Lori Helman, PhD, is a professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Minnesota, where she teaches and mentors graduate students, literacy specialists, and future teachers and serves as director of the Minnesota Center for Reading Research. She received her master's degree in education administration and supervision and her doctorate in curriculum and instruction (literacy education). During her career, she has been a bilingual elementary school teacher, a district literacy coordinator, a new teacher program development leader, a teacher educator, and an educational researcher. Helman's research is focused on literacy development, reading difficulties, effective teaching practices for multilingual students, and the implementation of schoolwide systems of support.