Our Team
Claudia Petrescu, M.A., M.Ed., Ph.D.
Claudia Petrescu is the Founder and the Director of inspired2read, a service which offers remedial programs for individuals, advocacy services for families of children with learning disabilities, as well as professional development for schools and educators locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.
Dr. Petrescu is a member of the International Dyslexia Association, Ontario branch, and a member of the TESL Ontario’s accreditation committee. She holds an M.Ed. in Second Language Education and a PhD in Education with a focus on Child Language Acquisition, both from University of Toronto.
Dr. Petrescu found herself on the path to explore Orton-Gillingham when her son struggled with acquiring literacy skills in kindergarten. What started as a necessity became a passion with the goal to understand how children learn to read. Dr. Petrescu documented her son’s literacy journey in an article published in the Journal of Early Childhood Literacy which shows that with adequate support, all children can learn to read and write.
She has recently embarked on a new research study funded by SSHRC Canada that is examining the role of semantic working memory for reading comprehension. In addition, she has collaborated on various research projects on language acquisition and multilingualism with various researchers and educators from University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University and Northern Arizona University. She has published her research in numerous peer reviewed journals, such as Early Childhood Literacy, International Journal of Multilingualism, Languages, Canadian Children, etc.
Dr. Petrescu has taught Language Acquisition and Psycholinguistics courses at University of Toronto Mississauga as well as Language Development to future ECE practitioners pursuing a BA in the Early Childhood Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University. She has also trained and mentored university students at UofT and TMU, and teacher-trainees with the Toronto District School Board in phonology, morphology, teaching and learning languages, teaching and learning reading and writing, etc. You will also find her presenting at various local, national and international conferences on topics related to reading difficulties, multilingual acquisition, language diagnosis for multilingual children, etc.
In her work with dyslexic students, she uses a structured literacy approach which combines Orton-Gillingham elements with structured word inquiry elements. All the lesson plans follow a unique scope and sequence that is designed to meet each child’s needs. She is supported by a team of dynamic and engaging educators with a history of successfully motivating students to reach personal greatness. Indeed, students have been inspired2read! You can read more about her work HERE.
Vedran Dronjic, Ph.D.
Reading Specialist/ Consultant
Vedran Dronjic is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics at Northern Arizona University, where he directs the Language and Memory Lab. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. He uses psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic techniques to investigate morphological learning, representation and processing, morphological awareness, vocabulary, and reading in adults and children.
Rena Helms-Park, Ph.D.
Reading Specialist/ Consultant
Rena Helms-Park is an Associate Professor of Linguistics in the Department of Language Studies. She holds a graduate appointment in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto St. George. Her ongoing SSHRC-based research centres on the psycholinguistics of childhood reading acquisition, specifically on the predictors of reading difficulty and success in Hindi-Urdu and Romanian. She has recently completed two projects on childhood trilingualism, one that analyzes children’s narrative macrostructure and microstructure in three languages, and the other that charts the progress of a trilingual child with reading difficulties in French immersion.
Randi Medeiros, B.A., M.Ed, OCELT, TESL
Reading Remediation Specialist
Randi Medeiros is an experienced reading and writing tutor with a strong background in language education. She earned a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Brock University where she developed a deep understanding of how languages are learned, including specialized knowledge of phonetics. Randi also holds a TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) certification from the University of Toronto.
With over 15 years of teaching experience, Randi has worked with students of all ages and backgrounds. She spent a year in Japan teaching English to both children and adults. For most of her career, she has taught English across Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. In addition to tutoring, Randi also teaches future educators who are working towards their TESL certification, helping to shape the next generation of language teachers. Randi is passionate about helping children develop reading and writing skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. She believes that strong language skills are the foundation for future success and works hard to ensure her students build the confidence and ability to communicate effectively.
Myrtle Liew, B.A.
Reading Remediation Specialist
Myrtle is dedicated to empowering children to believe in themselves and achieve their goals. With a decade of experience in academic tutoring and one-on-one support, she’s had the privilege of witnessing incredible transformations. Her journey began with her children, who faced challenges with phonemic awareness and dysgraphia. Today, both her sons are confident readers who love adventure books. She has been training in the Orton-Gillingham approach and her teaching methodology incorporates multiple senses, drawing from her expertise in learning design and multimedia. Through the application of science-based techniques, she creates structured and engaging learning experiences for each child and their unique needs. As a Literacy Specialist, her mission is to provide personalized literacy support services for children with dyslexia and struggling readers and to help them become confident readers.
Maryam Saburi, B.A. (Psychology), OCELT, TESL
Reading Remediation Specialist
Maryam is an educator dedicated to helping learners grow in confidence and skill. She holds a degree in Psychology and TESL certification (OCELT), combining her knowledge of development with training in language learning.
With over five years of experience, she has supported children with diverse abilities and experiences, including autism and other cognitive differences, through individualized strategies that make learning accessible and rewarding. She believes every child is unique and deserves to be heard and supported in a way that helps them thrive and blossom into their full potential. Maryam also brings hands-on experience teaching adult learners and is expanding her practice to support English language development. She strives to be patient, encouraging, and creative, finding joy in the “lightbulb moments” when learning sparks growth. For her, teaching is about more than just academics; it is about nurturing growth, fostering curiosity, and opening doors to future possibilities.
Nicole Chan, HBSc
Reading Remediation Specialist
Nicole Chan is a reading intervention practitioner with a background in psycholinguistics. She holds an Honours BSc with High Distinction from the University of Toronto and specializes in supporting students with reading challenges through individualized, evidence-based instruction informed by the Orton-Gillingham approach.
Nicole is certified in IDA Ontario’s Basics of Decoding and Spelling Instruction, Mental Health First Aid, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). She has contributed to research projects and volunteer initiatives related to reading instruction and accessibility, and brings experience supporting learners with diverse cognitive and learning profiles.
With additional training in art education and visual learning from U of T, Nicole believes strongly in the importance of clear and accessible communication. She integrates engaging, thoughtfully designed materials into her teaching to support confidence, comprehension, and motivation in struggling readers.