Texas Chapter

Cindy has been an ALTA member since 2010. She earned her CALT credentials at Southern Methodist University’s Language Therapy Program in Alphabetic Phonics with additional therapy retraining in Take Flight. She works as a private dyslexia therapist in San Antonio and is working toward her Qualified Instructor certification.

Barbara’s career began eleven years ago as a first-grade teacher when she recognized that there was more for her to learn about dyslexia. She received her Take Flight training from The JPW Learning Center. They helped to instill a passion for advocating and always doing what is best for students and their families. For the past five years, she has worked with fourth and fifth graders, which she has loved. With all students, it is always a joy to witness them start to believe in themselves as their confidence and reading skills increase. For the past year, she has been a part of the Dyslexia on Demand team. She loves being able to help students and their families who may not have access to certified academic language therapists. ALTA has allowed her to collaborate and learn from others in this field who share her passion for teaching. 

Jennifer Cates is a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist with a private practice in Waco, Texas. She specializes in the Scottish-Rite therapeutic research-based intervention program Take Flight. She earned her undergraduate psychology degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M. As a Certified Academic Language Therapist and Qualified Instructor, Jennifer screens, educates, and advocates for dyslexic students across Texas as they overcome their educational challenges. Although she has offices in Waco, online therapy sessions allow her to reach students as far away as Hawaii. She is currently serving her second term as the Texas ALTA treasurer.

Susmita Sarma is a Montessori teacher at The Shelton School. She is certified by the American Montessori Society to teach at the lower and upper elementary levels. Susmita is a Certified Academic Language Therapist and uses the MTA and SEE programs to help her students with dyslexia therapy. She has an M.Sc. degree in Chemistry, enabling her to use a scientific pedagogy to tailor lessons to her students’ individual needs.  

After completing dyslexia training at Neuhaus, Jennifer became a CALT and joined their team as an instructor.  After almost 20 years in Houston, she and her husband moved to the Texas Hill Country, where she served as a campus instructional coach in Comal ISD. In 2020, she became a district Dyslexia and RTI Coordinator, where she currently supports campus intervention as well as a team of amazingly dedicated dyslexia support teachers, many of whom are training to become CALTs and CALPs themselves thanks to the Texas Dyslexia Grant. She is incredibly proud of the work they are doing in Comal ISD to support early identification and thoroughly train teachers to serve students with dyslexia.

Ronjé Gonzales serves as Program Manager for Student Support Services in the Special Education Department in Fort Bend ISD. She completed her Dyslexia Specialist Training through Neuhaus and is a Certified Cognitive Acquisition Language Therapist. She is working toward her Qualified Instructor certification so that teachers in FBISD may acquire their CALP or CALT licenses. Mrs. Gonzales has spent the last 22 years supporting students receiving dyslexia services and has mentored several dyslexia teachers in her current and past roles.

Pat has been in education for 23 years. She has taught all grade levels from 1^st thru 12^th. Currently, she works as a Dyslexia Therapist with secondary students at a school district in San Antonio, Tx. She has a BBA from Baylor University and received her master’s degree in instructional Leadership from Sam Houston State, with an emphasis in English Language Learners. She is bilingual and is also the owner of a small private practice.

Mallary Lattanze was a public school teacher for over ten years in Georgia, South Carolina, KIPP Houston, and Houston ISD. She has taught grades kindergarten, first, and second, and as a dyslexia interventionist in grades Kindergarten through seventh. After teaching, Mallary was promoted to Houston ISD’s Dyslexia Team Lead for Curriculum and RISE (formally Achieve 180) schools and served for two years. Currently, Mallary is a Middle School Learning Specialist at a private school, River Oaks Baptist School in Houston, and works in private therapy after school. Mallary is a proud dyslexic who has always wanted all students to feel confident in their reading and writing abilities. Her mission led her to graduate with a degree in Elementary Education from The University of Alabama in 2008. In 2017, Mallary started the Neuhaus Dyslexia Therapist Preparation Program and graduated in 2019. During that time, she also completed her Masters in Reading at the University of Texas at Tyler. She became a Certified Academic Language Therapist and Licensed Dyslexia Therapist in 2020. Mallary also serves on the board of Directors for Houston Branch International Dyslexia Association, co-chair for Texas East Region ALTA, and 2023 ALTA’s National Conference Chair.

G-g Shryer, MAT, CALT-QI, LDT, earned her membership to ALTA in 2001. She has Montessori certification in Early Childhood and Elementary. She received her Master of Arts in Teaching from DBU. G-g has enjoyed training teachers at the Teaching and Therapy level for the Take Flight curriculum and training teachers in Language for Elementary I Montessori. Her roles with the Texas ALTA Chapter have been North Texas Regional Chairman, Treasurer, and Event Chairman for the Summit. In addition, she has enjoyed originating Kids with heART, a set of note cards of original art drawings from dyslexic students, to help raise funds for ACF for teacher training. G-g has taught children with learning differences for 30 years and teaches elementary students at the Shelton School in Dallas, TX.