Jon Shapiro is currently Senior Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education and Professor of Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia. Prior to assuming the position of Senior Associate Dean he served as Acting Associate Dean Graduate Programs & Research and he has also served the Faculty as the Director of the Institute for Early Childhood Education and Research. His university service includes his role as the initial faculty member chosen to head the Sexual Harassment Office, which later became part of the Equity Office.

Jon received his B.A. and M.Sc. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from SUNY Fredonia, and his Ph.D. in Reading Education and Early Childhood Education from Syracuse University. He has taught at the elementary school, resource room, and university levels in both the United States and Canada.

Jon’s research interests are in the areas emergent literacy, with a special emphasis on affective dimensions of reading, and parents and literacy. He has over seventy publications that include three books, book chapters, and research and professional articles in such journals as Reading Research & Instruction, Journal of Reading Behavior, The Reading Teacher, The Clearing House, Childhood Education, Reading Psychology, Journal of Research and Reading (UK), First Language, and Applied Psychology. He has been a frequent presenter at national and international conferences as well as being a keynote speaker for Provincial and State Reading Associations.

Jon has extensive involvement in professional associations. He is a Past-President of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER), the oldest United States organization of literacy professors and he is the first President from outside the U.S. He has also served as an elected member of their Board of Directors and Chair of the Doctoral Award Committee. Jon has served the International Reading Association (IRA) as a member of their Publications (currently Chair), Parents and Reading, and International Development committees. For the National Reading Conference (NRC) he served as their Regional Field Representative. Currently Jon continues to serve on the Program Committees and the editorial advisory boards of the journals and Yearbooks of most major reading associations. He is also an elected member of the National Conference on Research in Language & Literacy.

Jon serves on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE), an NGO devoted to improving literacy and access to libraries in developing countries.