instructor.  She has her Bachelor’s Degree from Purdue University in Secondary Education and has a Master’s Degree from Indiana University in Public Affairs with a focus on Management.  She has successfully completed training in Orton-Gillingham Basic, Intermediate and Advanced, Phonological Awareness, Written Expression, Lindamood-Bell LIPS and Visualizing/Verbalizing.  Prior to working at Dii, Deb worked in the Human Resources field for ten years before her children were born.  As a stay-at-home mom, she served as the Director of Noah’s Ark Preschool in Fortville where she realized the importance of early identification and intervention for children with learning disabilities.  She became involved with the Orton-Gillingham Approach when her son was diagnosed with dyslexia in first grade and required intense tutoring. Over the years, Deb has become a strong advocate for evidence based multi-sensory instruction/intervention.  She is an ardent supporter as both a parent and a tutor. As a parent, she has first hand experience with the struggles of a dyslexic child.   As a tutor, she continues to work with students and provide them with necessary skills and support to reach their full potential.

Susie Beard

Susie Beard graduated from Ball State University in 1998 with her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education, certified K-6 with a reading endorsement and practicum certified K-12.  After a brief stint teaching 4th grade, Susie moved to Ohio and became a Reading Specialist for Bay Village Schools.  Despite being a specialist, she would be the first to admit she knew nothing about the science of reading until she took a chance on an approach called Wilson Reading, and her life changed forever.  She was later formally trained in Orton Gillingham and became a private tutor.  After moving back to Indiana and working in Carmel and Hamilton Southeastern Schools, this year she realized her dream of becoming a full time tutor.  She believes in the right to read; literacy is achievable for all children and adults, regardless of socioeconomic status, color of skin, or background.  One of her dreams is to teach Orton Gillingham in juvenile detention centers and prisons, as studies have shown many incarcerated individuals have undiagnosed dyslexia, or perhaps through grants start a not for profit capturing children and adults who have fallen through the cracks.  Susie also recently joined the Indiana Reading League, which she believes is a positive voice in the fight for literacy for all.