Speakers
Ruth Auld, Ed.D., entered the field of education shortly after IDEA became law. With an interest in social justice and helping the underserved population to find and reach their fullest potential, she has spent her career developing new programs that cross boundaries between education and social services. Dr. Auld received her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Duquesne University in 2006. Before accepting her current position as Executive Director at DePaul School for Hearing and Speech, Dr. Auld directed the graduate program in Special Education at Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. In addition to her current role at DePaul School, she has served on the Eye and Ear Foundation Board of Directors, she is a past- President of the Alliance of Approved Private Schools of Pennsylvania, Chair of the Legislative Committee of the same organization, co-chair of the Legislative Committee of Option Schools International and Chair of the Society for Middle Ear Disease, a non-profit whose mission is to educate doctors in developing countries through a short-term fellowship to the Pittsburgh area where they receive intensive training in standard treatments in Otolaryngology.
Dr. April Baker-Bell is an award-winning transdisciplinary teacher-researcher-activist and Associate Professor of Language, Culture, and Justice in Education at the University of Michigan in the Marsal Family School of Education. She is faculty in Educational Studies and the Joint Program in English and Education (JPEE). Dr. Baker- Bell is an international leader in conversations on Black Language education, and her research interrogates the intersections of Black Language and literacies, anti-Black racism, and antiracist pedagogies. Dr. Baker-Bell's latest research project involves collaborating with healthcare scholars and researchers to develop, implement, and study antiracist medical curriculum interventions that support healthcare professionals with developing an antiracist praxis for confronting and reducing racial bias and anti-Black racism in medical and healthcare institutions.
Baker-Bell’s award-winning book, "Linguistic Justice: Black Language, Literacy, Identity, and Pedagogy," brings together theory, research, and practice to dismantle Anti-Black Linguistic Racism (a term Baker-Bell coined). Baker-Bell is the recipient of many awards and fellowships, including the AERA Division K’s 2024 Exemplary Research in Teaching and Teacher Education Award, the 2023 Michigan Council of Teachers of English’s Charles Carpenter Fries Award, the 2021 Coalition for Community Writing Outstanding Book Award, the 2021 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s New Directions Fellowship, the 2021 Michigan State University’s Community Engagement Scholarship Award and the 2021 Distinguished Partnership Award for Community-Engaged Creative Activity, the 2020 NCTE George Orwell Award for Distinguished Contribution to Honesty and Clarity in Public Language, the 2020 Theory Into Practice Article of the Year Award, the 2019 Michigan State University Alumni Award for Innovation & Leadership in Teaching and Learning, the 2018 AERA Language and Social Processes Early Career Scholar Award, and many more.
Nicole Barrion has served in the educational field for over 25 years, supporting students, teachers and administrators through engaging and differentiated techniques. As a specialist in inclusive practices within urban, diverse school divisions for the past 14 years, Nicole has helped develop and employ strategic plans to propel schools in creating effective inclusive environments. She has presented numerous times at national conferences to share strategies and tools, including several presentations with the leading international consultant on co-teaching, Dr. Marilyn Friend. She has also authored various online courses for educators, as well as consulted with schools across the country. As the founder of Teach All, Reach All, LLC, Nicole provides consulting services and professional development on co-teaching, specially designed instruction (SDI), and developing well-written IEPs. She is passionate about working alongside educators and administrators as an instructional coach, ensuring effective implementation of best practices in special education to foster positive outcomes for students with disabilities.
Jacquelyn Bartek, Ed.D., with her unwavering dedication, serves as the Assistant to the Executive Director of Student Services at Colonial Intermediate Unit 20. She focuses on creating and providing special education and behavioral services and programs for a diverse range of educational institutions, including our local school districts, career and technical schools, and private schools. With over 20 years of experience in special education, Jackie has created and grown successful programs to meet the needs of districts, students, and families. Her main focus for the past three years and accomplishments has been on recruiting and retaining special educators to ensure we have professional employees to sustain and grow our special education services and programs.
Dr. Donald J. Bolger is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, in the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, where he directs the Laboratory for the Neurodevelopment of Reading and Language. He also co-directs the Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity, a joint institute with Morgan State University, focused on bridging research and practice in literacy in pK-12 education and communities. For over 25 years, Dr. Bolger has studied reading and language achievement with typically developing children, as well as those with learning disabilities, including dyslexia and autism spectrum disorder, using behavioral and functional neuroimaging methods. His research also extends to the role of executive functioning and working memory in learning and the intersection of language and math development. Dr. Bolger has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh's Learning Research and Development Center.
