Alicia Roberts Frank

Alicia Frank has built a distinguished career in education, beginning with a bachelor's degree in secondary education English, followed by a master's in TESOL that incorporated her Peace Corps experience in Morocco. Her path shifted dramatically after working at a school for children with dyslexia in California, leading her to earn a special education credential and ultimately a doctorate in special education from USF. After positions in higher education in Oregon, she moved to Washington, where she worked for an educational service district providing professional development on dyslexia and co-managed the Dyslexia Advisory Council for five years. She now coaches in school districts and is launching her own professional development business. As president of the Washington branch of the International Dyslexia Association, she is actively involved in organizations such as The Reading League, Council for Exceptional Children, Decoding Dyslexia, and the Special Education Council. Her notable achievements include having her name listed first on the OSPI dyslexia guidance document and co-creating structured literacy workshops and conferences with Joyful Literacy, where she introduced keynote speakers and provided closing summaries. Alicia attributes her success to tenacity and grit, emphasizing the importance of building community, recognizing that growth is hard work, and seeking support from cheerleaders, especially as women. She advises young women entering the field to take one step at a time, make one goal and figure out the next as opportunities arise, specialize after K-12, and remember that it gets better.