Session Sorter
The Session Sorter helps you search through the catalog of OCALICONLINE sessions to find ones that best match your work and interests. Sort sessions by one or more of the fields below.
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Total Sessions Found: 1 | Reset Sorter
| Title | Date / Time | Presenters | |
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Feature Matching in AAC Device Selection: Optimizing Communication Support
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Friday
10:00 - 11:00 am | Presenters: Amy D'Amico |
Presenter Detail
Heather Paige Alger
Heather Paige Alger discovered her passion for working with individuals with communication challenges while studying communication disorders in college. She graduated from the University of Kentucky with a master of science degree in communication disorders. Her career spans over three decades of service in special education in Kentucky public schools as a speech-language pathologist and director of special education/preschool. She is certified as a speech-language pathologist by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)-Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP). As a field trainer for the Kentucky Autism Training Center, Alger trains agencies that support autistic people.
Presenter Detail
Jenna Allen
Jenna Allen is a Co-Manager for the OCALI Lifespan Transitions Center where she develops resources and provides training and technical assistance to foster successful support systems that incorporate community living and employment. Her professional experience includes provision and supervision of services to youth and adults with disabilities, with a primary focus on community inclusion and integrated employment, and frontline roles in the fields of education and community health. She has earned degrees from Oberlin College and Kent State University, and is also a certified Charting the LifeCourse Ambassador and Presenter.
Presenter Detail
Ashley Andersen
Dr. Ashley Andersen, PhD, is the associate director of The KidsLink School in Streetsboro, Ohio. With over nine years of experience as an Intervention Specialist, she has spent the last seven years in an administrative role, where she has been instrumental in guiding both staff and students toward success. Dr. Andersen has worked in a variety of educational settings, including public, private, and in-home programs, specializing in applied behavior analysis to support students with autism and behavioral challenges.
Presenter Detail
Rebecca Andersen
Rebecca Andersen is a third-year Ph.D. student in educational psychology at the University of Albany, where she also earned her master’s degree. With ten years of experience as a special education teacher’s assistant in diverse school settings, her research explores both domestic and global perceptions, awareness, and active inclusion of neurodivergent students. She is particularly interested in how emerging AI technologies might enhance accommodation strategies at both a personal and institutional level. Her work is driven by a deep personal commitment to fostering inclusive, affirming educational environments for all learners.
Presenter Detail
Erika Anderson
Erika Anderson is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who works for Ohio County Schools in Wheeling, West Virginia. Servicing students in preschool though 12th grade, she has extensive experience in behavior intervention services in a school-based environment. Erika graduated from West Liberty University in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She continued her studies at Capella University earning a master's degree in applied behavior analysis in 2024 and certifying as a BCBA in August of 2024. She lives in St. Clairsville, OH with her husband Austin and their two children, Cheyenne and Daniel.
Presenter Detail
Alonzo Andrews
Alonzo Andrews is a board certified behavior analyst who has been teaching applied behavior analysis courses at The University of Texas at San Antonio for the past 12 years. He was at the Autism Treatment Center in San Antonio for 24 years, ultimately serving as the director. He subsequently worked at UTSA's Autism Research Center investigating verbal behavior assessment and interventions. He is also the district-wide behavior analyst for San Antonio School District.
Presenter Detail
Kristie Asaro-Saddler
Kristie Asaro-Saddler, PhD, is an associate professor in the division of special education at the University at Albany. Her research interests focus on strategies to support autistic students, particularly in the areas of writing and self-regulation. She has over 60 publications and 100 presentations at state, national, and international conferences, and has received several grants to support her research. She is an officer for the Neurodiversity and Autism Research in Education Committee of the American Educational Research Association. She teaches courses in special education and autism; prior to joining the faculty she taught children with autism and developmental disabilities.
Presenter Detail
Ruth Aspy
Ruth Aspy, PhD, is a licensed psychologist specializing in transdisciplinary assessment and intervention for individuals with ASD. She is co-author of The Ziggurat Model, which earned the Autism Society Literary Achievement Award. Her focus is on understanding underlying strengths and characteristics of those with ASD and designing supports and strategies with these differences in mind. She has an emphasis on working with females with ASD and on catatonia.
Presenter Detail
Julie Atwood
Julie Atwood is a certified general and special education teacher with over 15 years of experience serving schools in Oklahoma, Texas, and Japan. She is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and has worked to support individuals with disabilities in school, residential and clinical settings. Atwood is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Oklahoma. She is passionate about supporting educator implementation of behavior intervention plans in schools, providing effective professional development opportunities for rural educators, and ensuring high-quality supervised fieldwork experiences for ABA students.
Presenter Detail
Emily Babcock
Emily Babcock, MEd, is a comprehensive life skills teacher for secondary students with disabilities. Currently a fifth-year teacher, Babcock's work with adults and children with disabilities began in her teens. She has worked in transitional living and behavior therapy with children on the autism spectrum, and, most recently, Babcock served as the program coordinator for a life skills nonprofit for individuals with moderate to severe disabilities. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree through the University of Nevada, Reno, with an emphasis in special education and applied behavior analysis.
Presenter Detail
Ivy Bagley
Ivy Bagley has worked in pediatrics for over 17 years and has been a nurse for over twenty years. A graduate of ECU College of Nursing with her BSN, MSN, and DNP, Bagley believes nurse practitioners offer a unique approach to patient care. Bagley graduated with her PMHNP from ECU CON in December. She is board certified as a family nurse practitioner, lactation consultant, psychiatric mental health nurse, and national healthcare disaster professional. Bagley sees all ages, from newborns to age 30 for primary care and mental health. She was selected as a 40 under 40 award winner, a North Carolina Great 100 Nurse for 2022, and the AANP Leadership Cohort for 2022.
Presenter Detail
Jody Bailey
Jody Bailey is an experienced educational leader who has worked in the field for the past 24 years. With a commitment to building relationships to ensure success for each student, she has gained experience in a variety of roles including intervention specialist (K-12), special education supervisor (PK-12), building principal (PK-2), County Board of DD principal (K-12, 23), and state support team consultant. She is a licensed Ohio intervention specialist (K-12), building principal (PK-12), and received her Ohio County Board of Developmental Disabilities superintendent certificate. Bailey is currently employed at OCALI as an early development and learning specialist for the southwest region.
Presenter Detail
Angela Balsley
Angie Balsley is the CEO of Unified Leadership and serves as a senior consultant for the national Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE). She is a licensed special education teacher, principal, special education director, and superintendent. Balsley earned her doctorate in education leadership and policy studies from Indiana University. Balsley is a prolific speaker and author, having presented at numerous national conferences on topics such as collaborative communication and improving dispute resolution capacity. She has also served as a subject matter expert for a special education program analysis in several states.
Presenter Detail
Jason Barger
Jason Barger is committed to engaging the minds and hearts of people in order to strengthen leadership, culture, and clarity of mission, vision, and values. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, visionary, and leadership consultant. As founder of Step Back Leadership Consulting LLC, he works with organizations that are passionate about culture shaping, leadership development, innovation, service, and bringing their mission to life every day. Barger received certification from Georgetown University in nonprofit executive management, and delivers over 50 speeches annually around the world and is passionate about positive change in people, leaders, organizations, and our world!
Presenter Detail
Shaun Barrett
Shaun Barrett is an early childhood specialist at OCALI within the Early Childhood Center of Excellence. He supports early childhood professionals in child development, behavior strategies, and early intervention. Over the course of his 14 years in the field, Barrett has served as a lead toddler teacher, developmental specialist, behavior analyst, and coach for Early Head Start classroom teachers. Barrett has earned both his BS E.d. in early childhood special education (Pre K-3rd grade) as well as his MA in behavior analysis from The Ohio State University. He currently holds a developmental specialist license and is a board certified behavior analyst.
Presenter Detail
Krista Bartosz
Krista Bartosz has taught students of all age levels and abilities since 1999. Prior to teaching in public schools, Bartosz was a classroom teacher and education manager for Head Start. Currenty a beahvior coordinator for BCSC, she supports students and teachers with stratgies inclusive of PBIS and UDL frameworks. She is passionate about individualizing education, while providing trauma informed care and structured programming. Additionally, she has an autism certification through IU, is trained in restorative practices, TBRI, and is a CPI certified trainer, providing district-wide professional development trainings for BCSC staff.
Presenter Detail
Matt Baud
Matthew R. Baud, MS, CCC-SLP, has been working with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for over 20 years. He currently is the assistive technology coordinator at Niles Township District for Special Education (NTDSE) performing evaluations, trainings, and coaching staff. Baud also has his own AAC private practice working with individuals with complex communication needs from birth through adulthood. He is an adjunct professor at Saint Xavier University where he teaches a graduate course in AAC and has presented at international, national, and state conferences. Baud has published research in the areas of AAC.
Presenter Detail
Matthew Bavlnka
Matt Bavlnka has worked in the fields of mental health and developmental disabilities for over 15 years, with time spent in inpatient psychiatry, neuropsychology, DODD residential resources, and most recently with DODD policy and strategic direction. Bavlnka completed his undergraduate degree at The University of the Incarnate Word in 2014 in applied sciences, a master of administration in healthcare administration in the fall of 2017, and a post-graduate public health program at Johns Hopkins University in 2020.
Presenter Detail
Jen Bavry
Jen Bavry, PMP, OCALI's Senior Project Manager, provides project management across the organization. She leads OCALI's Family & Community Outreach Center and projects within the Multi-System Navigation Center and facilitates Ohio's Interagency Work Group on Autism. Jen has been instrumental in equipping families/professionals with resources. She has led efforts to enhance community awareness, such as developing the skills of future hospitality leaders and promoting greater accessibility at Ohio events. As a parent of an autistic son, Jen is a strong advocate for individuals/families having access to supports in their homes, schools, and communities leading to greater outcomes.
Presenter Detail
Tracy Belfield
Tracy Belfield is the field training coordinator at the Kentucky Autism Training Center, University of Louisville. She has over 15 years of experience in special education roles like teacher, department chair, coach, and assistant director. Belfield holds degrees/certifications in special education, administration, and instructional leadership. She has presented extensively on autism, evidence-based practices, IEPs, and working with students with disabilities at conferences, schools, and community organizations across Kentucky. Her focus is enhancing the implementation of autism practices in educational, community, and home settings.
