Conference on English Leadership
A collaborative, dynamic, discussion-based forum for literacy leaders.
CEL Executive Committee
The Conference on English Leadership is governed by an Executive Committee made up of elected and appointed CEL members as described in the CEL Bylaws.
CEL 2020 Vision: By the year 2020, CEL will establish itself as the agent of leadership development in literacy education.
CEL Mission: The Conference on English Leadership fosters an intimate professional community dedicated to building the leadership capacity of literacy educators.
CEL Initiatives:
- Invigorate our sense of CEL as an intimate professional home for literacy leaders.
- Reconnect with department chairs.
- Mentor and support emerging leaders.
- Develop a deep understanding of our members’ needs and capacities.
(Collect and share data to analyze interests and meet the needs of our members) - Assist leaders in understanding and responding to issues and trends in literacy education.
CEL Executive Committee

Janice Schwarze
Past Chair 2020–2022
Downers Grove North HS, IL

Christopher Bronke
Chair 2020–2022
Downers Grove North HS, IL

Emily Meixner
Associate Chair 2020–2022
The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ
Members-at-Large
Natalie Croney
Warren East High School, Bowling Green, KY
2020–2023
Zackory Kirk
Decatur, GA
2019–2022
Susan Ritter
Cranford Public Schools, NJ
2019–2022
Shari Krapels
Glen Rock School District, Glen Rock, NJ
2020–2023
Shervette Miller-Payton
K–12 English language arts curriculum coordinator, GA
2021–2024
Cathline Tanis
Piscataway High School, NJ
2021–2024
Appointed
Nicholas Emmanuele
McDowell Intermediate HS,
Erie, PA
2022 CEL Convention Program Chair
(2021–2022)
Elsie Lindy Olan
University of Central Florida, Orlando
Nominating Chair
(2020–2022)
Ann Marie Quinlan
Lincoln, NE
Secretary
(2018–2022)