Dr. Yekeia Askins-Trent is a passionate educator with 21 years of literary experience. Keia, as she is affectionately known, has worked in many capacities within her years in the education field. She has worked as an English Language Arts Teacher, a TAP Master Teacher, a Read to Succeed Reading Coach, a secondary Reading Specialist, a Subject Matter Expert for the SC State Department of Education, and as a middle school Instructional Coach. In each of the roles worked, Keia has been dedicated to teaching, coaching, and supporting teaching by using the science of reading to close achievement gaps for students with diverse needs and cultural backgrounds. She has obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Professional English from South Carolina State University, a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University, a Master of Science in Administration and Supervision from Arkansas State University, and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Argosy University. One of Keia’s favorite educational quotes is, “The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue to grow as we continue to live.”