College of Education

Glenna Adams '72, M.S. '75

Glenna Adams earned bachelor's and master's degrees in elementary education from Illinois State University.

Adams began teaching in 1972 at Valley View District 365U in Bolingbrook, Illinois, where rapid suburban growth demanded innovative approaches. She taught year-round with students rotating between nine-week sessions on four geographical tracks, constantly adapting to changing classrooms. Her leadership journey led from team leader and assistant principal to curriculum director and middle school principal. She retired in 2007 as principal at Timber Ridge Middle School in Plainfield District 202.

As Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development president from 2007 to 2009 and EdBriefs editor for more than a decade, Adams strengthened professional learning opportunities statewide, earning national recognition through ASCD awards.

Today, Adams provides student teaching supply bags for every Illinois State student teacher, supporting future educators as they begin their careers.

Emilee Baldwin, '19

Emilee Baldwin earned a bachelor's degree in middle level education from Illinois State University and a master's degree in dual language and English language learners.

Baldwin began her teaching career as a Fulbright English teaching assistant in A Coruña, Spain, fostering language development and cultural exchange among secondary students. She is now a sixth-grade science teacher at Friendship Junior High in Des Plaines, Illinois, where she emphasizes inquiry-based instruction, hands-on learning, and ensuring all students feel valued and supported.

Baldwin has served on the district science curriculum committee, the Scheduling Committee, and her school's Climate and Culture Team. She coaches cross country and track and field. Her honors include the Fulbright Award, the Golden Apple Foundation's Crystal Apple Award, and Teacher of the Month recognition.

Brandon Caffey '96, '00, M.S. '02, Ed.D. '19

Dr. Brandon Caffey earned degrees in sociology, history education, and educational administration from Illinois State University.

For 30 years, Caffey has championed innovative practices that remove barriers to student success while fostering school communities grounded in belonging, accountability, and excellence. Throughout his career as teacher, principal, and district administrator, he has consistently worked to improve outcomes for underserved students.

His leadership across Central Illinois has implemented restorative practices, PBIS, MTSS, and equity-centered initiatives that transformed school culture and strengthened achievement. At Normal West Community High School, he helped implement the RESET intervention program and established the Black Student Union.

As McLean County Unit 5's inaugural director of student services, Caffey leads districtwide efforts focused on attendance, discipline, and student success. He founded the Onward & Upward Educational Foundation and co-founded the Right Track Educational Foundation, creating pathways for students to access higher education.

Suzy Dees '91, '96, M.S. '11

Dr. Suzy Dees earned bachelor's degrees in English and English education and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from Illinois State University. She earned her Doctor of Education in educational leadership from the University of St. Francis in 2026.

For more than 30 years, Dees has strengthened education across Illinois through leadership at classroom, district, regional, and state levels. As the Illinois State Board of Education's foundational services administrator, she led implementation of a statewide professional learning system serving more than 110,000 educators.

During the pandemic, Dees helped launch the Mobile Museum of Tolerance in Illinois, bringing equity-centered learning to more than 11,000 participants in 2021. The initiative now reaches more than 150,000 students annually across five states.

Donna Hejtmanek '76

Donna Hejtmanek earned a bachelor's degree in special education from Illinois State University and holds master's degrees in behavior disorders and educational administration.

Through nearly 50 years as a special educator, reading specialist, and literacy advocate, Hejtmanek has transformed how educators understand and teach reading while influencing policy nationally and internationally.

Her passion for literacy extended into statewide leadership, where she advanced Wisconsin's dyslexia and early literacy legislation as a member of the Wisconsin Read to Lead Literacy Council and the Legislative Council Study Committee on the Identification and Management of Dyslexia.

Following her 2018 retirement, Hejtmanek co-founded Credentials Unlimited, providing evidence-based professional learning through micro-credentialing. She created the international community Science of Reading: What I Should Have Learned in College, which has grown to more than 243,000 educators in more than 100 countries.

She was awarded the Herb Kohl Fellowship, and in 2025 the Donna Hejtmanek Scholarship Fund was created by WI-Reads in her honor.

Barry Reilly '89, M.S. '95, Ed.D. '07

Dr. Barry Reilly earned degrees in physical education and educational administration from Illinois State University.

Throughout a 33-year career with Bloomington Public Schools District 87, Reilly served as teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent before retiring in 2022. He now serves as executive director of Promise Council, helping students and families remove barriers to school success.

As superintendent, Reilly championed transformative initiatives including providing laptops to all students in grades 6–12 and securing free home internet access for low-income families. He led major facility improvements that strengthened fine arts and performing arts programs districtwide.

Reilly has served on numerous nonprofit boards including Heartland Community College Foundation, OSF Healthcare Community Advisory Board, and McLean County United Way. His awards include Superintendent of the Year and Superintendent of Distinction. He is in the Hall of Fame for District 87 and Illinois State's College of Applied Science and Technology.

Leslie Rennick '04

Leslie Rennick earned a bachelor's degree in special education from Illinois State University and holds a master's degree in curriculum and instruction.

Rennick has spent her entire 23-year teaching career as a special education teacher at Stark County Elementary School, where she broadens students' horizons through innovative lessons in her rural community. She has pursued specialized training in Orton-Gillingham instruction, collaborated with colleagues on effective accommodations, and created engaging learning experiences that connect students with their community.

In 2025, Rennick was named the Northwest Regional Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education. She now mentors fellow educators, advocates for the teaching profession, and inspires others through statewide leadership opportunities.

Meg Schnoor '93

Dr. Meg Schnoor earned a bachelor's degree in special education from Illinois State University, along with a master's degree in educational administration, a director of special education endorsement, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction.

For nearly 30 years, Schnoor has championed initiatives strengthening special education programming, expanding family engagement, and improving student outcomes across Illinois. As a director of special education, she advocated for bringing students with self-contained needs back into their home districts. As an assistant superintendent in Illinois' second-largest elementary district, she led culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices.

Schnoor established parent advisory groups and implemented districtwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Response to Intervention (RTI). As superintendent of the Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO), she guides initiatives preparing students with significant disabilities for meaningful futures. She also teaches as an adjunct professor at two local colleges and has earned numerous awards, including Those Who Excel from the Illinois State Board of Education.