Presenter Detail
Shawna Benson
Shawna Benson has worked at OCALI since 2008, where she is the program director for the Teaching Diverse Learners Center. In addition to working at OCALI, she has also worked within Ohio school districts, ESCs, SSTs, DODD, private preschool and higher education as an educator, assistive technology specialist, autism/low incidence specialist, literacy specialist, associate professor and director of disability services. She has experience co-teaching in inclusive settings and providing academic instruction/intervention to students with a wide range of exceptionalities, ages, strengths and needs, which has provided her with a wealth of information that she now applies to her current work.
Presenter Detail
Felicia Bernhard
Felicia Bernhard, MSOT OTR/L BCP, is a board-certified pediatric occupational therapist. She works in an outpatient setting at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. She primarily works with autistic children and their families. Bernhard is also a PhD student at the University of Kentucky. She is investigating therapeutic relationships between occupational therapists, autistic children, and their caregivers. Her research interests include occupational therapy practice related to autism, relationship-based practice, and attunement.
Presenter Detail
Megan Best
Megan Best is an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky. Best's research focuses on centering the voices and experiences of young adults with intellectual and devleopmental disabilities in the transition to adulthood.
Presenter Detail
Elizabeth Biggs
Elizabeth Biggs, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of special education at Vanderbilt University. She was formerly a special education teacher on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico and has over 15 years of experience working with students with disabilities. Her research focuses on improving outcomes for students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and she has published over 50 research articles and book chapters- most on the topics of communication and literacy intervention, inclusion, and peer relationships. At Vanderbilt, she teaches classes focused on literacy, inclusion, and general education access for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Presenter Detail
Rachel Bigham
Rachel Bigham, MEd, TVI, COMS, serves Zanesville City Schools in southeastern Ohio. Bigham has taught as an adjunct faculty member and consultant for The Ohio State University program in orientation and mobility. She received her bachelor's degree in psychology from Ohio University and her master's in visual impairments education from The Ohio State University with a focus on CVI. Bigham has served across age settings and seeks to provide valuable information and ideas into all areas of visual impairment services. She has presented at multiple conferences on visual impairment services and has assisted with training modules through The Outreach Center for Deafness and Blindness.
Presenter Detail
Maylene Bird
Maylene Bird, CTVI, COMS, has 34 years of experience at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI). She has a total of 23 years of experience teaching math, two at another school. Previously Bird taught biology, career-education, orientation and mobility, and daily living skills. She is a co-author of Nemeth at a Glance, and has co-presented numerous times on topics related to teaching math and using Nemeth Code. Bird is currently a secondary mathematics teacher at TSBVI.
Presenter Detail
Hallei Bittlinger
Hallei Bittlinger is a graduate student at Eastern Kentucky University pursuing her entry-level clinical doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Bittlinger has served as a graduate assistant for the Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Department focusing on program leadership and program outcomes of a neurodiverse mentorship program.
Presenter Detail
Amy Bixler Coffin
Amy Bixler Coffin, MS, is program director of the Autism Center and Multisystem Navigation Center at OCALI. An educator in special education for 35 years, Coffin has served as an intervention specialist, low-incidence supervisor, director of special education, and autism program director. She currently coordinates and provides regional and statewide professional development for districts, families, and organizations. Coffin has presented at state, national, and international conferences, contributed to several articles and book chapters, and has authored a book on supporting individuals with ASD in the community.
Presenter Detail
TeMerra Blackwater
TeMerra Blackwater's career began as a youth advocate providing direct support to at-risk youth in a group home setting and then supported families in mental health services as an Intensive case manager and family resource facilitator. In her current role as a program specialist for Utah's Division of Services for People with Disabilities, her work is to improve employment and community inclusion outcomes for people with disabilities by providing resources and information on person-centered planning principles and Employment First Initiative.
Presenter Detail
Jill Blanchard
Dr. Jill Blanchard is the SVP of Operations for New Story Ohio. Blanchard has over 25 years of experience in education. She has served in a variety of roles including teacher and principal. She also has experience with residential treatment settings, mental health programming, special education law, curriculum and instruction, and CTE. Blanchard is an educational thought leader, regularly presenting on trauma-informed care and cultural responsivity. She holds a BSEd and MSS from Ohio University. She earned her PhD in education from Capella University, her superintendent licensure from The Ohio State University, and an advanced management certification for Wharton School of Business..
Presenter Detail
Christianna Blanchard-Alworth
Christianna Blanchard-Alworth, PhD, is an award-winning adapted physical educator with over 20 years of teaching experience using evidence-based practices to improve students' physical fitness and wellness, social-emotional growth, and independent functioning. She is an adjunct professor in special education at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. She is proud to hold several professional certifications, including American College of Sports Medicine autism exercise specialist, autism fitness certified professional, certified adapted physical educator, and yoga kids instructor.
Presenter Detail
Trevor Boland
Trevor Boland is an advocate for inclusion in education. Over his 20 years in Irish education, he has worked with and for students on initiatives that include assistive technology, accessibility and universal design for learning. He is the AT officer in Dublin City University and collaborates internally and externally on inclusion initiatives to enhance inclusion in education.
Presenter Detail
M. Gayl Bowser
Gayl Bowser, MEd, is an independent consultant whose work focuses on the creation of effective, legal and high-quality service systems to encourage integration of technology into programs for people with disabilities. Formerly the coordinator of the Oregon Technology Access Program (OTAP) and Oregon's specialist in assistive technology, Bowser provides consultation, training and technical assistance throughout the United States and internationally. She is a teacher by training, a founding member of the Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology (QIAT) Consortium and a co-author of several books about AT services.
Presenter Detail
Sally Brannan
Sara "Sally" Brannan is professor and chair of education at Wittenberg University. Prior to teaching at Wittenberg, she served for a period of seven years as the director of early childhood programs at the Easter Seal Rehabilitation Center in Wheeling, West Virginia. Subsequently, she taught high school students with severe and multiple disabilities. Her primary area of research investigates collaboration between educators and allied health professionals in the schools.
Presenter Detail
Amy Brennan
Amy Brennan, M.S., OTR/L, is an experienced occupational therapist specializing in pediatric care across clinical and school-based settings. With over 24 years of experience, she has worked extensively with children with autism, sensory processing disorders, and a variety of developmental diagnoses. She holds a bachelor of science degree in psychology and a master of science in occupational therapy. With training in interoception-based interventions, she integrates strategies to support emotional regulation and self-awareness in children within the school environment.
Presenter Detail
Joan Breslin Larson
Joan Breslin Larson, M.Ed. is an independent consultant in AT. Her work has a particular focus on policy, leadership, and developing effective teams to improve services for assistive technology in special education. She was formerly a supervisor for services for students with low-incidence disabilities at the Minnesota Department of Education and as an AT and UDL specialist. She has worked in AT for over 30 years, as an independent consultant, in a school setting and at the state education agency. She is a member of the QIAT Leadership Team and a founding member of the Joy Zabala Fellowship Steering Committee.
Presenter Detail
Heather Bridgman
Heather Bridgman, a rehabilitation engineer, has been working in both the medical and educational environments for over 20 years on computer access, augmentative communication, universal design for learning, and online learning. She has a master's degree in systems engineering, a teaching license in high school mathematics, is certified as a RESNA assistive technology professional, and also teaches AT courses at Ashland University. Bridgman has presented at numerous conferences on a wide variety of assistive technology topics and market trends. Recent projects include development of SIFTS which is an AT feature-matching tool and the online modules known as ATIM.
Presenter Detail
Karen Brothers
Karen Brothers has worked in education for the past 37 years. She holds both a bachelor's and master of arts from The Ohio State University. Brothers completed a second master of science from the University of Dayton. Brothers established the Peer Collaboration Program in the Dublin City Schools 24 years ago and continues to facilitate the program in Dublin and provides training for school districts in several states. She has presented at state and local conferences and authored a Peer Colaboration Manual. Brothers serves on non-profit boards supporting individuals with ASD and provides autism training to adult care providers. She is the parent of a 28 year old son with autism.
Presenter Detail
Teresa Brown
Teresa Brown, PhD, is the director of State Support Team Region 4. She earned her doctorate in special education from Kent State University, where her research focused on authentic assessment practices, development of quality and legally defensible IFSPs and IEPs, inclusive practices, and promoting early literacy in preschool special education programs. Brown has training and experience in working with individuals with disabilities from birth through age 21, and has consulted with programs to create high-quality inclusive environments.
Presenter Detail
Paige Buckingham
Paige Buckingham is a veteran educator, having worked in public schools for 32 years as an SLP and special education facilitator focusing on AT/AAC. Now retired from the schools, She is the owner of Buckingham Educational Services & Training, LLC (BEST) and is a national educational consultant and presenter in the areas of AT/AAC, and executive function skills. Buckingham is also the assistive technology lead facilitator for Kansas Infinitec. In this role, she works with AT teams across the state to build sustainable Assistive Technology services.
Presenter Detail
Myra Beth Bundy
Myra Bundy, PhD, BCBA, is a professor of psychology at Eastern Kentucky University, a board certified behavior analyst, and a licensed psychologist with specialization in autism and developmental disabilities. She interned at the University of North Carolina's TEACCH program. In the EKU psychology clinic, she works alongside graduate students with individuals with ASD across the lifespan. She researches autism topics, and coordinates the EKU ASD certificate program. She is a clinician with the Kentucky OCSHCN autism clinics. Bundy and her students enjoy spending time with individuals on the autism spectrum and their families.
Presenter Detail
Sarah Buoni
Sarah Buoni, MEd, is the Assistant Administrator for the Diverse Learner Team with the Office for Exceptional Children at the Ohio Department of Education. She has worked in the area of low incidence disabilities for twenty years as both an administrator and an itinerant teacher. Buoni provides technical assistance to families and districts and informs policy and procedures for the education of children who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, have traumatic brain injuries or have autism spectrum disorder. She participates on statewide meetings including the Interagency Workgroup on Autism, the Communicative Competency Taskforce, and the Tech First Taskforce.
Presenter Detail
Mona Burts-Beatty
Dr. Mona Burts-Beatty is an educational consultant with State Support Team 13. She leverages Ohio's State System of Support to improve the outcomes for students/families at the regional, district, building, and classroom level. Some of her skills include: strategic improvement, special education, early warning systems, integrated systems of support, PBIS (FBA/BIP), and data analysis. Burts-Beatty regularly guest lectures at local universities. What she enjoys most about her work is providing families and educational leaders with the tools needed to transform educational practices to ensure all students receive an education that will allow them to be the authors of their own destiny.
Presenter Detail
Theresa Busher
Theresa Busher is a social security public affairs specialist for central/southern Ohio and southern Indiana, which is part of social security's Chicago region. She acts as a social security spokesmen for media liaisons and public educators. Busher has worked for the Social Security Administration since 1993. She has a MA from Miami University.
