The School of Education’s Words Take Wing: Honoring Diversity in Children’s Literature program was established by Joanne Banducci, EdD. Committee member Wendy Chason served as co-chairperson from 2015-2021. Nancy Tseng, PhD became co-chairperson in 2021

Joanne Banducci is a retired faculty member who served the UC Davis School of Education for nearly 20 years as a lecturer and supervisor for the multiple subject (elementary) teaching credential program. She founded Words Take Wing when she joined the School because she felt it was important that children’s literature should be an integral part of the multiple subject teaching credential curricula. Banducci was a third-grade teacher and reading specialist for many years before serving as a district administrator and then as a faculty member at the School. She received The Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Diversity and Community in 2007, and retired in 2011. Send an email to Joanne Banducci.

Nancy Tseng is a Lecturer/Supervisor of Teacher Education in the School of Education at UC Davis. She joined the Words Take Wing (WTW) committee in Fall 2016. She began her career in education as a public elementary school teacher. Dr. Tseng received a BA in psychology, elementary teaching credential, and MA from the University of California, Davis. She has a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Committee Members

Dr. Joanne Galli-Banducci, Retired Lecturer/Supervisor, Multiple Subject Credential, UC Davis School of Education

Rebecca Rosa, Lecturer/Supervisor, Social Science Credential, UC Davis School of Education

Nancy Tseng, Lecturer/Supervisor, Multiple Subject Credential, UC Davis School of Education

Sara Anderson

Laura Dubcovsky

Rebecca Hachmyer

Sharon Hallberg

Christie Hamm

Chantal Lacrampe-Mace

Ricardo Ramirez

Sandi Redenbach

Karen Street