Sonya Yates is the Associate Policy Director for Literacy for ExcelinEd.
Sonya is a former special education teacher, dyslexia therapist, and interventionist. She has most recently worked as President of New Heights Consulting, where she has partnered with school and district leaders to improve literacy outcomes for all students by implementing the Alabama Literacy Act. She is a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and a National Board-Certified Teacher (NBCT). She serves as a member of the Alabama Committee on Grade-Level Reading and Vice-President of The Reading League – Alabama Chapter. She is President of the Alabama Dyslexia Advisory Council and Past-President of IDA-Alabama. She was an editor on Alabama’s Action Plan for Literacy 2020: Birth to Grade 12 and the Dyslexia Resource Guide for Alabama. Sonya earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities and a Master’s degree in Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities. She also holds certifications in psychometry and instructional leadership.