Julie L. Booth, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at Temple University. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University and trained as a post-doctoral fellow at the NSF-funded Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center. Dr. Booth's research focuses on the development of mathematical thinking and learning, as well as designing instructional materials to improve students' learning in mathematics. She has been published in a wide variety of scholarly (Science, Child Development, Learning and Instruction), practitioner (Mathematics Teacher, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, Perspectives on Language and Literacy), and policy outlets (Policy Insights from Behavioral and Brain Sciences). Dr. Booth was the recipient of a 2016-2017 Linking Research and Practice Publication Award from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Mike Bovino is the Senior Advisor for Special Olympics PA and collaborates with a dedicated staff who support more than 450 schools throughout the state with fully inclusive Unified Champion Schools programming. This program utilizes Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership, and whole school engagement activities to empower students, promote inclusion, and improve overall school climate. Mike has worked in the Special Olympics movement for more than 30 years, starting in the international headquarters as the first Director of Sports Marketing. Over the years, he has helped to develop new sports and inclusion programming, built enriching Unified Champion Schools partnerships with over 580 schools in two states + the District of Columbia, and focused on organizational development, strategic planning, and numerous fundraising initiatives. He has been a global and national leader in Special Olympics Unified Sports since its inception in 1989. Unified Sports brings together individuals with and without intellectual/developmental disabilities on the same team for training and competition as equal peers and is highly successful in fostering social inclusion. In addition to Special Olympics, Mike has worked with other nonprofits over the years as a consultant, and also served as Vice President for the United States Basketball League. He earned his B.A. from the University of Michigan.
Millicent Carvalho-Grevious, Ph.D., LSW, has served as an ODR Mediator since 2001. She served as a special education contract mediator for the Office of Dispute Resolution for almost 15 years, but left in 2017, and returned in 2024. Dr. Carvalho-Grevious has served as a department chair and associate professor of social work. She also founded the Pennsylvania Conflict Resolution and Mediation Services, Inc. in 2002. Dr. Carvalho-Grevious earned her doctorate in Social Work, Master of Social Science (MSW), and Master of Law and Social Policy degrees from Bryn Mawr College. In addition, she received her Master of Education degree from Boston University and her B.A. degree (in Psychology) from La Salle University. In a legal precedent case before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Dr. Carvalho-Grevious made it easier for plaintiffs, at the prima facia stage of a Title VII retaliation claim, to survive summary judgment in discrimination lawsuits. On March 21, 2017, the Third District unanimously reversed a lower court decision that the “likely reason” legal standard and not “but for cause” should be applied during summary judgment as previously set forth by the Supreme Court, making complainants’ voices important in EEO cases.
Chris Cherny is the Assistant Director of PaTTAN Central. In this role, he coordinates IDEA-funded consultants across various initiatives, ensuring alignment with state and federal requirements. Prior to joining PaTTAN, Chris served as a turnaround principal in school districts in both Pennsylvania and Illinois, where he led efforts to improve struggling schools. He brings extensive experience in teaching across K-12 and higher education settings, with a deep understanding of instructional practices, leadership development, and systems change. Chris is committed to fostering collaboration and supporting educators in providing high-quality, inclusive education for all students.
Nathan Clemens is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Special Education at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Clemens studies assessment and interventions for students with reading difficulties, particularly, word reading difficulties for students in early grades and reading comprehension difficulties for students in later grades. He has written over 60 publications and is leading several federal research grants studying interventions for struggling readers.
Katie Croce has worked as a behavior analyst and special education program coordinator in schools, homes, and an in-patient hospital for children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder/Developmental Disabilities/Intellectual Disabilities (ASD/DD/ID). One of Katie’s greatest joys is developing clinic programs for individuals with ASD, including social skills programs, an inclusive summer camp, a respite program, a sports program, a college-bound retreat for students with ASD interested in attending college, and a support program for college students with ASD. Katie currently works in higher education creating and teaching undergraduate and graduate course work in ASD and Applies Behavior Analysis (ABA).
Cindy Duch is the Director of Parent Advising for the PEAL Center, Pennsylvania’s Parent Training and Information Center. Ms. Duch is active in the Allegheny County (AIU3) Local Task Force (LTF) and was a previous Chairperson for that LTF. Cindy graduated from Robert Morris University with a BSBA in Economics. Cindy lives in Hampton Township in Allegheny County with her husband and two sons.
