Kristina Smith is an educator and former clinical therapist with more than 15 years of experience teaching and tutoring children with learning challenges. Trained in the Orton-Gillingham method and having developed educational materials that support it, she coauthored two books, Teach Reading with Orton-Gillingham and Teach Reading with Orton-Gillingham: Early Reading Skills, and continues to explore and develop new teaching methods in a variety of study areas. Kristina is originally from the Washington, DC, area, but moved to Florida to earn her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of South Florida and, later, her master’s degree in social work from Florida State University. Currently, Kristina resides in Panama City Beach, Florida, with her husband. To learn more about Kristina and fellow coauthor Heather MacLeod-Vidal’s resources for struggling readers, please visit their website TreetopsEducation.com or search Treetops Educational Interventions on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Heather MacLeod-Vidal is a former teacher, tutor, educational business owner, and coauthor of Teach Reading with Orton-Gillingham. She currently works as a literacy specialist to support students with dyslexia and other learning differences in a Tampa Bay area school. She has a degree in elementary education from the University of Tampa and is endorsed in reading, ESOL, and exceptional student education. She is passionate about teaching all children to read. She lives in Gulfport, Florida, with her husband, two children, and a variety of rescue animals.