Presenter Detail
Mo Buti
Mo Buti has been a practicing professional in special education for over 35 years. She has served as director of Neumann Family Services and director of autism and intellectual disabilities at Chicago Public Schools. She possesses an MEd-BD, MEd-Administration, QIDP certification, director of special education degree/certificate from Illinois, and Type 75 administrator certification. Buti is a dynamic speaker and well-respected authority on autism, intellectual disabilities, adult services, behavioral strategies, educational supports, and more.
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Mary Butler
Mary Butler is the family specialist at Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, serving as a bridge between home, school, and community to support students, families, and educators. She serves as a resource navigator, and helps families connect with local resources to provide guidance along their autism journey further. As a certified child life specialist, she spent nine years in a children's hospital promoting family-centered care. As a certified family life educator and autism specialist, Butler is committed to fostering a supportive, family-focused approach in all she does for the autism community.
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Cheryl Byrne
Cheryl Byrne has worked in education for 40ish years, which she describes as one of the most rewarding experiences of her life. She has had many opportunities to learn from experts in the education field, whether at The Ohio State University, Washburn University or as part of the Early Childhood Initiative as a regional literacy specialist. Teaching experiences along her journey have helped Byrne realize there is no more incredible thrill than watching children and adults learn and succeed. That's one of the benefits of being around for a while. The more she learns, the better at her craft she becomes, and she passes that on to all she serves.
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Molly Cairney
Molly Cairney is an assisstant administrator for IDEA Resource Management at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Her background is in non-profit administration, museum education, and teacher professional development.
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Samantha Camacho
Samantha Camacho is the program coordinator and a board certified behavior analyst at Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, which serves individuals impacted by autism spectrum disorder. She has a bachelor's of science in psychology and a minor in bioethics from Loyola University Chicago, and masters of science in education with a specialization in special education/applied behavior analysis from Northern Illinois University. Additionally, she is a certified autism specialist. She has previously presented research on stereotypy at the Mid-American Association for Behavior Analysis Annual Conference, OCALI, and the Illinois Council for Exceptional Children.
Presenter Detail
Michael Cantino
Michael Cantino is an educator, assistive technology specialist, braille transcriber, and artist living in Portland, Oregon. He has been supporting students with disabilities in K-12 and higher education since 2006. Cantino specializes in creating accessible materials for complex subjects, including art, STEM, and wayfinding. He is currently working with Project INSPIRE and Raised Mathematics to improve STEM literacy and access for braille readers. Cantino has created 3D printed tactile materials for the US National Park Service, the Portland Art Museum, and a number of schools and universities.
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Megan Carpenter
Megan Carpenter is a research assistant professor of special education at Clemson University. Her research focuses on inclusion, behavior supports, and students with significant support needs.
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Rob Carr
Rob Carr is the strategic accessibility coordinator at WebAIM. Rob has been in the digital accessibility space since 2010. He has spent time training, consulting, and learning about digital accessibility topics large and small. Rob has worked with thousands of individuals and dozens of organizations on everything from accessibility in a single PDF to integrating accessibility into organizations' digital strategies. Rob presents at national conferences and organizes the occasional conference as well.
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Adam Carreon
Adam Carreon is an assistant professor of special education at Georgia Southern University, focusing on instructional design and technology for students with disabilities. His research explores the use of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance educational outcomes. Carreon aims to develop effective strategies that improve academic and social-emotional skills for diverse learners. He emphasizes integrating innovative technologies in K-12 education to create inclusive environments. Through his work, Carreon contributes to advancing special education by leveraging technology to transform teaching practices and student engagement.
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Erica Chambers
Erica Chambers, M.Ed., is a graduate of the University of Toledo who has 20 years of experience in the public school setting. She has worked as a teacher of students with visual impairments and most recently served as the special education coordinator for the Visual Impairment Program. Chambers was also an active member of the assistive technology team at Columbus City Schools, where she collaborated on AT assessments and supported the integration of technology to enhance accessibility and learning. She joined the AT&AEM Center at OCALI as an AT&AEM specialist, further expanding her expertise in assistive technology and its application in educational settings.
Presenter Detail
Dana Charlton
Dana Charlton is the executive director of the Ohio Self Determination Association, a non-profit policy advocacy organization in Ohio. She retired from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities after 34 years. Before her retirement she was deputy director of community services, responsible for a $3 million budget and 90 plus staff, providing technical assistance, provider licensing/certification, rule development, and self-determination initiatives. Charlton has a master's degree in special education and recently celebrated 50 years working in the disability field.
Presenter Detail
Jacqueline Cheadle
Jacqueline Cheadle is an education program specialist with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. She is currently an education program specialist providing support to out of school time programs through the 21st Century Learning Communities grant. Her roles have included assistant director over the autism and Jon Peterson special needs scholarship programs and program specialist with the Summer Learning and Afterschool Opportunites Grant program. For more than a decade, she has focused on students with disabilities as an intervention specialist, program specialist and administrator. She holds a masters degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
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Matt Chernitsky
Matt Chernitsky is the program coordinator of Pathways For Pops which is a group designed to create unity amongst fathers that have a child with any type of developmental disability. He is responsible for scheduling group activities amongst fathers that include social gatherings, educational webinars, activities with their children, and also provides a support network for fathers.
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Kris Chesser
Kris Chesser is a retired middle school music educator who has 20 years experience teaching music to special needs students with an attention to developing skills needed in the classroom and life. Chesser developed a specialized general music curriculum for ausitic, non-verbal and developmentaly disabled students that focused on social skills, physical dexterity, calming, movement, listening, working together, creativity and much more. Chesser worked closely with the special education teachers and paraprofessionals to learn about each student and their needs.
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Kim Clairy
Kim Clairy is an autistic occupational therapist, international speaker, consultant, author, and self-advocate. Clairy broke through many barriers as she defied a healthcare system that said, "your autism is severe; you need to live in a nursing home." Her difficult healthcare experiences forged a passion for educating others on autism. Using personal experiences and professional expertise Clairy educates on many facets of autism across the lifespan including sensory processing, eating disorders, trauma, mental health, relationships, self-awareness, classroom inclusion, community integration, problem-solving through challenging behaviors, and much more!
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Chris Clark-Bischke
Chris Clark-Bischke, Ph.D., is the director of the multi-university consortium teacher preparation program in sensory impairments and a professor and faculty member in the department of special education at the University of Utah. She is the program coordinator of the visual impairments program at the UofU and Utah State University. Bischke knows the importance of preparing future teachers of students with visual impairments in the Unified Braille Code and in the creation of tactile graphics. Through collaboration with peers, her students are learning valuable information that will better prepare them to support their students.
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Dennis Cleary
Dennis Cleary is a senior researcher at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. He has over 25 years of experience as an occupational therapist. Cleary's clinical practice has been primarily with children and adults with intellectual disabilities to encourage their full participation in all aspects of life at home, and work, and in the community. As a researcher, he has been on teams that have received over $7 million in grants from state and federal agencies, including an NIH multisite trial of the Vocational Fit Assessment, an age-appropriate transition assessment and job matching tool, which he co-created. He has numerous publications and national and international presentations.
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Allison Cole
Allie Cole, MEd, is a PhD student at Vanderbilt University in the special education low-incidence program. She works as a graduate research assistant for the Enhancing Peer Networks Project. Prior to attending Vanderbilt, Cole worked for 6 years as a special educator, teaching students at both the secondary and transition levels.
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Falecia Collier
Falecia Collier is an intervention specialist, working in a self-contained classrrom in an elementary school. She has previously presented a hands-on learning experience at OCALICON about de-escalating behaviors.
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Alesha Cooper
Alesha Cooper is a dedicated professional with over 23 years in the support sector, specializing in positive behaviour support (PBS) and neuro-inclusion. She has held roles such as autism practitioner, behaviour advisor and is currently the practice development manager and positive behaviour support (PBS) lead for a large organization supporting 2000+ individuals across Scotland.
Presenter Detail
Karena Cooper-Duffy
Karena Cooper-Duffy is a professor of special education at Western Carolina University. For 27 years, she has specialized in teaching students with autism, significant intellectual disabilities, and multiple disabilities. Her research and publications include preparing professionals to teach students with significant intellectual disabilities functional, academic, and community-based skills. Her research has a strong focus on building teams and interprofessional collaboration with families and professionals. She presents her work at local, national, and international conferences. She supported staff who educate students with severe disabilities in Jamaica, London, and Botswana.
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Samantha Cosgrove
Samantha Rozakis Cosgrove has 15 years of experience in education, having worked as a resource teacher, self-contained teacher, and administrator at a public separate school facility. She holds an M.S.Ed. in inclusive elementary and special education from Hofstra University and an M.Ed. in administration K-12 from the College of William and Mary. Cosgrove has presented at conferences such as T/TAC in Virginia, the ASHA Conference in Boston, and the DCDT National Convention. She has also spent 16 summers with the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, working with gifted students.
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Richard Cowan
Richard J. Cowan, Ph.D. earned his doctorate in school psychology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is currently a tenured faculty member in the school psychology program at Kent State University. Cowan has been involved in multiple research projects, publications, presentations, and grants focusing on the implementation and evaluation of positive behavioral supports across settings for a variety of learners, including students with disabilities and students who are at-risk for academic failure. His most recent work focuses on working with teachers and other professionals to promote inclusive environments for all students.
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Caitlin Criss
Caitlin J. Criss, PhD is an assistant professor in the elementary and special education department at Georgia Southern University. She earned her doctorate in special education and applied behavior analysis from the Ohio State University. Prior to earning her doctorate, she served as a special education teacher and k-12 administrator for 9 years. Her research interests include increasing teachers' use of positive-based classroom management practices, performance feedback with technology, effective reading interventions, and advocacy for teachers and students with disabilities.
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Teresa Crowson
Teresa Crowson, MAEd., BCBA, LBA, OTR/L has worked in the field of education for 30 years in roles of OT, AT provider, behavior and autism support coach, and training and technical assistance specialist. She is currently an Autism and Behavioral Supports Consultant at OCALI's Autism Center. Crowson received her BSOT from East Carolina University, MAEd. in educational leadership from Touro University and her graduate certificate in ABA from Old Dominion University. Crowson is committed to helping individuals with disabilities, and those who support them, in all areas of life and is motivated by the power of presuming competence.