Brenda Eagan-Johnson, EdD, CBIST-AP directs Pennsylvania’s nationally recognized brain injury school consulting program, BrainSTEPS. Her doctorate is in educational neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University. Her master’s degree is in Transition Special Education: Acquired Brain Injury from George Washington University. Her bachelor’s degree is in education from Wittenberg University. She is triple certified as a reading specialist, in elementary education, and in special education. Dr. Eagan-Johnson serves on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists under the Brain Injury Association of America and the Board of Directors for the International Pediatric Brain Injury Society. She is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer with Advanced Practice in NeuroRehabilitation. Dr. Eagan-Johnson is an expert consultant for several research studies investigating brain injury and children.
Dr. Batya Elbaum is a Professor at the University of Miami, with appointments in the Departments of Teaching and Learning, Psychology, and Pediatrics. She has been a longstanding advocate for families of children with developmental and/or learning challenges and has conducted research both on parent engagement and on academic and social outcomes of students receiving special education services. Following the reauthorization of IDEA in 2004, Dr. Elbaum was part of the team that developed and validated the survey that many states, including Pennsylvania, adopted for the purpose of gaining parents’ perspectives on the extent to which schools facilitated their involvement in the special education process. Since that time, Dr. Elbaum has served as a consultant to multiple states on the collection, analysis, and use of data within their special education accountability systems, focusing particularly on data provided by families. Over many years, Dr. Elbaum has analyzed the results of Pennsylvania’s annual parent survey and has presented the results, along with related insights, at the PDE conference.
Nicole Meier Emery is a seasoned professional, with an impressive academic background. She holds a Master’s Degree in Adapted Physical Activity and a Bachelor's in Therapeutic Recreation, both from Slippery Rock University. With years of experience in a variety of programs, she has developed a deep understanding of individuals with disabilities, and the role of inclusion in improving the lives of the people she serves. Continuing her extensive experience, Nicole is currently a program specialist with The Arc of Pennsylvania in the Include Me and ADEPT Programs. These initiatives are focused on including individuals with disabilities in all aspects of their communities, ensuring they receive the necessary accommodations and resources for academic and personal success. With her background in adapted physical activity and therapeutic recreation, Nicole brings a unique skill set to these programs, allowing her to create resources and accommodations that meet the diverse needs of her students. Her passion for inclusion is evident in every aspect of her work, and she strives to positively impact her students' lives every day. As an Association of Community Rehabilitation Educator (ACRE) trainer, Nicole is also well-equipped to help students with disabilities successfully transition into the workforce.
Rebecca "Becky" Fogle recently retired as the Director of the PaTTAN East office. She has served many roles related to the care and education of children/youth and adults with disabilities as a sibling, parent, teacher, special education administrator, educational consultant and higher education adjunct instructor. Her experiences with effective (and not so effective) family engagement methods are both personal and professional and she hopes to continue to bring increased attention to this critical aspect of support for students with disabilities across the Commonwealth.
Nancy Geist Giacomini, Ed.D. has been a contract mediator and facilitator with the PA Office for Dispute Resolution for over 10 years. Prior to this, she mediated special education disputes and facilitated dialogue in Delaware with the Conflict Resolution Program, part of the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration. Nancy teaches online graduate conflict and human resource management curriculum and provides subject matter expertise as a published author, editor, and thought leader in the field. In 2020, Nancy volunteered to mediate for the City of Philadelphia Eviction Diversion Program to ease landlord/tenant COVID hardship under the direction of CORA Good Shepherd Mediation. Today she provides administrative leadership as the full-time CGSM senior program manager and landlord liaison, maintaining a weekly mediation calendar of 70+ remote sessions. The Eviction Diversion Program is credited with reducing eviction filing rates in the city by nearly half and continues to serve as a national model. Nancy earned her terminal degree in educational leadership at the University of Delaware. Doctoral research, “Enhancing the Collaborative Capacity of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in Delaware Schools”, helped shape sustained state-wide IEP facilitation and training. Nancy holds degrees in counseling and psychology and training certificates across conflict resolution process options including IEP and group facilitation, conflict coaching, mediation, restorative victim/offender conferences and higher education due process hearings. She is certified to administer the Conflict Dynamics Profile (CDP) and teach Becoming Conflict Competent curriculum developed by Eckerd College. Nancy was awarded the institutional award for women’s equity for campus advocacy related to diversity, access and inclusion and the ASCA Gehring award for sustained leadership.
Dr. Jill Gilkerson is the Chief Research and Evaluation Officer at the LENA Foundation, where she manages a team of data scientists and research coordinators who collect and analyze the data in LENA’s corpus. She is a linguist specializing in early language acquisition, and since 2005 has led research focused on the concurrent and longitudinal impact of early turn-taking on developmental outcomes. Her research also evaluates the effectiveness and efficacy of LENA-based intervention initiatives and investigates relationships between early language environments and demographic variables such as birth order, gender, and TV exposure. For nearly two decades, she has collaborated with partners worldwide in collecting and analyzing LENA data, serving as author on 27 peer-reviewed publications.
