“I am so honored to not only have been nominated by each of these organizations, but also to have the support of their members,” Almasi said. “I never envisioned being nominated for both and being elected to both in the same year. I am more humbled than anything else to think that so many of my esteemed colleagues value and think so highly of my work and my leadership capabilities.”

The NRC is a community of educators and researchers that engages in literacy research and dialogue around literacy and related topics. Their purpose is to support the professional development of emerging and established scholars and to advocate research-informed improvements in education.

The IRA is an organization of over 85,000 members worldwide that promotes high literacy levels. The group touts the importance of a lifetime reading habit and has councils and affiliates in more than 100 countries, extending to more than 350,000 people worldwide. Through its many programs, the IRA works to further five goals: professional development, advocacy, partnerships, research and global literacy development.