Melissa Weber-Mayrer is the Chief of Literacy of the Office of Literacy Achievement and Reading Success at the Ohio Department of Education. Dr. Weber-Mayrer oversees the literacy work for the state of Ohio.  This includes Ohio’s literacy legislation (Third Grade Reading Guarantee and Dyslexia Supports Laws) and the statewide implementation of evidence-based language and literacy teaching and learning. Dr. Weber-Mayrer is the federal project director for $78.2 million in literacy grants focused on raising literacy achievement for birth through grade 12, including learners with reading difficulties. She co-led the State Systemic Improvement Plan: Early Literacy Pilot activities, and leads the team that authored and updates Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement. Dr. Weber-Mayrer served as the lead for the Hunt Institute Path Forward which convened stakeholders to develop a plan to align higher education literacy coursework and state activities to the science of reading. Dr. Weber-Mayrer has experience teaching in large urban school districts in Ohio, New Jersey, and Illinois. She serves as adjunct faculty for university required reading courses. Dr. Weber-Mayrer is dedicated to improving the literacy knowledge and skills of pre-service and in-service educators to ensure preparation for effective teaching of essential literacy skills at all grade levels. She earned her B.S., M.A., and Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. Her research interests focus on reading and literacy for early/middle childhood, adult learning, and educator preparation. Dr. Weber-Mayrer presents locally, nationally, and internationally.