Voss also recognized for Lyme disease awareness, prevention

Dr. Sheri B. Voss, assistant professor of Literacy and director of the B12 Literacy and Reading Center, presented with graduate literacy candidates Brooke Selvaggio and Emily Piwko at the New York State Reading Association Annual Conference.

Their session, “Amplifying Practice Through Research: College Student Voices on Dyslexia, AI, and Collaborative Comprehension,” explored innovative approaches to integrating artificial intelligence into literacy instruction while emphasizing equity, empathy and evidence-based practice. The roundtable session featured hands-on demonstrations of AI-supported tools designed to enhance engagement, differentiate instruction and strengthen comprehension.

Both students will earn their M.S.Ed. in B-12 literacy in May.

In addition, Voss was recently named Conservation Educator of the Year by the Erie County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, recognizing more than a decade of service to conservation education and community outreach. She has also received recognition from Erie County, New York state and at the federal level for her work.

Voss’ mission is deeply personal. In 2015, two of her teenage children contracted Lyme disease and spent more than two years battling its effects, missing much of their high school experience. Around the same time, her youngest daughter experienced a tick bite at age 5. These experiences led Voss to transform her family’s near-death challenges into a sustained commitment to education and advocacy.

Over the past decade, she has worked to raise awareness of Lyme disease prevention, outdoor safety and environmental health. Through partnerships with schools, youth organizations and community groups across Western New York, Voss has helped educate and empower others with potentially life-saving information.

She credits her family, as well as medical professionals, mentors and Lyme disease advocacy organizations, for their support and remains committed to ensuring others are better informed and protected.

Voss also integrates this work into her teaching, incorporating reciprocal reading strategies using texts focused on Lyme disease.