The Literacy First Leadership Team brings over 125 years of combined experience in Reading, Literacy, and Educational Excellence to the education community and its growing literacy challenges. Beyond the education-dedicated executive team, Literacy First boasts a broad national team of Reading and Change Motivation experts providing face-to-face consultation and on-site implementation services everyday. This nationwide Literacy First team is deeply committed to bringing the highest quality professional educational instructional leadership services to all PreK - 12 schools.
Bill Blokker, Ed.D. — Founder, President and CEO
Bill Blokker, Ed.D. has been Literacy First President and CEO since its founding in 1996. And he leads this service-oriented company with his proven lifelong passion for improvement of instruction and process toward one of Education’s toughest challenges. Prior to founding Literacy First, he was a teacher at the junior high and high School levels. His 14 years of education administration experiences were spent as principal and curriculum director in the Seattle area. In 1973 Bill founded Professional Development, Inc, a management and consulting firm for education. Consulting with school districts across the country as well as presenting to hundreds at many national education organizations, Bill has shared his respected expertise in literacy instruction and its successful implementation, discipline and classroom management, improvement of teacher/student relationship, motivation in the classroom, and accelerating learning of “At Risk” students. All of these have led to the founding of and continued success of Literacy First and the Literacy First Process. Bill earned his Doctorate of Educational Leadership and Organizational Development from Seattle University.
Scott Blokker — Vice President of Finance
Scott Blokker, joined Literacy First as Vice President of Finance in 2000, after serving as advisor for the previous two years. Scott carries a degree in finance from Southern Methodist University and graduated BBA in Finance. Scott enjoyed a successful six-year career as a professional soccer player in the United States and Europe. Scott currently resides in New York City.
Bill Goforth — Executive Director of Sales and Marketing
After graduating from Youngstown State University with a comprehensive major in social studies, Bill began a career that has been committed to delivery of quality education materials. Beginning his career as a social studies and language arts teacher in Ohio, and continuing on to sales, marketing and development of premiere textbook and instructional materials, and technology application for education, Bill has provided management and leadership at Apple Computer, Gateway Computer, Autodesk, Edusoft, Open Court, Zaner-Bloser, and SVE. He recently joined Literacy First, drawn to their commitment to excellence. Bill lives in the San Diego area.
Kevin Blokker — Vice President of Operations
Kevin joined Literacy First in 1999 after earning his Bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco. Since that time, he has dedicated his entire professional career to the operational excellence and quality product behind Literacy First. Prior to Literacy First, Kevin played and coached soccer at the collegiate level. Kevin lives with his wife and son in the Seattle area.
In addition to their internal leadership, Literacy First takes great pride in providing their customers with the highest quality educational consultants, for site analysis, in-depth assessment of needs, and on-going consultation. These are individuals who share the Literacy First passion for change motivation, process reform, and quality education. Our nationwide network of consultants share a common link of many successful years from classroom to district office, giving them a real-world experience; a well of experience that makes them an invaluable asset to Literacy First and valued partners for every school district they work with. Each has proven their dedication to student success, teacher support and administrative excellence. Let’s meet just a few:
Paula Whittier, Ed.D. — Senior Consultant
As a life-long educator, Paula’s career spans experience as teacher, assistant principal, principal, deputy superintendent, curriculum director and guidance counselor. Additionally she has taught English at the community college level. She earned her M.S. at Florida State University and her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at the University of Central Florida. Paula is now in her seventh year with Literacy First, having joined the team in 2001. Paula and her husband, Peter, live in central Florida.
John Scroggins, Ed.D. — Senior Consultant
John joined Literacy First in 2003 as a consultant, having retired from Ponca City School District in Oklahoma. He began his career as a teacher in 1969 at Mid-Del Public Schools in Midwest City, Oklahoma. From 1974 until 2003 John held various administrative positions including Principal, Director of Elementary Education, Deputy Superintendent and Superintendent in central Oklahoma school districts. He received his Ed.D. in 1990 from the University of Oklahoma. John and his wife, Sharon, live in the Dallas area.
Debra Whitfill — Consultant
Debra joined Literacy First in 2003 after a successful and rewarding career as a classroom educator and site administrator. Debra taught at the Elementary and Junior High levels from 1974 to 1991 in Enid, Oklahoma. From 1991 to 2004 she was an elementary principal in Enid. She earned Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Education from Phillips University and Administrative Credential from Oklahoma State University. Debra lives in Enid, Oklahoma with her husband Steve.
Lee Anne Housley — Consultant
Lee Anne comes to Literacy First as a highly experienced and award winning middle school and high school content area teacher with additional background in sales and marketing. Her teaching area of specialization is in Advanced Placement Biology as well as Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology and Biology I and II. She is a contributing writer for the Developing Expert Reader Series and in addition has consulted for Literacy First in schools in Kansas and Washington. Lee Anne was the recipient of Teacher of Today Awards in Oklahoma in 2002 and 2004. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M in 1988. Lee Anne lives in Northeast Oklahoma with her husband Wes and their 8 year-old son W.J.