Widely recognized Vermont educator Lisa H. Italiano has been named director of the state's National Writing Project. She will join Cynthia Reyes, assistant professor of education and the project's principal investigator in Vermont, to continue the partnership with UVM's College of Education and Social Services, offering intensive professional development to Vermont's teachers from kindergarten through the university level.

Italiano holds bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the University of Vermont. After teaching for 15 years in Vermont elementary schools, she served for nine years as the Reading Recovery Teacher Leader for the Northwest/Addison Vermont Reading Recovery Consortium, and has been working as an independent reading consultant for the past year.

The National Writing Project is a federally funded program with more than two hundred sites across the country. The project's primary activity is an intensive summer writing institute for select teachers. It also offers professional development during the school year, designing on-site programs and multi-year partnerships in response to a school's needs, among other services.

"Across these programs, we're building a statewide community of teachers who use writing as an essential component of a meaningful education," says Patricia McGonegal, the outgoing founding director. "Teachers who are comfortable as writers are most likely to be comfortable asking their students to write frequently, and teachers who are ready to look with their colleagues at their own writing, teaching and learning are best equipped to contribute to real growth in their schools.

"Lisa has professional development and management experience and a strong commitment to (the project's) principles," McGonegal continues. "I know she'll do a fine job of coordinating Vermont's programs, and linking them to the work of UVM's College of Education."

The National Writing Project, according to Italiano, has had a significant impact on her own work as a teacher and writer. "This is a dynamic, exciting and meaningful program," she says. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to take on the job of managing the project in Vermont."