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Shannon Cuniak
Shannon D. Cuniak, MEd, is a teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) and a certified orientation and mobility specialist (COMS) in Canonsburg, PA. Formerly an outreach specialist at the Ohio State School for the Blind, Cuniak currently works at the Intermediate Unit 1 in Washington County, PA, as a TVI/COMS. Cuniak is an adjunct faculty instructor with both The Ohio State University and the University of Pittsburgh programs in visual impairments teaching courses in the area of braille and O&M. She has worked with the OCALI Outreach Center for Deafness and Blindness to create the Supporting Learners Series webinars and has presented with OCALICON Online and for other local groups.
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Cynthia Curry
Cynthia is an associate director in the TA Division of the Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice at Utah State University where she serves as Director of the National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials & Instruction (NCADEMI or "N-cademy"), a technical assistance center funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Starting her career in education as a secondary science teacher, she has enjoyed diverse roles in the pursuit of more accessible digital learning environments in preK-12 and higher education.
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Eric Curts
Eric Curtis, with over 30 years of experience in education, works as an EdTech specialist in Ohio, and provides training to schools and organizations around the world. His areas of expertise include artificial intelligence, Google tools, assistive tech, and creative ways to use technology in teaching and learning. Curtis shares all of his EdTech resources through his website at ControlAltAchieve.com.
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Amy D'Amico
Amy D'Amico is a speech-language pathologist at Montgomery County Educational Service Center in Dayton, Ohio. She provides speech and language services to students with multiple disabilities in a separate facility for students with complex needs. She does AAC evaluations and makes recommendations for augmentative communication devices. D'Amico is part of the district and building leadership teams for Montgomery County ESC, where she collaborates with administrators on building and district level issues. She also collaborates with intervention specialists, related service providers, as well as paraprofessionals assigned to students who use alternative augmentative communication systems.
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Michelle Dalton
Michelle Pickett, M.S. CCC-SLP, is an SLP serving the Stark County ESC in North Canton, OH. Pickett works with K-12 students in the multiple-disabilities program and is an AAC consultant on the Assistive Technology Augmentative-Alternative Communication (ATAAC) Team. We present several courses annually at the local, state, and national level, discussing various AT and AAC topics. Pickett received her bachelor's of arts degree in cognitive science from Northwestern University and a master's of science degree in communication sciences and disorders from Florida State University. She was the 2023 recipient of the Franklin B. Walter Outstanding Educator Award for Ohio State Support Team 9.
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Tracey Dammeyer
Tracey Dammeyer has proudly served the Celina school and community for 34 years. She has supported students and families as a teacher, dean of students, and special education director. Passionate about collaboration, she values teamwork, strong family connections, and data-driven decisions to provide the best services in the least restrictive environments. Dammeyer also mentors future educators at Wright State University Lake Campus, sharing best-practice teaching strategies. Dedicated to lifelong learning, she remains committed to fostering student success and making a lasting impact in education.
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Catherine Dart
Catherine Dart holds a master's degree in special education from the University of Cincinnati. She has had many roles within the special education field, and some of these roles include intervention specialist, behavior support coach, collaborative coaching, and transition coordinator. Between 2016-2023 Dart developed a high school transition program, Collaboration for Education and Employment Synergy (CEES). CEES collaborates with approximately 15 local school districts to offer transition programming to increase students' post-school outcomes in the areas or post-secondary and technical training, paid employment, self-determination skills, and independent living skills.
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LaShell Dauterman
Dr. LaShell Dauterman is an educator with 25+ years of experience and a passion for inclusive education. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership, focusing on special education and English language learners. Her research centers on assessing ELL students with communication disabilities using AAC devices. A former music teacher and accomplished oboist and violist, she now serves as an elementary administrator in West Carrollton. Dauterman has presented nationally, published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, and volunteers with the Dayton Autism Society. In 2024, she received the Erin Richey Carl Day Memorial Award.
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Eddie Davis
Eddie Davis is a service and support administrator with the Scioto County Board of DD. He has been in this position for over five years and was a case manager in the mental health field in the years prior, as well as being a one-on-one aide for special education classrooms until 2018. Davis graduated from Shawnee State University with a bachelors of fine arts with a focus of graphic design/digital marketing. He is also a graduate of OACB's 2024 executive development program, has been a presenter at the OACB Spring Conference and currently serves on the staff advisory council for the Scioto County Board of DD.
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Kimberly Day
Kim Day, MS, OT R/L, BCP, CIMI-2, PMH-C,ECHM offers specialized occupational therapy services and trainings through Sunny Day Therapy. She has board certification in pediatrics (BCP). She is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University's master's of occupational therapy and autism certificate programs and Boston University's post-professional doctoral program. She is passionate about empowering families through her superhero programs The Zookeepers and SuperMe, SuperYou AnyBody Can Be A SuperBODY. Through using positive characters, words, art, and exercise, she encourages clients to reframe their own stories of healing and problem solve challenges to participate in daily activities.
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Kathryn De Leon
Kathryn De Leon, MIT, is a second-year doctoral student at Boise State University under the supervision of Dr. Jeremy W. Ford in the Teaching, Learning, Community, and Engagement Department. Her research is focused on mental health literacy for pre-service teachers. De Leon earned her bachelor of arts in early childhood studies / early intervention and masters in teaching in special education. She has 26 years experience in education, PreK through 21, and postsecondary education - including 15 years working with individuals with disabilities.
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Bryan Dean
Bryan Dean is CAST's innovation specialist with over 25 years of experience working at the intersection of human-centered design and technology. Dean has keynote, international, national, and state presentation experience. Dean is known for his creative problem-solving, unique designs, and eclectic style. His instructional experience has been with students in behavioral dysregulation and youth adjudication requiring moderate to intense interventions. Dean's specializations include professional learning, learner experience design, environmental and agile space design, educational technology, and artificial intelligence, all viewed through the lens of universal design for learning.
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Rene DeLoss
Rene DeLoss has worked with neurodivergent individuals for 20 years as a special education teacher, a transition specialist, an editor, an author, and an in-home tutor. She specializes in individualized instruction, effective teaching strategies, and collaboration with families. DeLoss currently works with a team to create instructional materials, edits and manages a blog, and is a co-owner of Autism Moving Forward, LLC.
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Lynn DeMange
Lynn DeMange, OTR/L, CAS, graduated from Shawnee State University and worked for 4 years as an OT in clinical care at The Ohio State University Harding Hospital. In 2006, she transitioned to school-based therapy and worked for 10 years through the OT/PT department of the Montgomery County Educational Service Center - Regional Center. DeMange currently works for the Montgomery County Educational Service Center on the autism and low-incidence coaching team.
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Tracey DeMaria
Tracey DeMaria, OTD, OTR, is an experienced occupational therapist, specializing in pediatrics, who has worked in private practice, hospitals, outpatient clinics, early intervention, and many schools. She serves as an adjunct professor in the occupational therapy master's program at Moravian University and currently works in the Phillipsburg School District. DeMaria is a neurodiverse author and advocate for mental health and disability rights, and is committed to helping individuals of all ages learn the power of sensory and emotional regulation.
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MaryAnn Demchak
MaryAnn Demchak is professor of special education at University of Nevada, Reno, teaching courses in severe disabilities and applied behavior analysis. She directs Nevada's project for children with deafblindness. She also directs Project BASE: Behavior Analysis in Special Education. Demchak frequently consults with schools regarding education for students with significant disabilities. Research interests include systematic instruction of students with disabilities, data-based decision-making, evidence-based practices, and applied behavior analysis in education.
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Ron DeMuesy
Ron DeMuesy holds a B.A. in psychology from Miami University and a M.Ed. from The Ohio State University. He is a special education teacher, a BCBA and a COBA. As a BCBA in public school districts for nealry 25 years, his roles roles have varied. His current focus has been implementation of PFA and SBT and mentoring BCBAs, and RBTs. He is currently a lead consultant for FTF Behavior Consulting, a subject matter expert for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, president elect for the Ohio Association of Behavior Analysis and a forth-year doctoral student at Ohio State University. DeMuesy has served as an adjunct instructor for multiple Universities including John Carroll and Ohio State.
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Tony DePalma
Tony DePalma currently serves as the policy director for Disability Rights Florida, the state's federally authorized Protection and Advocacy system benefitting all Floridians with disabilities through the provision of free-and-confidential legal and advocacy interventions specified across ten or more federal grants. Before this, DePalma worked as an attorney, policy and budget analyst, special master for the Florida House of Representatives, and was an assistant general counsel for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. DePalma attended Florida State University, receiving bachelor's and master's degrees in communications and a law degree from the FSU College of Law.
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Katie DeSmith
Katie DeSmith holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Akron. With more than 16 years of experience as an Early Childhood Intervention Specialist, she has supported preschool children with diverse learning needs through inclusive practices. Currently, Katie serves as an Early Development and Learning Specialist at OCALI, providing coaching, consultation, technical assistance, and professional development. She is recognized for her leadership, collaboration, and dedication to improving outcomes for young children and their families.
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Courtney Dewhirst
Courtney Dewhirst is an associate professor of early childhood education at the University of Oklahoma.
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Leann DiAndreth-Elkins
Dr. Leann DiAndreth-Elkins is a seasoned special education professor, researcher, and administrator of disability services. She oversaw Muskingum University's PLUS Program, supporting students with disabilities to foster the development of skills for success in college, and ADA services, ensuring students with disabilities receive equal access to college programs and services. She developed Texas Tech University's TECHniques Center, providing students with disabilities transition support, tutoring, and academic coaching. She earned an EdD and MEd in special education from Texas Tech University and an MA in higher education and BS in elementary education from Indiana University of PA.
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Krista Dickens
Krista Dickens is a consultant for the State Support Team for Region 4 - Lake and Geauga County, providing professional development and technical assistance to early childhood and elementary administrators and staff. Dickens' membership on the Ohio Early Childhood Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Workgroup provides her experience with PBIS and behavior at the state, regional, district and classroom level. She has held positions as a special education supervisor, preschool coordinator, intervention specialist, and adjunct instructor.
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Taylor DiDonato
Taylor DiDonato, MS, is a rehabilitation program specialist (RPS) in the Supported Employment and Transition Unit at Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. She specifically works with the transition division, which oversees programs for students with disabilities. She was designated as an OTSP transition youth counselor for 5 years prior to entering her role as an RPS. She has worked tirelessly to support students and young adults through counseling, guidance, and services to reach their employment goals. DiDonato focuses on collaboration with schools and community support, along with empowering youth to find independence, involvement in their community, and successful employment.