Dr. Allison Gilmour is a principal researcher at AIR. She has extensive experience in special education policy analysis, focusing on improving access to effective instruction for students with disabilities by studying special educator labor markets and teaching quality. Dr. Gilmour has methodological expertise in quantitative methods, often using data from state longitudinal data systems or nationally representative surveys. In her recent research, she has examined whether state adoption of Response to Intervention was associated with changes in specific learning disability identification, whether bonuses improved special educator retention and recruitment in Hawai’i, and whether teaching quality was associated with special educator turnover. Dr. Gilmour has published in top education journals including Educational Researcher, Exceptional Children, and the Journal of Educational Psychology, and her work has been funded by state departments of education, the Spencer Foundation, and the National Center for Education Evaluation. Before joining AIR, Dr. Gilmour was an assistant professor of special education and a high school special education teacher.
Young-chan Han, a passionate advocate for family engagement, has significantly impacted her field. Having immigrated from Korea to the U.S. at age 12, she has dedicated over 25 years of experience in family engagement, language access, and leadership development. Her career has been marked by her work at the local, district, and state educational institutions and non-profit organizations. Her passion lies in empowering and equipping immigrant parents, educators, and community members to advocate for linguistically and economically challenged families. As a founding member of the Maryland English Language Learning Family Involvement Network (MELLFIN), she currently serves as the MELLFIN Board President.
Dr. Amira Hill-Yancy leads the equity, inclusion, dignity, and belonging work within the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) and the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit. She also supports special education law work, increasing outcomes for early learners, and the state plans focused on decreasing dropout risks and rates for students with disabilities. Dr. Amira assists with federal professional development grants by leading professional learning communities and coordinating a higher education institution partnership. Dr. Amira is a former Special Assistant for early learning, DEIB, and literacy to the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education under two administrations. Dr. Amira received the 2021 Moral and Courageous Commitment to Equity Educator Award from Cabrini University. She is also a certified Equity Literacy Facilitator. She previously served as a Special Education Adviser, Special Education Leader, Secondary English teacher, and Literacy Coach.
Traci M. Hogan holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Communication Disorders from Marshall University. She has 29 years' experience in special education, which includes working with the South Carolina public school system and the private sector. Ms. Hogan has experience as a district administrator in small, mid-sized, and large districts in South Carolina. She is currently the assistant superintendent for special education in Greenville County Schools in Greenville, South Carolina. For the last nine years, Ms. Hogan has led the state's largest public school program, which served over 13,000 students with disabilities in over 100 locations. Ms. Hogan is a graduate of the Education Policy Fellowship Program through the Institute for Educational Leadership and an alumna of the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leadership Initiative. She is a member of many professional organizations and currently serves on the board for the South Carolina Association for the Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Dr. Beth Hutson is the Assistant Superintendent for the Mount Pleasant Area School District bringing a wealth of experience from over 15 years in educational leadership. Before assuming her current role in Westmorland County, Dr. Hutson served as an educational leader in both Fayette and Washington counties. Her career in education is marked by a strong commitment to curriculum development, instruction, and student success. Dr. Hutson's expertise is rooted in her early work at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), where she served on the faculty as a teacher educator, shaping the next generation of educators. She has also held key roles as a regional curriculum specialist, director of curriculum, instruction & assessment, supervisor of special education, and associate director of the Center for Rural Gifted Education. Her diverse experience has made her a respected leader in advancing educational practices across rural and suburban settings.
Jason Kennedy is a 24-year educator, author, school administrator, district curriculum and professional learning director, instructional coach, and presenter with experience at all levels of education, elementary through college. He has been a part of Cognia review teams, statewide professional learning and local curriculum design teams, making the intentional designing of instruction for learning his goal. His passion lies in taking the evidence of effective learning and being successful in sharing it in ways that are accessible to the everyday teacher. He knows the challenges facing educators and wants to be a part of a revolution of learning that not only benefits the students, but gives so much back to our fellow teachers as well. Most importantly, he wants to work alongside other teachers to reimagine and redesign what happens daily in the classroom, to provide the best learning possible for all learners everywhere.
Dr. Angela Kirby has been the Director of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance (PaTTAN) in Harrisburg since 2008, leading initiatives for the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) in areas such as school reform, educator effectiveness, curriculum, instruction, and special education. Previously, she served as Special Assistant to the Secretary and Acting Bureau Director of Teaching and Learning at PDE. With experience as a K-12 general and special education teacher and special education administrator, and higher education. She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Shippensburg University, a Master’s in Special Education from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Bachelor’s from Saint Vincent College. Dr. Kirby is certified in special education, reading, social studies, and educational leadership.
