English Judges
Aoife Ruth
Aoife Ruth is the Office Manager with the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) in Ireland. As part of her current role, she works alongside the plain English team and was a key member of the PLAIN2015 local organising panel. Aoife has worked for many years in the charity and voluntary sector and is keenly committed to social justice and empowerment. She holds a primary degree in Sociology and Politics, a Graduate Diploma in Psychology and is currently studying for a Masters in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy. Aoife loves to play music and lives in Dublin, Ireland with her partner and fellow musician, Tom.
Leah Katherine Saal
Dr. Leah Katherine Saal is an Assistant Professor of Literacy at Loyola University Maryland, School of Education. She teaches graduate courses in literacy education and research. Saal is informed by her ongoing experiences teaching literacy to adults and older students in and out of school settings in urban communities. Leah Katherine's research agenda focuses on the intersectionality of literacy and social justice within community literacies, and her recent research assessed the clarity of U.S. government food assistance applications post Plain Writing Act. Saal serves on several international and national editorial review boards for adult and adolescent literacy/learning journals. This year, she serves as the co-editor of Literacy & Social Responsibility, a journal of the International Literacy Association.
Shannon Salinsky
Shannon Salinsky is an aviation safety inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Hailing from Grapevine, Texas, Shannon writes national policy and guidance for FAA field inspectors. She is a plain language subject matter expert and a trainer for classes and conferences within the FAA. In her personal life, Shannon’s work is published in regional and national magazines, and she is a staff writer for Society Life magazine. Shannon earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of North Texas.
Elizabeth Schwinn
Elizabeth Schwinn is a former journalist with a B.A. cum laude in English from Harvard University and an M.A. in writing from Johns Hopkins University. She has a freelance writing and editing business, and currently is on a contract as an editor and writer for the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Sherry Scott, Lead Judge
Sherry Scott’s consulting experience ranges from the top of an oil storage tank to the corporate boardroom. From U.S. university classrooms to international corporate classrooms in Europe, Australia, and the Far East, she has taught business management and communication. In addition, Sherry worked as a corporate Human Resources Director where she was involved in all areas of human resources. She also edited an industry award-winning newsletter. Dr. Scott’s training programs range from full company curriculum to short on-site workshops. Her topics include business and technical writing, speaking and presenting, multicultural communication, and gender communication. A past president of the Association of Communication Consultants, Sherry holds a Ph. D. from The University of Maryland, College Park, MD in Instructional Design and an M. A. from The American University, Washington, DC in English. She was a judge for the 2015 WriteMark New Zealand Plain English Awards.
Spanish Judges
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