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Danielle Dietz
Dr. Danielle Dietz is an teaching assistant professor of special education at East Carolina where she recently joined the faculty after serving as the instructional specialist in the STEPP Program, a comprehsnive support program for students with learning disabilities. Dietz earned her doctorate in special education in 2022 from Slippery Rock University and has a specific interest in supporting transition from high school to college for individuals with disabilities. She is conducting research on the expectations vs. realities of first year college students with disbailities as well as their parents.
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GeorgiAnn Diniaco
GeorgiAnn Diniaco, PhD, worked with young people and families for over 35 years in the field of substance abuse prevention/intervention. She was the creator of the substance abuse prevention/intervention program for the Dublin City Schools. This sustaining program is known for its success in empowering young people and supporting families. Diniaco has also been an adjunct instructor at both Ashland University and Columbus State. Currently, she is a national prevention trainer for the PAXIS Institute and instructor for Peer Collaboration. Diniaco completed her undergraduate degree at Kent State University and her masters and PhD at The Ohio State University.
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Anne Ditlevson
Anne Ditlevson is an education consultant who serves State Support Team 7's districts and schools on implementing PBIS, family engagement, UDL, and Charting the LifeCourse with fidelity. Ditlevson was a middle and high school science teacher for 8 years and was an assistant principal for 2 years. Ditlevson holds a bachelor of arts degree in creative eriting from Ashland University and a bachelor of science degree in geology from East Carolina University. In addition, Ditlevson holds a masters of teaching in arts for secondary sciences from East Carolina University and a masters of education in educational leadership from Ashland University.
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Carol Dittoe
Carol Dittoe has over 35 years of experience working as an SLP in both medical and educational settings. Her focus has been on autism, augmentative communication, and assistive technology. She currently serves on an autism and low-incidence coaching team, helping educators in the West Central Ohio region implement evidence-based practices to support their students. Dittoe is certified as an autism specialist and has presented at both state and national conferences. She has co-authored two books with AAPC Publishing, including the winner of the 2018 Teacher's Choice Award, Show Me! A Teacher's Guide to Video Modeling.
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Alexa Dixon
Dr. Alexa Dixon is a licensed psychologist with TRIAD, the autism institute at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center/Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She earned her doctoral degree in school psychology from the University of Florida and completed her predoctoral internship at Geisigner Medical Center/Geisinger Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute. She completed her postdoctoral training at TRIAD. Dixon's current research and clinical interests include early identification of and intervention for autism and increasing access to care using collaborative assessment models and telehealth.
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Starr Dobush
Starr Dobush is a transition and adult living specialist at OCALI. She has filmed the "Take 5" webcast on OCALI Lifespan Transitions Center's webpage, covering essential topics for the transition into adulthood. Content can be used when planning for post-school goals in independent living and competitive employment. Dobush has received a master's in special education with an emphasis in Transition To Work and is licensed as an intervention specialist mild/moderate K-12. Dobush is also certified through Association of People Supporting Employment First Initiative (APSE) as a Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP).
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Michele Dolensky
Michele Dolensky, MA CCC-SLP/ATP, works at the Stark Couny ESC. She is a member of the ATAAC and Feeding&Swallowing teams. She presents courses at the local, state, and national level focusing on AT, AAC, and feeding and swallowing. Additional work experiences include a residential facility for children, early intervention, SNF, parochial and charter schools, and a county school for students with developmental disabilities. Dolensky received her BA from the University of Akron and her MA from Kent State University. She is a member of ASHA. She has a LAMP Professional Certification. She is a RESNA Certified ATP.
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Hannah Douglass
Hannah Douglass is a first year doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the area of special education. She obtained her undergraduate degree in special education from Appalachian State University in 2018 and a master's in special education concentrating in low-incidence disabilities from the University of Maine in 2022. She has over 15 years of experience working with students with extensive support needs, six of those being in the classroom. Her primary research focuses on providing general curriculum access to students with multiple and complex disabilities.
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Jodi Dowell
Jodi Dowell joined the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education in July of 2022 as a research associate for low incidence disabilities. She is a former TESOL instructor and teacher of the blind/visually impaired. Dowell serves as an adjunct for the University of Rio Grande for the TVI Consortium, a program developed as part of the Low Incidence Sensory Disability (LISD) Collaborative of the Ohio Deans Compact. In her role at OCDBE, Dowell supports a variety of activities in the LISD focus areas and related projects.
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Kelly Draggoo
Kelly Draggoo is a social security public affairs specialist for central/southern Ohio and southern Indiana, which is part of social security's Chicago region. She acts as social security spokesmen, media liaison, and public educator. Draggoo joined SSA in 2009 as a claims representative processing disability, retirement and Medicare claims. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati.
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Scott Dueker
Scott Dueker is an assistant professor at Ball State University teaching Applied Behavior Analysis. He is also a board-certified behavior analyst with 10 years' experience working with individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. His focus is primarily on adolescents with profound disabilities; he has worked in homes, schools, residential placement settings, and the community. He earned his PhD in Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis at The Ohio State University. Dr. Dueker's research interests include using video technology to teach prenumeracy mathematics skills to moderate to severely impacted students.
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Kari Dunn Buron
Kari Dunn Buron, MS, taught students on the autism spectrum for 30+ years and was a founding member of the MN Autism Project. She developed an autism spectrum disorders certificate program for educators at Hamline University. Her work has focused on positive teaching, emotion regulation, and social understanding, and she has worked with parents and educators in Trinidad and Tobago, Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Nepal. She is the co-author of several books, many which have won awards. In 2012, Buron was inducted into the Illinois State University Education Department Hall of Fame.
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Claire Egan
Dr. Claire Egan is a board-certified behavior analyst who currently serves as the director of school projects with FTF Behavioral Consulting. In this role, Egan oversees the training of school staff in Practical Functional Assessment (PFA), Skill-based Treatment (SBT), and other processes designed to reduce severe problem behavior in students. Egan received her masters degree in special education from Columbia University, and her PhD in psychology from the National University of Ireland. She has presented her research at local and international conferences and has published her research in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, and the Psychological Record.
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Stephanie Ehret
Dr. Stephanie Ehret is an assistant professor of sociology at Trent University. She is a criminologist, and her research examines ways in which the criminal justice system upholds and perpetuates gendered, raced, classed, and ableist social inequalities, and she explores principles and extralegal options for doing justice. She has critically examined restorative justice principles and social remedies for responding to intimate partner violence. Her recent work includes two SSHRC funded projects on autism and criminal justice. She has published in The British Journal of Criminology and the Canadian Journal of Women and the Law.
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David Ellsworth
David Ellsworth, MPH, CHES, is the health services policy specialist at the Ohio Department of Health and leads the Ohio Disability and Health Partnership. He has extensive experience in promoting inclusive health initiatives, including his work on the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors "Inclusive Healthy Communities Project". He played a key role in expanding disability inclusion efforts across Ohio. Ellsworth has also been involved in developing adapted exercise and health promotion programs over the course of his career. His expertise in disability health policy and community inclusion has been instrumental in improving health outcomes for Ohioans with disabilities.
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Tina Evans
Tina Evans joined OCALI in 2023 with over 25 years experience at the Ohio Department of DD. She began her career in the areas of family support and EI. She spent much of her career working in partnership with other child serving agencies on initiatives supporting youth involved in multiple systems. In addition, she provided oversight to the MI/IDD COE and led several statewide initiatives supporting individuals with co-occurring diagnoses. Beginning in 2015, she led a regional team who focused on providing training and TA to local child serving agencies. In addition, Evans represented Ohio on national grants and initiatives.
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Jena Fahlbush
Jena Fahlbush, M.Ed., is a technical assistance (TA) specialist for the National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials & Instruction (NCADEMI). A licensed K-6 teacher, she spent nine years in the classroom before becoming a statewide TA specialist. There she guided multiple Indiana school districts in creating accessible educational materials (AEM) policies and provided TA on assistive technology (AT), AEM, and UDL. Taking her passion for accessibility to higher education, she designed and led an undergraduate AT course at Indiana University Kokomo. Fahlbush has spoken at various conferences and joined NCADEMI in 2024 to champion digital accessibility for all learners.
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Danene Fast
Danene Fast, PhD, is a clinical associate professor and faculty lead for the programs in visual impairments at The Ohio State University. A dually certified teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) and certified orientation and mobility specialist (COMS), she has received both local and national awards for her teaching, including a fellowship with the National Leadership Consortium for Sensory Disabilities (NLCSD). Fast has published and presented at local, national, and international venues, with a research agenda that focuses on accessibility and inclusion.
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Teri Faucette
Teri Faucette is a doctoral scholar at the University of Central Florida, specializing in ASD interventions, curriculum design, and teacher preparation. Her path to becoming an exceptional education teacher began when her son was diagnosed on the autism spectrum in 2007. As a teacher, she spent twenty years in various grade levels before leaving the classroom to pursue her PhD full-time. Faucette has presented at multiple national-level conferences on various topics, including social robotics and remote teacher coaching. She is committed to using her platform to ensure that students of all ages and abilities get what they need to meet their fullest potential!
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Corey Ferguson
Corey Ferguson works at the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities focusing on educating, engaging, and empowering Ohio families. His experience includes supporting people with IDD and their families via multiple programs and initiatives implemented to support them in pursuing their best lives. He received his master of health administration- health services management and policy at The Ohio State University. While at OSU, he pursued a graduate minor in public policy and management at the John Glenn School of Public Affairs, and participated as a LEND trainee within the Nisonger Center. Ferguson is the proud dad of 3 children with various medical diagnoses.
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Debra Fitzgibbons
Debra Fitzgibbons is coordinator for the Oregon Technology Access Program (OTAP). Fitzgibbons carries a master's in assistive technology and twenty five years' experience in providing AT and AEM supports to students. She led the Oregon AEM Cohort in partnership with the National AEM Center. Fitzgibbons served on the Oregon Dyslexia Advisory Council and is a member of the Oregon Literacy Leaders Network, and is a recipient of the 2024 Penny Reed Award for Excellence in Assistive Technology Innovation and Leadership. She was awarded the Joy Zabala Spirit Award at the Assistive Technology Industry Association Conference in 2025.
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Mary Fleck
Mary Fleck, M.Ed., BCBA, is the co-director of early intervention services at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center-TRIAD. Working in early intervention for 22 years, Fleck has served as a developmental therapist, inclusive preschool teacher, early intervention program director, and educational consultant. In her current role, she oversees a team of behavior analysts and early childhood specialists to provide direct services to families enrolled in state early intervention services, as well as trainings for service providers across the state. Fleck has presented at state, national and international conferences on supporting young children with ASD and their families.
