Laurie Sharp has over 15 years of broad experience in pre-K–12 public schools and higher education as a classroom teacher, teacher educator, and administrator. She currently serves as an associate professor and the dean of University College at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. In her role, Laurie leads five departments that provide student services for undergraduates: Academic Advising, Career Services, Student Development and Mentoring, Student Retention, and the Tutoring and Learning Center. Laurie also coordinates the University's first- and second-year programming, which includes developmental education, first-year seminar, living learning communities, and summer bridge programs.
Laurie has been an active ILA member since 2004, having served on various ILA committees and having held leadership roles in the Professors of Literacy and Teacher Education and Specialized Literacy Professionals special interest groups. Laurie has also been a leader within ILA's state chapter in Texas, Texas Association for Literacy Education (TALE), where she has served as a Board member, vice president, president-elect, chair, and past-chair. Laurie also cochaired two annual conferences for TALE, which provided high-quality professional learning for hundreds of preservice and practicing literacy professionals.
Laurie is a prolific scholar and has contributed over 100 publications to the literacy community. Her work has appeared in regional, national, and international publications, including ILA publications Literacy Today, The Reading Teacher, and the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. Laurie also coauthored a research text with Jeffrey Kottler, one of the most prominent authors in the fields of counseling, psychotherapy, health, and education.
Laurie received her Associates of Arts from Daytona State College and her Bachelor of Science, Master of Education, and a graduate certificate in Teaching Writing Grades K–12 from the University of Central Florida. Laurie earned her Doctor of Education with a specialization in reading from Tarleton State University.