Director of Publications
Denise Nessel, Ph.D., has diverse experience in education, having worked as a secondary English teacher, an elementary reading specialist, an instructor in reading clinics, a university professor, a central-office curriculum supervisor, and co-director of a privately-funded professional development project. Since 1980, Dr. Nessel has worked as an independent education consultant, conducting workshops for teachers and administrators in the U.S. and abroad while also serving as a consultant and writer for several education publishers. In addition, she has designed and overseen the production of interactive electronic educational programs, has advised the creators of an innovative educational television series, and has co-founded a software game design company.
Dr. Nessel was honored to be a part of NUA when it first came into being and has enjoyed helping to shape and provide the unique services that NUA offers to schools. Besides completing countless site visits and seminars in numerous NUA districts, she has helped to create NUA frameworks and courses of study, has collaborated in the design of NUA retreats and academies, has served on NUA’s management team, and has been actively involved in the creation of NUA’s instructional assessment process.
Dr. Nessel has written several books and classroom resources for teachers and a number of articles that have appeared in professional journals. Her most recent publications include the co-authored Thinking Strategies for Student Achievement (Corwin, 2007) and the co-authored Using the Language Experience Approach with English Language Learners (Corwin, 2008). She is currently collaborating on a theory-into-practice book on comprehension.
Dr. Nessel received her B.A. degree in English from Illinois State University, her M.Ed. in Reading from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (Reading) from the University of Delaware.
Denise Nessel, Ph.D.
ddnessel@gmail.com