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Veronica Fleury
Veronica Fleury, Ph.D. is an associate professor in special education at Florida State University. Her research is focused on classroom-based instructional interventions for learners with autism with a particular emphasis on language and early literacy development. Fleury has secured grants from the Organization for Autism Research, Autism Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education to support her research. The Council for Exceptional Children's Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) recognized her contributions to the field of applied autism research with the 2023 Research Award.
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Hillary Flood
Hillary Flood is a BCBA and an Oregon licensed BA with extensive experience in special education and behavior analysis. She holds a master of arts in teaching with a special education endorsement from Pacific University and a graduate certification in ABA from Arizona State University. Currently, she serves as a BA with Columbia Regional Inclusive Services and as an adjunct professor at Portland State University. Flood's expertise includes practical functional assessment and skill-based treatment in public school settings, and relational frame theory, acceptance, and commitment therapy. An award-winning presenter, she received the 2023 Oregon Association for ABA Award of Excellence.
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Megan Flowers
Megan Flowers is an education program specialist at the Office for Exceptional Children, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Flowers is a K-12 mod-intensive special education intervention specialist (reading endorsement) and preK-6 principal. She holds a master's degree in educational leadership from University of Cincinnati and studied at The Ohio State University. Her experience includes working with students that have orthopedic impairments, low incidence disabilities, are medically fragile and have complex communication needs. She serves on the diverse learner team as the low incidence and sensory disabilities consultant.
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Lynne Fogel
Lynne Fogel is a parent of a young woman with I/DD and a parent consultant at the Ohio Department of Health. With a previous career as a librarian and a long history of working as a family support professional, she is called to help people find the information, resources and support they need to live their best lives. Fogel is a Charting the Lifecourse ambassador and a trained support parent with Ohio P2P. She is a member of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council and founding member of CP Parent Columbus, a resource for families of children with cerebral palsy.
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Rebecca Folkerts
Rebecca Folkerts is an educational consultant, board certified behavior analyst, and adjunct instructor in special education. She is a former special education teacher and school-based behavior analyst and completed her PhD in special education in 2024. She has presented and published on topics related to school personnel preparation on assessing behavior and implementing evidence-based behavior interventions for students with disabilities.
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Jessica Folsom
Jessica Folsom is a program administrator at Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) who is assigned to transition youth and pre-employment transition services. She has worked in various positions at OOD for over ten years and was previously a rehabilitation program specialist and vocational rehabilitation counselor. Prior to working at OOD, she held positions in the field of vocational rehabilitation and worked specifically with injured workers and veterans. She currently maintains her certified rehabilitation counselor certification through the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification and Work Incentives Practitioner certification through Cornell University.
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Kelly Fonner
Kelly Fonner, MS, is a self-employed consultant and trainer in assistive and educational technology. For 40 years she has presented to schools, universities, and families across the US and internationally in Australia, Canada, and South Africa. She presents on a wide range of topics including technology integration, augmentative communication, computer access, literacy, electronic writing, organizers, assistive technology assessment, and implementation strategies. She is a co-author of the QIAT books. Her website is www.kellyfonner.com
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Jeremy Ford
Dr. Jeremy Ford is an associate professor of special education in the College of Education at Boise State University and is a nationally certified school psychologist. Before joining the faculty at Boise State University, he earned his Ph.D. in teaching and learning (special education) from The University of Iowa. Ford has experience working in schools in multiple capacities across kindergarten through high school and beyond. These experiences include: crisis intervention at an alternative school, teaching assistant for students with intellectual disabilities, school psychologist, professional development trainer, technical assistance provider, and consultant for students with autism.
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Chralin Forsthoefel
Chralin Forsthoefel is from the Office for Exceptional Children at Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and is Assistant Administrator for the Supports and Monitoring Team. Forsthoefel has been monitoring schools for 4 years and was previously employed in the developmental disabilities field for 16 years.
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Jill Fowler
Jill Fowler is the executive director of Community Fund Ohio. For over 30 years, she has successfully managed all aspects of operations across the nonprofit and legal sectors, focusing on strategic initiatives, operational oversight, program development and assessment, and all things people related. Fowler received her master of nonprofit organizations and master of business administration in organizational development and leadership from Case Western Reserve University. She is a certified executive coach and holds multiple HR certifications.
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Josiah Fowler
Josiah Fowler has worked as a rehabilitation technologist for the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute since 2022, where he assesses consumers from the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (KY OVR), conducts AT assessments, and delivers AT products and programs. Previously, he also worked as an administrative specialist II for KY OVR. He is currently enrolled in the University of Kentucky graduate school, pursuing a graduate certificate in developmental disabilities, and he received a BA in history from Western Kentucky University in 2020. He has previously presented on assistive technology at the 2024 KY APSE conference.
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Amy Gaffney
Amy Moore Gaffney, MA, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist and a TEACCH certified advanced consultant, is employed as an educational consultant for the Indiana Resource Center for Autism, Indiana Institute on Disability and Community at Indiana University. She has experience working with children, young adults, and their families in a variety of settings, including in-home, public and private schools, private clinics, and in the community. Gaffney brings to her presentations experiences she has learned as an autism consultant, as well as from being a parent of a child with a disability. Gaffney has presented nationally and internationally.
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Mitch Galbraith
Mitch Galbraith is an occupational therapist with 25 years of experience working with children and youth with disabilities. Early in his career, Mitch discovered a passion for assistive technology, which has since become the focus of his work. He is committed to ensuring that students have access to the tools they need to succeed in both school and life. Mitch served for six years as an Assistive Technology Specialist for the Arizona Department of Education, where he supported educators and therapists throughout the state. Currently, Mitch continues his work as an Assistive Technology Specialist within a local school district and is a member of the ESS leadership team.
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Joseph Garofalo
Joseph Garofalo is an undergraduate at the University at Albany, pursuing psychology (BA) and human development (BS). As a research assistant in the educational psychology and special education departments, he studies students internal feedback processing and support for autistic immigrant students, conducting data collection, coding, and statistical analysis. He has presented at AERA, SURC, and UAlbany Showcase and received the Dr. Seth Spellman, Jr. Academic Achievement Award. Additionally, he worked as a teacher's assistant, supporting students with disabilities.
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Emily Gaylord
Dr. Emily Gaylord, PT, DPT, is an assistive technology specialist at the Arizona Department of Education. She has an extensive background in pediatric physical therapy, including early intervention and school-based settings. Gaylord is a graduate of the University of Arizona Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Fellowship. She is a board-certified pediatric clinical specialist endorsed by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Gaylord is an enthusiastic advocate for using accessible and assistive technology to increase participation for all students.
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Callie George
Callie George is in her 17th year as a school-based SLP, with a current focus in the elementary setting. George is passionate about phonological disorders, the relationship between imagery and language, and the impact of speech and language on literacy and executive functions. As a result of teamwork, collaboration, and coaching from experienced mentors, she has also come to love working with AAC users. George gives back to the profession by supervising graduate students, mentoring clinical fellows, and supporting other SLPs with challenging cases. Her desire to make a difference drives her commitment to being a lifelong learner who strives to continuously improve practices.
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Angela Gerding
Angela Gerding is the director of programs and advocacy at Advocacy and Protective Services Inc. (APSI). APSI is a nonprofit agency that provides guardianship and other protective services to approximately 3000 individuals with developmental disabilities throughout Ohio. Gerding began her work at APSI in 2004 and has held various positions with the agency over the past 21 years. Gerding has a BA in sociology from Bluffton College and a certificate in public and nonprofit leadership from the OSU John Glenn College of Public Affairs.
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Gail Ghere
Gail Ghere, Ph.D. is a research associate at the TIES Center at the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota. She focuses on improving access to general education for students with disabilities, including those with extensive support needs, particularly in the areas of special education and general education collaboration and instruction, system change, and inclusive MTSS. During her career, she worked in urban, suburban, and rural school districts as a related service provider, leadership coach, and special education administrator.
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Taylor Gibbons
Taylor Gibbons has a bachelor's in intervention specialist education from Walsh University North Canton, and a master's in curriculum and teaching with an educational technology endorsement from Bowling Green State University. Currently, Gibbons is a 5th grade intervention specialist at North Ridgeville City Schools, and is the Council for Exceptional Children-Ohio unit president-elect.
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Kelley Gilbert
Kelley Gilbert is the director of instrumental music at Whitehall Yearling High School. She has taught instrumental music for 22 years, the last 13 years in Whitehall City Schools. At WYHS Gilbert directs the concert band, marching band, jazz band and handbell choir. Gilbert has been the recipient of the Whitehall Yearling High School "Educator of the Year" and the Whitehall Education Foundation's "Champion of Education." She holds a bachelor's of music education from Otterbein College and a master's of music in music education from Kent State University. In her spare time, Gilbert plays the alto saxophone in the Winds of Ohio community band.
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Shannon Gill
Shannon Gill is the chief fund development officer of Kids Brain Health Foundation. She is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience across the non-profit, government and post-secondary education sectors. She has also dedicated significant time to serving on numerous volunteer boards. Gill has served as chief of staff under four Government of Alberta ministers, including the Ministers of Health and Education, as well as served as the chief administrative officer of the Wildrose Political Association. She holds a bachelor of business administration (honors) with a specialization in human resources and organizational behavior and a bachelor of arts in theatre from Brock University.
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Flora Ginsburg
Flora Ginsburg is a graduate research assistant on the Enhancing Peer Networks Project and a first-year M.Ed. student in low-incidence and severe disabilities at Vanderbilt University. She received her B.S. in special education at Boston University and has Massachusetts teaching licensure in severe disabilities for students ages 3-21.
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Jordon Gliem
Jordon Gliem is a licensed speech and language pathologist and board certified assistant behavior analyst. She completed her master's degree in speech and language pathology at the University of Akron and her BCaBA at Florida Institute of Technology. With over a decade of experience in the field, Gliem has worked with a variety of clients with complex communication needs and behavioral profiles, with a focus on developing functional treatment plans. Gliem has led trainings on the local, national, and international levels as she is passionate about sharing best practices with other professionals in the field.
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Samantha Goldman
Samantha R. Goldman is a doctoral candidate in special education at the University of Kansas. Goldman's research focuses on leveraging AI and technology to enhance writing outcomes for students with disabilities. Her work has been published in leading journals such as the Journal of Special Education Technology and Journal of Interactive Learning Research. She has presented at numerous conferences, including the Council for Exceptional Children and the Assistive Technology Industry Association. Goldman won the Article of the Year in the Journal of Special Education Technology's Tech in Action Series and the Kaleidoscope Student Research Symposium Quantitative Research Poster Award.
