AIM is pleased to welcome Dawn Brookhart to the new leadership role of Associate Director of the AIM Institute for Learning & Research. Dawn’s efforts will allow AIM Institute to further its vision and mission helping scale its AIM Pathways online teacher training platform and related training and coaching to more school partners and organizations throughout the country.

"We are pleased to welcome Dawn to the AIM Institute team," said Pat Roberts AIM executive director and co-founder. "Her knowledge of the science of reading and her extensive experience working in public school districts are perfectly suited to AIM's work."

Dawn formerly served as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology in the Danville Area School District, where she played an instrumental role in transforming the district into a top-performing school district in the state. She also led her district in creating a national model for the science of reading over the last 10 years by embedding Orton-Gillingham into the core curriculum. Danville was recently featured in the Seattle Times for its work in revamping the way reading is taught in public schools as well as its ability to train teachers in evidence-based practice. Dawn founded the Danville Area Reading and Dyslexia Academy; the first of its kind for public schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

"Dawn knows first-hand the work it takes to introduce the science of reading into schools," explained Nancy Blair, AIM associate director and co-founder." As a former educator herself she understands how to work with teachers to support all readers."

To further advance research-based practice in literacy across Pennsylvania, Dawn serves as a Board Member for the Pennsylvania Branch of the International Dyslexia Association as well as a Board Member, Co-Founder, and Vice President of The Reading League PA. She also recently authored a graduate-level program based on the science of reading for Delaware Valley University. Her outreach work extends to other states as she assisted in the drafting of the legislation and providing testimony for House Bill #1461 for dyslexia to the Education Committee of the Legislative Assembly in North Dakota.

Dawn has worked in public education for the last 20 years, including serving in numerous administrative roles. She is accredited through IMSLEC as an Orton-Gillingham Scholar. Prior to serving as an educator, Dawn worked in the financial services industry. She holds two master’s degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and has an undergraduate degree in Economics and Japanese Studies from Bucknell University.