Emily Kircher-Morris, M.A., M.Ed., LPC, is dedicated to destigmatizing neurodiversity and supporting neurodivergent people of all ages. She started her career in education and is now in private practice near St. Louis, Missouri as a licensed professional counselor, where she specializes in supporting neurodivergent kids and adults (and their families). Emily hosts The Neurodiversity Podcast, which explores the psychological, educational, and social needs of neurodivergent people. She is the author of several books related to parenting and educating neurodivergent children and teens. Her most recent book is “Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted and Supported." She speaks at statewide, national, and international conferences and frequently provides virtual and in-person professional development to educators, mental health clinicians, and parents worldwide. Many of her presentations and workshops can also be found at the Neurodiversity University online learning platform.
Nichole Kopco has been an Educational Consultant with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) in Harrisburg since April 2014. Nichole has 28 years of special education experience in public education, 23 of those years have been in a leadership capacity. Immediately before coming to PaTTAN, Nichole served as Director of Special Education for Somerset Area School District. Nichole’s credentials include Pennsylvania certifications in elementary education, special education, reading specialist certification, special education supervisor certification; and, she obtained her Superintendent Letter of Eligibility from Gannon University in the Fall of 2020. At PaTTAN, Nichole serves as the Central Region lead for the Special Education Law and Leadership initiatives, she is a proud member of the PaTTAN Literacy team, and she also supports IUs 8 and 9 as a PaTTAN Point of Contact (POC). Nichole is the PaTTAN state lead for Pennsylvania’s Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot
Timothy Krushinski joined the PDE Bureau of Special Education in August of 2021 as a Policy Adviser. Prior to coming to the Bureau of Special Education, he served as a consultant to the Wallingford Swarthmore Area School District, Director of two Approved Private Schools in the southeast region, and a Supervisor of Special Education and Principal in the West Chester Area School District. He also spent over 15 years in the classroom teaching students with disabilities. Timothy received his B.S. in Special Education from Penn State University and his M.Ed. from St. Joseph’s University. Timothy was appointed to and served on the state Special Education Advisory Panel for over two years prior to working for the Bureau of Special Education. Timothy and his wife reside in Fenwick Island, Delaware and enjoy spending any free time at the beach with their two Dachshunds. They also enjoy and attend all Penn State home football games with family and friends.
Kristen Lewald, Ed.D., is the Statewide Projects Director for PDE at Lancaster-Lebanon IU13. This includes leadership in several areas of statewide work across Pennsylvania for PDE – the PVAAS Statewide Team for PDE, PIMS/PVAAS for Educator Effectiveness, PDE’s Research Team, and as the Project Advisor for statewide school improvement. Kristen has a master’s degree from Bloomsburg University in Speech-Language Pathology, a master’s degree in Organizational Development from Temple University, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Immaculata University. Kristen has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2002 IU13 Annual Administrator Employee of Distinction Award, the 2006 Battelle for Kids Pioneer Award, the 2010 PAIU Dr. Gary L. Miller Memorial Distinguished Service award, the EPLC Leadership Program Alumni Award in 2011, and the 2016 Learning Forward recognition for Best Practices in the Area of Professional Learning in the State of PA. In 2022, Kristen was awarded the SAS User Feedback award for the work she and her team provide to align PVAAS reporting to the needs of districts and schools.
David Lopez is the Director of Equitable Systems with the Culturally Responsive and Equitable Systems team. In this role, Lopez delivers technical assistance (TA) and expert consultation, develops research- and evidence-based tools and resources, and provides research and policy support to state education agencies, district leaders, and school-based educators. This session is focused on creating culturally responsive and equitable systems through comprehensive systemic equity reviews. Lopez is also an expert facilitator and trainer on issues related to racial equity, intersectionality (e.g., race and ability), diversity, disproportionality, and culturally responsive and sustaining education. Lopez also served as a Project Associate for the New York State Education Department’s Technical Assistance Center on Disproportionality. In this role, he provided TA and training to districts aiming to disrupt the disparate outcomes for students of color with disabilities. Lopez is a coauthor of Dismantling Disproportionality: A Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Systems Approach (Teachers College Press, 2022) and has presented on addressing disproportionality at national conferences
Beatrice Moore Luchin is a nationally recognized mathematics educator with 40 plus years’ experience that includes secondary mathematics teacher, district supervisor, consultant and mathematics coach. She has seamlessly integrated her Texas Lifetime Secondary Teacher Certifications in the areas of Mathematics, Spanish and Journalism into her work with various programs to support improved instruction - with a focus on equity and providing support for underrepresented student populations. She has had the honor of working with numerous state, national, and international projects/grants such as Insights into Algebra I, video lesson commentaries produced by the Annenberg Channel and Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. She currently serves as an advisor on the Rand Corporation’s American Mathematics Educator Study project and is a member of the EF+Math Equity Advisory Board and AERDF Mathematics Research Board. She has authored several genre of books - mathematics textbooks for McGraw-Hill Publishing Company for middle school and Algebra since 1991, two fiction novels, one faith-based novel, and Pinch-Dash-Done cookbooks 1 and 2.