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Maggie Gons
Maggie Gons, MA, CCC-SLP, is an early childhood professional development manager in OCALI's Center for the Young Child. She coordinates, trains, and provides technical assistance for several initiatives: ID Early and Intervene Early for Autism Spectrum Disorder. She practices as a speech-language pathologist and certified PLAY Project consultant and supervisor. Gons is an ASHA's Leadership Development Program alumni and has experience presenting locally, statewide, and nationally.
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Sarah Good
Sarah Good is a preschool intervention specialist in southern Ohio. She holds degrees in early childhood education, early childhood intervention specialist, educational leadership, and is currently working towards her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction. She is an adjunct professor at Ohio University, working in the teacher education department. Published an article for Young Children in 2019 regarding early childhood mathematics and differentiation; also she has presented on various topics regarding special education for four different organizations in the past six years.
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Julia Gorman
Julia P. Gorman is the associate director of the Educational Access Center and doctoral student studying curriculum and instruction at Boise State University in Idaho. She earned her bachelor of arts in elementary and special education and master of education in early and special education. Gorman has a demonstrated history of working with individuals with disabilities in the community, public PreK through 21, and postsecondary education.
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Amy Gould
Amy L. Gould, BCaBA is a dedicated behavioral health professional with over 18 years of experience in behavioral services, specializing in adolescent studies and transition programs. She currently serves as the senior director of student services at New Story Schools in Ohio, where she leads and oversees the departments of special education, CIA, special therapies, and transition programs across eleven schools within the network. Her work includes establishing and expanding curricula, building partnerships with community stakeholders, and implementing programs and operational systems that promote quality services and student development.
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Jennifer Govender
Jen Govender, M.Ed., serves as an assistive technology and accessible educational materials (AT&AEM) specialist at the AT&AEM Center at OCALI. She brings extensive experience as an early intervention specialist, assistive technology specialist, and teacher of students with visual impairments. Govender's diverse background has shaped her into a knowledgeable and empathetic educator who is deeply committed to supporting each student's individual goals, needs, and interests. Through her work, she collaborates with educators and families to ensure students and individuals receive the tools and resources necessary to thrive in their home, school, and community.
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Allison Graham Brown
Allison Graham Brown it the executive director of the Nest Support Project at NYU. As a proud member of the Nest community for 19 years, she begian as a special education teacher in NYC Public Schools and adjuncted at Hunter College and NYU. Currently, she oversees all project business, partners with and trains NYCPS leadership to enact system change and implement the inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming and strength-based Nest Model, and leads the support team at NYU to enact the project vision of a world that authentically embraces its inherent neurodiversity. She recently co-edited and authored The Autism Nest Model second edition.
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Colleen Green
Colleen Green is a social emotional learning consultant with the Montgomery County Educational Service in Dayton, OH. In her role she supports districts, administrators, and teachers in creating trauma-informed and neuroscience-aligned spaces for staff and students. She supports adult and student mental wellness through nervous system regulation. Green did her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Indiana University in Bloomington. She is a certified K-12 music teacher and spent 12 years teaching at both the elementary and middle school levels.
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Denise Griffin
Denise Griffin is an ACU doctoral (EdD) student in organizational leadership. She has a B.S. in education and a master's in special education (transition services). She has completed her 31st year teaching and is retiring early to pursue a special education consulting business. She emphasizes voice and choice, inclusion and belonging, and transition services. Her studies focus on individuals with severe and profound multiple disabilities and how to build social capital to belong in the local community.
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Barry Grossman
Barry G. Grossman, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and author. He specializes in counseling and assessment for individuals on the spectrum and has an emphasis on working with females on the spectrum. Grossman has authored books, textbook chapters, and journal articles. Grossman, along with his co-author, Dr. Ruth Aspy, wrote The Ziggurat Model, which earned the Literary Achievement Award from the Autism Society, and is being used successfully throughout the United States and internationally. Dr. Grossman serves on the Autism Society of America's panel of professional advisors.
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Tina Gunn
Tina Gunn has over 23 years in education, currently serving as a lead consultant at FTF Behavioral Consulting and a district behavior analyst in Burnaby School District, BC, Canada. She holds a master of education in special education, specializing in autism and developmental disabilities, and has been a BCBA since 2013. Since 2009, Gunn has provided behavioral services to children and youth with autism and developmental disabilities in various settings. She consults with school teams and designs training programs for district staff. As a lead consultant, Gunn empowers educators locally and internationally, enhancing their skills to support complex learners in inclusive classrooms.
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Deborah Hammer
Deborah Hammer is an autism specialist and low incidence specialist in Arlington, VA Public Schools, where she provides training and support to school staff, parents, and students. She serves on the board of directors of the Organization for Autism Researchand is chair of their Self-Advocate Advisory Council. She is a member the Virginia Autism Council. As co-chair of the Northern Virginia Transition Coalition, she helped organize Future Quest, a regional college and career fair for students with disabilities. She is on the Fairfax Area Disability Services Board and is the founder of a social club for neurodivergent young adults, Cool Aspies.
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Narmene Hamsho
Narmene Hamsho is an assistant professor in the school psychology program at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She is a co-director of the Smooth Sailing program, an autism-focused PD program for K-2nd grade teachers. As a licensed psychologist, Hamsho has consulted with teachers, families, and schools to facilitate the implementation of educational and behavioral supports for students with disabilities. Her research is focused on reducing academic opportunity gaps and improving the schooling experiences of neurodiverse youth and their families around the world.
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Marcy Hancock
Marcy Hancock possesses a blend of financial and educational expertise. Her professional background includes experience in finance, followed by a transition to education. She holds a master's degree in secondary special education and transition from the University of Kansas. As a Project SEARCH instructor, she gained experience in developing integrated employment opportunities. She previously led the Capacity Building Project at the Center on Disability and Development (CDD), which provided transition planning resources for educators supporting students aged 14-16. She now works on various projects within the center focused on transition services.
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Joette Hardin
Joette Hardin entered the special education field as a multi-categorical special education teacher. During her 25-year teaching career she worked in public school districts in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and Texas. Ms Hardin taught special education students at all grade levels and with all disabilities, but much of her years of teaching was spent educating students ages 14-22. Since joining the CDD, Ms Hardin has served as the program coordinator on the Work-Based Learning Project and the Capacity Building Project which are projects addressing student transition from school to work.
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Kari Harper
Kari Harper completed her medical degree at the Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University in 2014. She completed psychiatry residency and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine in 2019. She is now the division director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Wright State. She has experience working with youth and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders through Ohio's Telepsychiatry Project for Intellectual Disability and sits on the Multi-Disciplinary Comprehensive Assessment Team for Multi-System Youth.
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Jason Harris
Jason P. Harris, is the founder, spokesperson, and chief idea officer of Jason's Connection and a Facebook page with over 325,000 followers. As well as running Jason's Connection, Harris does consultation and speaking on many topics around disability culture, rights, justice and more. Previously he was director of strategic pperations of LADD. Prior to LADD, Harris was project coordinator at Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, with a focus on supported decision-making. Harris earned an M.S. in cultural foundations of education and a certificate of advanced disability studies from Syracuse University.
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Jenny Hartman
Jenny Hartman is a tenth year intervention specialist. Hartman has spent the last nine years as a high school cross categorical multiple disabilities teacher. She has worked with students with more intense disabilities as they transition from high school to adulthood. Hartman grew up with a younger sister with cerebral palsy. This experience has shaped her into the dedicated educator she is today. She earned a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University and master's degree from University of Dayton.
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Megan Havens
Megan Havens, M.Ed., is director of curriculum and instruction at St. Rita School for the Deaf. With 18 years of experience in Deaf education, she has served as a teacher of the Deaf, school administrator, and college instructor. In her current role, she leads the implementation of educational programs tailored to the unique needs of diverse learners.
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Susan Havercamp
Susan M. Havercamp, PhD, is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral health at the Ohio State University Nisonger Center. Her research explores physical and mental health issues in people with intellectual and other disabilities. Havercamp is a consulting editor for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the Disability and Health Journal, and Inclusion. She is past president of both the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Board of Directors and the Alliance on Disability in Health Care Education.
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Lyndsay Havey
Lyndsay Havey is an education program specialist at the Ohio Department of Education in the Office for Exceptional Children. Havey previously worked as a legal guardian representative for adults with developmental disabilities and then as an intervention specialist in the Cincinnati area. She currently works collaboratively with urban districts across Ohio as a member of the Urban Support Team. Additionally, Havey supports the Ohio Parent Mentor program and other family engagement work through the Office for Exceptional Children.
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Todd Haydon
Todd Haydon, PhD, LISW, BCBA-D is a professor of special education at the University of Cincinnati. His research interests include effective teaching practices, positive behavior and supports, and trauma informed care for students with disabilities. He has published over 50 research papers and book chapters. Haydon served as an associate editor for the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions from 2016-2023. He provides mental health counseling to students with disabilities in the schools on a part time basis.
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Sarah Heiniger
Sarah Heiniger is a research scientist at the University of Oklahoma. She is a board certified behavior analyst and nationally certified school psychologist. Her interests include dissemination of behavior analysis, fieldwork training, and supporting students with autism and behavior needs.
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Sarah Heldmann
Sarah Heldmann, BS, COTA/L, ATP, ACUE is an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) from Toledo, Ohio. Heldmann has over 20 years of experience working in the disability community. She works primarily with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Additionally, she serves as adjunct faculty in the OTA program at Owens Community College and on the state licensure board for occupational therapy. Heldmann feels passionately about encouraging persons with disabilities to dream big and then, achieve those dreams. Heldmann helps folks achieve those dreams through a variety of means including partnerships with local organization and utilizing assistive technologies.
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Kristen Henry
Kristen Henry is the executive director of Advocacy and Protective Services, Inc. (APSI Ohio), which provides guardianship and other decision-making supports to nearly 3,000 adults with developmental disabilities in Ohio. She is an attorney with experience advocating for individuals with disabilities on issues related to guardianship, supported decision-making, Medicaid, and civil rights, and she is a National Certified Guardian.
