DXI2019 Panelists
Suzanne Walsh
Panel Moderator
Suzanne Elise Walsh became the nineteenth president of Bennett College on August 1,
2019. She was most recently deputy director of postsecondary success for the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation, leading and developing a team and a portfolio of over
$70 million in postsecondary investments in institutional transformation in the United
States. She previously served in leadership roles with the Lumina Foundation for Education
and The Heinz Endowments.
Ms. Walsh has been a frequent speaker and workshop leader at conferences such as the
Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, the American Association of Colleges and
Universities, and the Global Learning Council, of which she is an active member. She
has published or edited several books and journal articles on the topic of educational
transformation, and is the recipient of numerous awards, honors and fellowships.
Ms. Walsh earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Cornell University, as well
as a master’s degree in social work and a law degree from Case Western Reserve University.
She is a member of the Ohio Bar.
Linda Siegel
Panel Member
Linda Siegel is the former Dorothy C. Lam Chair in Special Education and an Emeritus
Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special
Education at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
She has over 200 publications on early identification and intervention to prevent
reading problems, dyslexia, reading and language development, mathematical concept
learning, mathematical learning disabilities, and children learning English as a second
language.
She has been the President of the Division of Learning Disabilities of the Council
on Exceptional Children. In 2004, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Goteborg
University in Sweden. In 2010, she was awarded the Gold Medal for Excellence in Psychological
Research from the Canadian Psychological Association. In 2012 she was awarded the
Eminent Researcher Award from the Learning Difficulties Association of Australia.
She has recently published a book entitled Not Stupid, Not Lazy: Understanding Dyslexia
and Other Learning Disabilities. This book is published by the International Dyslexia
Association.
John Cech
Panel Member
Dr. John Cech is the 18th President of Carroll College. Prior to his appointment he
served in the Montana University System for the past 16 years, first as the leader
of City College at MSU Billings, which doubled its enrollment and significantly expanded
its campus footprint under Cech’s leadership. Then for eight years as Deputy Commissioner
of Higher Education for the Montana University System, where he was responsible for
Academic, Research, and Student Affairs for the State
During his tenure, the Montana University System was recognized for its work through
Complete College America as one of four states in the nation to make systemic advances
in key initiatives around student success and completion. Cech has led the CCA efforts
for Montana and was recently appointed by the Complete College America President as
one of 50 CCA Fellows in the nation.
Before his tenure with the Montana University System, Cech served Rocky Mountain
College for 15 years, first as a faculty instructor, then as a director, and eventually
as Dean of Community Services, Continuing Education and Summer Sessions.
TerraBeth Jochems
Panel Member
TerraBeth Jochems is a dyslexic whose lifework revolves around giving help, hope and
honor to people of all ages who struggle with reading and writing. She has taught
literacy for 25 years in the Billings Public Schools system, founded a community-wide
reading club called One Book Billings, served on The Montana State Literacy Association
executive board and is currently serving for the Decoding Dyslexia grass-roots organization,
which has been instrumental in assisting the passing of HB 140. Through personal experience
TerraBeth knows the heartbreak and frustration children with reading difficulties
face in their everyday lives. She has teamed up with the Better Billings Foundation
and Harvest Church to create a literacy ministry called 3 H Tutoring.