Co-Founder & Director of YURWI

School Librarian • Media Literacy Specialist

Department Chairperson • Instructional Coach

Advocate • Consultant

Education has always been more than a profession for Jami Rhue—it is her life's work and a vehicle for expanding opportunity, strengthening communities, and empowering the next generation of learners. As an educational leader, school librarian, instructional coach, consultant, and doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership at Chicago State University, Jami is dedicated to advancing literacy, educational equity, and critical media literacy through leadership, research, and community partnerships.

As a co-founder and executive leader of YURWI (yur-ree | Youth Urban Reading & Writing Initiative), Jami shows her level of committment to expanding access to literacy opportunities for children, families, educators, and those residing in underserved communities. Through YURWI, she develops and facilitates programs that integrate traditional literacy, media literacy, information literacy, digital literacy, handwriting, creative writing, and culturally responsive learning experiences. The organization's initiatives—including mobile book fairs, media literacy workshops, author engagements, and fine motor skill development courses—reflect her belief that literacy is both a civil right and a cultural foundation for lifelong success.

With more than a decade of experience serving PK–8 students in Chicago, Jami currently serves as a School Library Media Specialist, Special Areas Department Chairperson, and Instructional Coach at a Title I elementary charter school. She collaborates with administrators and educators to strengthen instructional practice, develop innovative curriculum, coach teachers, and design schoolwide initiatives that foster academic achievement, student engagement, and positive school culture. Her leadership extends beyond the classroom through professional development, research collaboration, strategic planning, and community engagement.

As a nationally engaged advocate for media literacy education, Jami serves on the Executive Board of Directors of the Illinois Media Literacy Coalition (ILMLC), represents school librarians across Illinois for the Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE), a facilitating member of the Media Education Lab at the University of Rhode Island, and a member of the Chicago Chapter of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (CCBCALA). Her work bridges educational leadership, school librarianship, and media literacy policy to help schools prepare students to navigate today's complex information environment with confidence and discernment.

Currently, Jami's doctoral research examines how educational leaders interpret, implement, and support Illinois media literacy policy across PK–12 schools. Her scholarship explores the intersection of educational leadership, school librarianship, instructional practice, and public policy, with particular attention to equitable implementation and leadership decision-making. As both a researcher and practitioner, she is committed to translating research into meaningful action that benefits schools, educators, and communities.

Her professional preparation includes a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Media Arts & Theatre from Chicago State University, certification as a K-9 Elementary Education Master of Arts in Teaching from National Louis University, advanced study through the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, and recognition as a McCormick Scholar through the Media Education Lab's Summer Institute in Digital Literacy. In recognition of her leadership and service, she was named an AISLE Front Page School Librarian (2025) and an All4Ed Future Ready Librarian (2024).

Whether consulting with school districts, designing professional learning, speaking at conferences, developing literacy initiatives, or partnering with nonprofit organizations and foundations, Jami brings a collaborative leadership style grounded in research, innovation, and service. She believes that every child deserves access to exceptional literacy experiences, every educator deserves meaningful professional support, and every community deserves educational opportunities that inspire curiosity, creativity, and civic engagement.

Outside of her professional work, Jami considers one of her greatest accomplishments to be raising her twin daughters and son while pursuing advanced education and leadership. As a lifelong learner, she continues to balance doctoral studies, educational leadership, community advocacy, and family—living out the values of perseverance, scholarship, and service that shape both her personal and professional journey from Chicago with homegrown roots that stretch from North Buxton, Ontario, Canada through to Tulsa, Oklahoma and down to St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, Class of 1994.

Areas of Expertise

• Educational Leadership & School Improvement
• School Library Leadership
• Media, Information & Digital Literacy Education
• PK–12 Curriculum Design
• Professional Learning & Instructional Coaching
• Literacy Advocacy & Community Partnerships
• Educational Consulting
• Family & Community Partnerships

Jami Rhue, ABD, MAT
Founder & Executive Director, Youth Urban Reading & Writing Initiative (Y.U.R.W.I.)
Educational Leadership Consultant | Speaker | School Library Leader | PK-16 Media Literacy Education Advocate & Researcher

Email: [email protected]