Samantha Gesel

Dr. Samantha (Sam) Gesel is an Assistant Professor of the Practice of Special Education at Vanderbilt University. Her work focuses on intensive intervention and data-based decision-making in reading for students with the most persistent reading difficulties. She is particularly passionate about the impact of professional development on pre-service and in-service teachers’ ability to engage in this work effectively in practice to support students. She began this line of work at UNC Charlotte, through co-directing the first cycle of UNC Charlotte Reads (funded by the Belk Foundation), involvement with UNC Charlotte’s Summer Reading Camp, and having served on the initial Mebane Early Literacy Center planning committee.