Chase Mielke is an award-winning educator, writer, and speaker focusing on preventing teacher burnout and increasing student engagement. He has been awarded multiple honors, including being a Michigan Teacher of the Year nominee and an Allegan County “Outstanding People for Education” recipient. For his work minimizing the achievement gap with at-risk high schoolers, his Positive Psychology program received a Michigan Association of School Administrator’s “Winner’s Circle Award.” In addition to modeling excellence as an educator, his writing has been featured on WeAreTeachers, Huffpost, Edutopia, and EdPost. He received a WordPress “Freshly Pressed” distinction for his viral blog and video “What Students Really Need to Hear,” which has been used across the world to motivate students.
As an engaging, nationally recognized speaker, he has traveled across the nation to speak with students and educators on topics of resilience, mindset, applied neuroscience, and positive psychology.
Dr. Laura C. Moran is an educational consultant with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) in Harrisburg, PA. Currently, Laura is the state lead for the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) to increase graduation rates for students with disabilities. Laura’s work also encompasses literacy, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), and special education leadership. Laura is a certified LETRS trainer in PA and nationwide and a national Paideia faculty member. Laura holds a doctorate degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Administration and Leadership Studies for the Public Sector and her research focused on teacher efficacy.
Barbara Mozina attained her undergraduate degree in Special Education from the Pennsylvania State University and her Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Saint Francis University. She taught high school multiple disability support and elementary learning support at the Hollidaysburg Area School District and served as the Director of Special Education in two districts before joining the Bureau of Special Education. Barbara is the BSE state lead for the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report.
Dr. Alexander A. Novickoff serves as the Assistant Superintendent of the East Allegheny School District. Over the past 13 years, Dr. Novickoff has served in a variety roles, ranging from special education teacher, assistant principal, principal, special education director, and career and technical education administrator. Dr. Novickoff earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Duquesne University, where his research focused on the perceptions of communication and collaboration between Local Education Agency (LEA) special educators and Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers in supporting students with disabilities. Before joining East Allegheny School District, Dr. Novickoff served as the Assistant Director at Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, Director of Special Education at Southmoreland School District, and Assistant Principal at Pittsburgh Public Schools. His extensive experience across different educational settings has equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in today’s educational landscape.
Dr. Samuel Ortiz is Professor of Psychology at St. John's University, New York. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the USC and a credential in school psychology with postdoctoral training in bilingual school psychology from SDSU. He serves or has served on various editorial boards, trains and consults nationally and internationally, conducts research in the schools, and publishes widely on a variety of topics including nondiscriminatory assessment, evaluation of English learners, cross-battery assessment, and learning disabilities. His recent books include “Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students: A Practical Guide,” and “Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment, 3rd Edition.” Dr. Ortiz is bilingual (Spanish) and bicultural (Puerto Rican).
Donna Rain-O'Dell is the Supervisor of Workforce Education at Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center (CWCTC). With over fifteen years of teaching experience under her belt, Donna has helped countless students find their way—whether through reading intervention at the middle and high school levels or teaching English language acquisition to adults during her thirteen years in sunny Osceola County, Florida. She has a knack for mentoring, having guided new Career and Technical Education instructors in Osceola County. Her passion for teaching and leadership even earned her a nomination for Teacher of the Year in 2013, where she placed among the top ten in the entire county. Donna is committed to raising awareness about the trades and fostering stronger connections among students, schools, and the broader community. She is hoping to continue her mentoring for the Aspiring Educators program that was launched at CWCTC last year.
