Academic Advisory Committee for English
Committee Members
George Gadda (Chair)
Assistant Director, Writing Program, Department of English/Writing Programs, University of California, Los AngelesGeorge Gadda is one of the country's most influential writing teachers. For more than two decades, he has worked tirelessly with faculty and administrators across the University of California system and with teachers at secondary schools through the country to improve the writing skills and the quality of public education at every level. "The quintessential teacher of teachers" is how colleagues refer to Gadda, who travels throughout the UC system to teach other writing teachers. Among his myriad duties are developing curricula for teaching assistants, teaching writing and composition to underrepresented at-risk freshmen, and addressing language issues to ESL students. Gadda's development of the UC exam grading standards has had a tremendous impact on the way teachers prepare their students for college writing.
Back to TopEllen H. Brinkley
Professor of English, Western Michigan University, and Director, Third Coast Writing ProjectEllen Brinkley is a former high school English teacher and past president of the Michigan Council of Teachers of English. She chaired the group that designed the framework for Michigan's statewide writing assessment in 1993, and is the primary author of the forthcoming College Board English Language Arts Framework. She is also the author of Caught Off Guard: Teachers Rethinking Censorship and Controversy, published by Allyn & Bacon in 1999, as well as a number of articles and chapters about academic freedom. In 2006, she helped create Michigan's new English Language Arts High School Content Expectations. Brinkley holds a Ph.D. in English from Michigan State University, with specializations in composition theory, reading theory and English education.
Back to TopHolly L. Hillgardner
English Teacher, South Bronx Preparatory, New YorkHolly L. Hillgardner is an English teacher with experience in multiple College Board endeavors, including Pre-AP® and AP consulting, Springboard® consulting, and College Board Schools. She holds a master's degree from Texas Christian University and is currently on leave from South Bronx Preparatory to pursue her Ph.D. from Drew University.
Back to TopCarol Jago
Past President, National Council of Teachers of EnglishCarol Jago has taught English in middle and high school for 32 years and directs the California Reading and Literature Project at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a former president of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and served as AP Literature content advisor for the College Board. She has published six books for teachers with Heinemann Publishing and four books on contemporary multicultural authors for NCTE's High School Literature series. Jago has written a weekly education column for the Los Angeles Times, and her essays have appeared in English Journal, Language Arts and NEA Today, as well as in other national newspapers. She edits the journal of the California Association of Teachers of English, California English, and served on the planning committee for the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading Framework and the 2011 NAEP Writing Framework.
Back to TopMichael McDonough
Dean of Liberal Arts, Monroe Community College, Rochester, NYMichael McDonough received his bachelor's degree in Combined Studies from Reading University in England, a master's degree in English from Oklahoma State University and a Ph.D. in English from Pennsylvania State University. McDonough has experience as a Reader and Table Leader for both AP English Literature and GMAT. In addition, he has worked as a College Board consultant on K–12 assessments and standards.
Back to TopHephzibah C. Roskelly
Professor of English, University of North Carolina at GreensboroHephzibah Roskelly is professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she teaches classes in rhetoric, American literature and pedagogy. She is former Chief Reader for the AP Language and Composition Exam, and former chair of the SAT® Reading Committee. She is a member of the North Carolina Humanities Council. Her books include Everyday Use: Rhetoric in Reading and Writing (2008).
Back to TopDoranna Tindle
Assistant Principal, Friendship Collegiate AcademyDoranna Tindle leads curriculum development in English Language Arts and implements a school-wide literacy initiative at Friendship Collegiate Academy. As a teacher of AP English Literature and AP English Language and Composition, she has worked on bridging the gaps between high school and college writing and thinking skills for the last six years. Her projects include consulting for Bedford St. Martin's Press and helping to revise the AP English Language course and exam. In addition to her work with the College Board, Tindle was a part of the feedback and validation committee for the Common Core ELA and Literacy standards. In her latest project, she is collaborating with the University of Maryland (UMD) Director of Composition to craft a carefully structured writing curriculum for an 11th grade dual enrollment research and writing course.
Back to Top