The purpose of this qualitative study was to: (1) examine the profiles of teacher literacy leaders; (2) explore the empowerment of teacher literacy leaders through professional development and a distributed leadership model at the building level; (3) examine the impact of context on their leadership roles; and, (4) determine their potential influence in initiating a change implementation. The multi-case study was grounded in the theories of adult learning (social-constructivism and constructive developmental theories) and distributed leadership. Five teacher literacy leaders from within the same suburban school district were the subjects of the study; each represented a different school and grade level. As the Curriculum Director for ELA in this school district, I was a participant observer in this study. Data were collected over the course of nine months, spanning the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years. The findings of the study provide a model for how teacher literacy leaders are identified, developed, and empowered to do their work with colleagues. The results further highlighted the significant role of the principal in supporting these teacher leaders as partners in a distributed leadership model. Lastly, the role of the literacy leader is impacted by contextual factors even as is it seeks to influence these contextual factors in the change process. Recommendations for districts, policymakers, and future researchers include the following: the role of teacher leadership in a change initiative has the potential to flip the model from "top-down" to "bottom-up"; teacher leaders selection must be seen as transparent and free from administrator bias; teacher leaders need to have their professional understandings nurtured, including training to facilitate their turn-key role with colleagues; distributed leadership can re-shape the increasingly complex role of the principal, allowing a '"team of experts" to share in the instructional leadership of a school. The results of this qualitative multi-case study indicated that teacher leadership in this balanced literacy change initiative has positively influenced the beginning stages of adoption by colleagues. Beyond leading the way, teacher leadership, inside of a distributed leadership model, presents the opportunity to sustain the momentum of cutting edge practice at the classroom and school level. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]