Meet the Team
Friends on the Block was developed by a team of reading instruction experts working with the Science of Reading. While their backgrounds vary, they share a commitment to evidence-based, structured literacy instruction and to helping all children learn to read, particularly students who benefit from more intensive support.
The development of Friends on the Block was supported by federally funded research grants, allowing the team to study the effectiveness of the program during its design and refinement. This iterative process of research and development informed continuous revisions to strengthen instructional design, student engagement, and learning outcomes.
A second federally funded study examined the efficacy of the completed program with a randomized controlled trial. Results demonstrated strong outcomes for students, supporting the program's instructional approach and its alignment with evidence-based literacy practices.
The authors are pleased to share Friends on the Block with educators and families and hope it supports all learners in reaching their full potential.
Dr. Jill Allor
Lead Author and Owner
Jill earned her doctorate in special education from Vanderbilt University in 1996 and retired from Southern Methodist University in 2026 as University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Teaching and Learning.
A former special education teacher, her research has focused on school-based literacy instruction and literacy acquisition for students with and without disabilities. As principal or co-principal investigator, she secured more than $11 million in external research funding, including grants that supported the development of Friends on the Block (FOTB) and a $3.3 million grant to conduct a large-scale randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy of the program.
Throughout her career, Jill has received numerous honors recognizing her contributions to research, teaching, and literacy education, including the Gerald J. Ford Research Fellowship from Southern Methodist University (2019), the Rotunda Outstanding Professor Award from Southern Methodist University (2016), the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council Innovator Award for Outstanding Educator in a College or University (2012), and the Award for Outstanding Research from the Council for Learning Disabilities (2000).
In addition to publishing several early literacy programs for typical and struggling readers, as well as students with disabilities, she has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. She has presented extensively at professional conferences and led numerous professional development workshops on a wide range of early literacy topics.
Dr. Stephanie Al Otaiba
Author
Stephanie received her doctorate in special education from Vanderbilt University in 2000. She is a Professor and holds the Patsy and Ray Caldwell Centennial Chair in Teaching and Learning at Southern Methodist University's Simmons School of Education and Human Development. She is also a Faculty Associate of the Florida Center for Reading Research, where she previously served as a faculty member at Florida State University.
A former special education teacher, her research focuses on early literacy interventions for students with or at risk for disabilities, response to intervention (RTI), multi-tiered systems of support, and teacher training. Her research has been supported by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the Office of Special Education Programs, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
She is the author or coauthor of over 130 peer-reviewed articles and chapters and coauthor of the book Intensive Reading Interventions in Elementary Schools (Guilford Press, 2020). She serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Learning Disabilities and is a member of the International Dyslexia Association's Scientific Advisory Board, where she previously served on the Executive Board.
Stephanie is the recipient of numerous honors recognizing her scholarly contributions. Most recently, in 2026, she was named a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and received the SMU Faculty Career Achievement Award. In 2023, a paper she coauthored was selected as an Editor's Choice Article by the Journal of Educational Psychology. In 2021, she received the Jeannette E. Fleischner Career Leadership Award from the Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children. In 2020, she was elected as an American Educational Research Association Fellow. Earlier awards include the National Research Award from the Research Council of Oman (2018), the SMU Outstanding Faculty Award (2018), the SMU Scholar/Teacher of the Year (2017), the AERA Special Education Research SIG's Distinguished Researcher Award (2017), and a Ford Senior Research Fellowship (2017).
Stephanie enjoys teaching graduate students and mentoring doctoral students, several of whom have received national recognition of their own. She has served as President of CEC's Division for Learning Disabilities and remains an active leader across research, policy, and professional communities dedicated to improving literacy outcomes for all learners.
Dr. Jennifer Cheatham
Author and Director of Creativity
Jennifer received her PhD in Education from Southern Methodist University in 2010. She served as a research assistant and instructional specialist on federally funded research grants, including a grant that supported the development of Friends on the Block.
She has experience teaching in a variety of settings—public school, homeschool, college, and church—and is currently working as a dyslexia teacher. She enjoys creating learning resources for students, teachers, and families, many of which are provided for free at EducationInspired.com. Jennifer is also the creator and owner of Bible Time with Aunt JJ and co-founder of Rocket Pickleball.
When she's not teaching or making curriculum materials, you might find her playing games with her family, crafting, or running.
Dr. Miriam Ortiz
Program Specialist
Miriam received her Ph.D. in Education from Southern Methodist University in 2017 with a focus on Special Education and Response to Intervention. Prior to completing her Ph.D., she worked in Tallahassee, FL, as a K-12 teacher for students with behavior and emotional disabilities.
She is currently the owner and lead consultant at Beyond the Research, LLC, and has taught courses at SMU in early literacy, special education, and doctoral-level methodology. She has co-authored several peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on the topic of reading instruction for students with varying disabilities. She is also the Executive Director for the Division for Learning Disabilities (TeachingLD.org) of the Council for Exceptional Children.
She is passionate about improving academic outcomes for children with or at risk for disabilities, teacher training and professional development, as well as assisting struggling readers of all ages.
When she's not working, she enjoys singing, watching Disney movies, and exploring Orlando, FL, with her husband, Fabian, and two boys, Gabriel and Daniel.