About Us
The Reading League Hawai’i
Our mission is to advance the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction.
Meet Our Team
Meet TRL-HI President, Jennifer Dempsey
Dr. Jennifer Dempsey is currently the Director of Teaching and Learning at the Montessori School of Maui. Before transitioning to this administrative role, she was a classroom educator for nearly 20 years. She has worked in both public and independent school settings with children aged 2 to 12. She earned her Hawai’i teaching license for K-6th grade and is also a certified literacy specialist. Additionally, she is accredited as a structured literacy educator through CERI and holds Orton-Gillingham certification at the Associate Level. Jen earned her American Montessori Society Elementary I certification along with a master’s degree in elementary education with a focus in Montessori studies. She recently earned a doctorate in Reading Science from Mount St. Joseph University. She is passionate about the science of reading, structured literacy, evidence-based reading instruction, and bridging the research-to-practice gap to ensure all students have access to high-quality literacy instruction.
Meet TRL-HI Vice President, Serena Marsden
Serena Marsden brings over 20 years of teaching experience across diverse educational settings, including Hawai‘i public schools, international classrooms in Java, Indonesia, and her current role as an IB PYP teacher at Le Jardin Academy. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies from the University of Redlands and an M.Ed. from Chaminade University of Honolulu. Serena also holds a certificate in Early Childhood Education, is a certified Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator, a Read Write Inc. Phonics Leader, and is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Literacy Specialist/Literacy Leader at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
Passionate about literacy and equity, Serena is committed to using evidence-based practices to support all students, particularly those who are striving readers, on their path to becoming confident and skilled readers. Her mission is to ensure that every keiki in Hawai‘i has access to high-quality reading instruction that empowers lifelong learning.
Meet TRL-HI Secretary Heather Farasati
Lauren got involved in the literacy opportunity when one of her grandchildren was diagnosed with dyslexia. She jumped into the science of reading and the understanding of dyslexia and now spends half her days preparing lessons and tutoring her granddaughter.
Meet TRL-HI Officer at Large Lori Shikuma
Lori Shikuma, M.S. Ed., is a Fellow of the Orton-Gillingham Academy (OGA) and is a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist with the Center for Effective Reading Instruction (CERI). She lives in Honolulu and has been an interventionist in both public and private schools while maintaining a private OG tutoring practice for the past 15 years, specializing in working with older students. Lori is a past Board Member of the Hawaii chapter of the International Dyslexia Association and continues volunteer literacy services in the community. With two dyslexic children of her own, she is passionate about educating others about the science of reading.
Meet TRL-HI Officer at Large Christine Yasuhara
Christine has been an educator in Hawaii for almost 30 years. While starting out in Special Education, the last 20 years have been focused on literacy through whole group, small group and individual intervention, team teaching, after school tutoring and summer school enrichment. As a Reading Support Specialist, she is highly passionate about the continued process of discovering, learning, implementing and sharing effective ways of educating haumana in Hawaii.
Meet TRL-HI Officer at Large Arianna Henry
I am a nationally certified school psychologist dedicated to making brain science accessible to the educators. All students are owed access to literacy, and I am thrilled to join the cause with The Reading League!
Reimagine the Future of Reading
Help us bring the science of reading to every educator, parent, and child.