Scott Rhymer served as a teacher, Instructional Coach, and an Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction in three different school districts in South Carolina prior to arriving in Greenville County Schools as Principal of Greer Middle International Baccalaureate School. Mr. Rhymer served Greer Middle for five years and left with all core content scores on state accountability measures with double digit growth. Mr. Rhymer next served as principal Mauldin High School, the largest high school in Greenville County with just under 2,300 students. Under Mr. Rhymer’s leadership, Mauldin achieved over 95% graduation rate in addition to a total revamp of course flow charts, offering additional opportunities for students who had previously not taken honors, AP, and Dual Credit classes the opportunity to do so. For the last 7 years, Mr. Rhymer supervised the 15 high schools in the largest school district in South Carolina. While not only leading Greenville County Schools to increased overall graduation rates and record high levels of college and career readiness, he played an integral role in significant improvement in outcomes for students with disabilities. Mr. Rhymer prides himself to be a high energy leader with a knowledge of instructional leadership that helps principals reach their potential as building leaders. Mr. Rhymer has the ability to translate achievement data into easily understood language and then build on that understanding to develop strategies to improve learning.
Roni Russell, M.Ed., has served for over 26 years as an educational consultant with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network, a division of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education. Roni secured her undergraduate degree from Lebanon Valley College and her graduate degree from Shippensburg University. She holds her Pennsylvania K-12 Principal Certification, as well as an Instructional II Certification in Special Education K-12. At PaTTAN, her responsibilities include regional coordination of Special Education Cyclical Monitoring in Correctional Facilities, Intensive Interagency Coordination with child serving agencies, Special Education Law, Principals as Instructional Leaders course, and Medicaid billing in schools. Additionally, she provides technical assistance to a number of schools with Procedural Safeguards, IDEA/ Chapter 14 regulations, autism, and 504/ Chapter 15.
Jamie Salter, Ed.S, BCBA, currently supports teams around the globe in the development and implementation of the Self & Match System interventions as a Tier 1, 2, or 3 behavioral tool within school, clinic, or home settings. Previously, Jamie served for a decade as a Special Education Senior Program Specialist. In that role she led special educators in writing effective and legally defensible Behavior Intervention Plans; guided special educators in program and curriculum development; and, facilitated students, families, and IEP teams in selecting appropriate programs for students that best met their unique abilities.
Bob Sattler is a Partner with Support Development Associates and for over the past 40 years his career has focused on building person-centered community supports. With a background in Special Education and Psychology, he focused his career on supporting adults with disabilities and creating real lives for people. This eventually led to establishing a service agency to support people with co-occurring needs (developmental disabilities and behavioral health challenges) to demonstrate how person-centered practices could truly be provided within traditional structures and practices. Prior to joining SDA, he served as the Executive Director of the Provider Association in Colorado and worked closely with system stakeholders to improve services and supports for people, including the design of Self-Determination models. Mr. Sattler’s work has provided him unique opportunities to work and train in partnership with professionals from the fields of mental health, law enforcement and criminal justice, aging, vocational rehabilitation and state operated services to better support people with complex support needs. He currently consults internationally to help people move to more community integrated settings and assist systems and organizations in creating sustainable person-centered systems and processes.
Dr. Gina R. Scala is chair of the Special Education/Rehabilitation Department, including the Applied Behavior Analysis program at East Stroudsburg University. In addition to teaching at the undergraduate/graduate level, she works within the Partnership of Professional Development Schools. She has been appointed to the Special Education Advisory Panel by the Governor for consecutive terms. Dr. Scala holds numerous positions at the local and state level of the Council for Exceptional Children (PaCEC). She is the Region V Director for Northeast Pennsylvania, Awards Chair for the state, and a PaCEC Board Member. She has been appointed as a stakeholder for the Office for Dispute Resolution (ODR). In addition, she has completed her terms on the Executive Committee for the International Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) as Chair for the Research Committee. Dr. Scala is a Compliance Monitor for the Pennsylvania Department of Education for Special Education and Gifted programs. She maintains other numerous state and federal appointed positions in relation to Teacher Training, Mental Health, Positive Behavior, Professional Standards, and Educator shortages. Dr. Scala has an extensive presentation schedule at many state, national and international conferences. She consults with many school districts. She is the wife of Gabriel J. Scala, mother of two daughters, Francesca and Alexa, two grandchildren, Grayson and Avrianna, two dogs, Stella and Gizmo and current and future mother-in-law to Christopher James and Michael.
