T. Diane Wilder has an extensive early childhood background that includes graduate degrees in social work and early childhood special education with experiences in a variety of public and private settings. These experiences have included developing early childhood reading curriculum, teaching reading to students in grades kindergarten through adult, and day care administration. Post-graduate work has included training in differentiated reading instruction and multi-sensory structured language.

Diane has served as project coordinator of a demonstration project for inclusion of preschool children with disabilities across early education settings. Most recently, she has been a reading specialist and fellow with the Haskins Early Reading Success Initiative. As part of this demonstration project for grades kindergarten through three, she trained and mentored teachers in implementing scientifically-based reading instruction. During the 2004 to 2006 school years, Diane was the Reading Specialist in the New Britain schools of DiLoreto, Jefferson, and Northend.