Kyle Schwartz is a third grade teacher at Doull Elementary in Denver, Colorado. Doull Elementary has a strong community and the school faces challenges. At Doull, about 90% of students live below or very near to the poverty line and about half are learning English at school. Ensuring that all children receive a quality education has been the driving force in Kyle Schwartz's career. She has worked with education focused organizations such as City Year, the Denver Teacher Residency, America Achieves, and TeachStrong. Due to the high academic growth and the strong instructional practice observed in her classroom, Kyle Schwartz is designated as a "Distinguished Teacher" by Denver Public Schools. She has lead professional development at national and local conferences and has spoken to organizations across the country on many issues including building strong classroom communities. Recently, a simple yet powerful lesson created in Kyle's classroom received international attention. She asked her students to finish the sentence "I wish my teacher knew _." Her students' candid responses inspired the #IWishMyTeacherKnew movement and were covered by every major media outlet. This sparked a conversation about the realities American students face and how schools can support all students. To continue this dialogue, Kyle has written a book entitled "I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything for our Kids" published by DaCapo Press in 2016. Above all else, Kyle dedicates herself to ensuring that every child receives the excellent education they deserve.
Julie F. Rosenbaum Skolnick, M.A., J.D., Founder of With Understanding Comes Calm, LLC, passionately guides parents of gifted and distractible children, mentors 2e adults, trains educators and advises professionals on how to bring out the best and raise self-confidence in their 2e students and clients. A prolific writer and beloved speaker, Julie hosts "The Haystack 2e Adult Membership Group" which welcomes all ‘2e adult needles,’ hosts Let’s Talk 2e! Parent Empowerment Groups, produces virtual conferences, and publishes “Gifted & Distractible,” a free weekly newsletter. Her book, Gifted and Distractible: Understanding, Supporting, and Advocating for Your Twice Exceptional Child, was released in October 2023. Julie and her husband raise three twice exceptional kids who keep them on their toes and uproariously laughing! Located in Maryland, USA, Julie's clients, and audience hale from all four corners of the globe.
Dr. Marcy Stein is professor emeritus at University of Washington Tacoma where she was one of the founding faculty members of the School of Education. She has published extensively in the areas of both special education and general education on teacher preparation, reading and mathematics instruction, curriculum analysis, and textbook adoption. She is an author of Direct Instruction Mathematics. Dr. Stein has considerable experience consulting with teachers and administrators on improving the performance of students with disabilities and those who are at risk for academic failure. She also has consulted with state departments of education throughout the country on how research findings can be used effectively to improve instructional practice, and with schools, districts, and states on the systematic evaluation of mathematics and literacy curriculum materials.
As a technical assistance specialist at CAST’s National Center on AEM and Center on Inclusive Technology & Education Systems (CITES), Kelli promotes the availability of accessible educational materials and technologies to ensure that all students have equitable and inclusive opportunities for learning.
Kelli Suding has led states and districts in creating sustainable policies and procedures to bring into full compliance with providing accessible materials and accessible technologies. Kelli has keynote, national, state, and regional presentation and training experience. Kelli also has a strong understanding of, and ability to connect, theory to practice. Her instructional experience has been with students requiring mild, moderate, and intense intervention. Kelli's specializations include autism, accessible educational materials, accessible and assistive technologies and integration, specific learning disabilities, and Universal Design for Learning.
Jess Surles collaborates with educators and leadership to provide customized consulting focusing on literacy (K-6). She has over 20 years of experience delivering classroom instruction, supporting literacy initiatives, and providing coaching and technical assistance for administrators and educators. She has worked with both the University of Oregon (UO) and Boston University (BU) to improve and sustain the implementation of evidence-based literacy practices in schools and districts nationwide. In her work with UO and BU, Jess has partnered with literacy experts and university researchers to integrate current research and professional learning for classroom practitioners, leadership, and educational agencies. Her recent work includes curriculum development, supporting educators with the implementation of effective assessment and instruction practices, and guiding elementary school leaders in building and sustaining a comprehensive school-wide reading system. Prior to her university work, Jess served as a Title I Reading Specialist, District Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA), K-8th grade instructor of multilingual learners, and classroom teacher.
Ross Szabo is the CEO of the Human Power Project. He is an award-winning mental health speaker, writer, trainer, and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Ross has spoken to more than 1 million students about the importance of mental health and provided a positive example to empower them to seek help. He received the 2010 Didi Hirsch Removing the Stigma Leadership Award, 2012 Changing Minds Award, and had his advocacy work entered into the Congressional Record. He is the co-author of Behind Happy Faces: Taking Charge of Your Mental Health and a blogger for The Huffington Post.
Roddy Theobald, Ph.D. is a Managing Researcher at AIR and Deputy Director of CALDER. He received his Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of Washington in 2015, and previously worked as a Research Assistant at the Center for Education Data and Research at the University of Washington and as a 7th-grade math teacher at Westlake Middle School in the Oakland (CA) Unified School District as a Teach For America corps member. His ongoing projects investigate teacher education and licensing, career and technical education, and special education in Hawaii, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Washington.