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Rui Hernandez
Rui Hernandez is a bilingual speech-language pathologist and AAC specialist for Sunnyside Unified School District in southern Arizona. She has 15 years of clinical experience, which includes working in early intervention, school-age populations, and individuals with complex communication needs. Hernandez currently works in a high school setting and provides AAC coaching to schools across her district. She is also an AAC evaluator and trainer for Northern Arizona University's AAC Evaluation and Training Program. She is passionate about developing training materials, professional development, and policies and procedures to improve the access and quality of service delivery for AAC users.
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Julie Herndon
Julie Herndon, OTR/L, is a highly experienced and respected occupational therapist specializing in working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related conditions. With over 30 years of expertise in the field, Herndon is recognized as an authority in addressing sensory, motor, and cognitive challenges that impact students' ability to thrive in educational settings. Her collaborative approach involves working closely with educators, families, and multidisciplinary teams to ensure students achieve their fullest potential. Herndon's dedication to her profession has a profound impact on the lives of children with autism as an expert occupational therapist.
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Tina Herzberg
Tina Herzberg is a professor and coordinator of the visual impairment program at the University of South Carolina Upstate. Her research focuses on braille literacy, STEM braille codes, STEM learning, assessment of students with visual impairments, tactile graphics, and efficacy of continuing professional development. She is also currently serving as the principal investigator of the federally funded braille training grant, Project INSPIRE 2: Access and Equity in STEM Learning for Individuals who Read Braille. She was previously a general education math and English teacher, a teacher of students with visual impairment, and specialist/team leader for a regional service center in Texas.
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Patrick Hickman
Patrick Hickman is an assistant administrator in the Office of While Child Supports at Ohio's Department of Education and Workforce.
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Deanna Hicks
Deanna Hicks, graduate of Cedarville University, has 25 years of teaching experience. She spent 20 years teaching 1st and 2nd grade at Eaton Community Schools. She is in her 6th year of special education, also at Eaton, primarily focusing on children with nonverbal autism and other high needs. Hicks and the building speech therapist collaborate closely to build communication skills in and out of the classroom. She has 4 full-time paraprofessionals in the classroom that are involved in ongoing trainings by the building speech therapist. Hicks has worked with the ACT team from Montgomery County for the last 5 years. She earned the A-List Teacher Nomination in 2022 from the ACT team.
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Jennifer Hight
Jennifer Hight, OTD, OTR/L, is an assistant professor in the department of Occupational Therapy at Eastern Kentucky University. Her clinical practice includes pediatrics, with a focus on early intervention and community-based practice.
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Andrew Hinkle
Andrew Hinkle is the co-director at the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) where he co-lead's NCEO's technical assistance activities. His focus is on topics related to the inclusion of students with disabilities in assessments including issues related to accessibility on state and district assessments. In this capacity, he oversees the development, planning, operation, and internal evaluation of multiple technical assistance activities that are provided to state and federal agencies, and other stakeholders. Prior to joining NCEO, Hinkle worked for 14 years at the Ohio Department of Education.
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Haley Hintz
Haley Hintz, M.S., is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Eastern Kentucky University and founding member of the Collaborative Assessment of Neurodiversity research lab. Hintz's current research is broadly focused on improving and understanding the utility of common assessment measures on populations of children with ASD. A portion of her clinical work with children with neurodevelopmental differences includes the treatment of trauma and suicidality. Hintz previously worked for the U.S. House of Representatives to advance access to affordable mental health care through policy and continues to engage in legislative, state-based outreach efforts to prevent trauma and suicide.
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Juliana Hirn
Juliana Hirn, Ed.S., CCC-SLP, is a doctoral candidate in exceptional education at the University of Central Florida (UCF). A student with disabilities herself, she is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities. She has her educational specialist degree in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) from the University of Georgia. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in CSD from UCF. Hirn's research interests include developmental language disorder, advocacy, accessibility, eyetracking, keystroke logging, facial expression data, language and learning disabilities, Deaf/hard of hearing, and American Sign Language.
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Hal Hixson
Hal Hixson is a web developer/designer focusing on accessibility and usability in online technologies. He has worked for the past 20 years, both in full-time and freelance capacities, for various educational and non-profit organizations. Most recently, he has concentrated on content/learning management systems and collaboration platforms that combine standards-based development methods with clean and simple designs.
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Jessica Hoffman
Jessica Hoffman currently serves as regional literacy specialist for Urban Support for Ohio State Support Team 13, consulting with Cincinnati Public Schools. She has been an educator for over 20 years in many roles: general education teacher, researcher, writer, teacher educator, professional development provider, instructional coach, and literacy consultant. She has published numerous journal articles and book chapters in literacy practitioner and researcher journals and presented for many years at the Literacy Research Association and International Literacy Association conferences.
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Nicole Holder
Nicole Holder is an Upper Arlington City Schools intervention specialist in the Individualized Needs Center (INC). She works with 14-21-year-olds and teaches from the extended standards, as well as creating functional and vocational learning opportunities for her students. She utilizes community-based instruction and work-based learning experiences. Holder has her master's from BGSU in special education: secondary transition with a TTW endorsement. Holder has fully incorporated peer collaborators into her school program. As a former peer herself, she uses her experiences to help train students to be positive role models in classes with all types of students.
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Annemarie Horn
Annemarie L. Horn, PhD, is an assistant professor of special education in the department of teacher education and leadership at Radford University in Radford, Virginia. Her research interests include special education teacher professional learning and development, with an emphasis on eCoaching with Bug-in-Ear (BIE) technology, and rural special education.
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Genevieve Hornik
Genevieve Hornik earned a bachelor's degree in English and a certificate in secondary education from Colorado College. She later earned a Juris Doctor from University of Baltimore School of Law. Hornik worked as a Project HEAL intern during the summer after her first year of law school. After law school, Hornik served as a judicial law clerk in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County and then worked in private practice before joining Project HEAL as a staff attorney. Her current practice involves representing patients ant Kennedy Krieger Institute and their families with special edcuation legal issues.
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Jessica Horowitz-Moore
Jessica Horowitz-Moore is the chief of student and academic supports at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce where she oversees the offices of Exceptional Children, Nutrition, and Whole Child Supports. In her role, she oversees policies in these areas and collaborates with agencies across state government to support student wellness and learning for children of all ages. A lifelong child and family advocate, Horowitz-Moore works to eliminate non-academic barriers to student learning and provide students needed supports inside and outside of the classroom.
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Brittany Hott
Brittany L. Hott, PhD, is a professor of special education in the department of educational psychology at the University of Oklahoma. She is a board certified behavior analyst-doctoral (BCBA-D) with interests in rural school-based interventions, program evaluation, and the effective translation of special education research to practice. Her work is predominantly with deep east Texas and southeast Oklahoma schools. Hott is a member of the executive board of the American Council on Rural Special Education.
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Kelly Houston
Kelly Houston is a project assistant at the AT&AEM Center at OCALI. She supports the operation of the AT&AEM Center's delivery system of accessible educational materials to Ohio school districts. Houston carries out the annual Federal Quota registration of legally blind students on behalf of OEC, resulting in Federal Quota funds for AEM for Ohio students. She maintains the AT&AEM clearinghouse of braille, digital, and large print textbooks and educational aids for loan to eligible students, and provides technical assistance related to AEM. She also assists with data collection for the AT&AEM Center. Houston has supported the Federal Quota program for 20 years.
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Kimberly Howard
Kimberly Howard M.ED. is a field training coordinator for Kentucky Autism Training Center. Her primary rolls are coaching teachers across Kentucky to support the educational goals of autistic students as well as providing trainings in a variety of topics related to the field of autism. She is a dual certified special education teacher with degrees in counseling.
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Jim Howell
Jim Howell started teaching in 1998 and is currently the band director/music teacher at Osnaburg Local Schools. In 2009, Howell created a music class for students with special needs at the middle and high school levels. He has presented his methods in a documentary film and at professional conferences for educators, such as the Texas Autism Conference, Milestones National Autism Conference, the Ohio Music Education Association, and OCALICON. Howell also works with Advocates for Success, a vocational program for adults with disabilities. He is the author of the book A Special Need for Music and is the creator of the online music program Learn With Drums.
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Shannon Huber
Shannon Huber has a strong educational background in psychology and applied behavior analysis, holding a BA in psychology and a MS in applied behavior analysis. Her career spans program and clinical management, behavior consultation, and educational leadership, emphasizing evidence-based frameworks to enhance academic and behavioral outcomes for students with special needs. As senior director of outreach services at New Story Schools of Ohio, she plays a key leadership role. She is actively involved in professional organizations and has presented at conferences, sharing insights on the continuum of care for students on the spectrum and applied behavior analysis in education.
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Ashiko Hudson
Ashiko Hudson is the program administrator for the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood, within the Ohio Department of Children and Youth. Hudson possesses over 20 years of professional experience working in state, city and county government, as well as the non-profit sector, with more than 7 years managing fatherhood programs at Action for Children. In his current role, Hudson oversees all aspects of the commission's pilot programs, while also providing monitoring support of the core fatherhood programs. Hudson also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Franklin University.
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Jill Hudson
Jill Hudson, M.S., CCLS, is an international autism consultant, presenter, and author. She received her master's degree in autism from the University of Kansas and her child life certification from Johns Hopkins Hospital. Hudson was an invited participant at the 2011 Autism Awareness event held at the White House. She has many publications in the field of autism, including multiple articles, chapters, and four books. Hudson co-coordinates OCALICON, works with OCALI's national and state partnerships, is the co-chair of the National Autism Leadership Collaborative (NALC), and previously facilitated NASDSE's federal funded national Community of Practice on ASD.
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Bobby Huffman
Bobby Huffman is an intervention and behavioral specialist at Jones Middle School in the Upper Arlington School District with 20 years of teaching experience. He holds a master's degree in applied behavior analysis from The Ohio State University. During his studies at Ohio State, Huffman's research interests targeted behavioral interventions, leading to publications in the journal Behavior Analysis in Practice. Huffman has presented at various conferences in the Midwest including OCALICON, the OHABA Conference, and the ABAI Conference. In addition, he has received several hours of training in using acceptance and commitment therapy techniques to reduce emotional suffering.
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Genevieve Hurlburt
Genevieve Hurlburt, M.Ed., is a Ph.D. student at the Ohio State University studying special education. Her research interests include promoting communication and social interaction for AAC users and students with significant disabilities and complex communication needs (CCN). Hurlburt has worked as an intervention specialist serving students with significant disabilities in central Ohio. Currently, she works as an interventionist for two research projects that aim to promote meaningful inclusion for students with significant disabilities and improve reading outcomes for students with CCN. She has presented at national conferences and guest lectured for undergraduate courses at Ohio State.
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Richelle Hurtado
Richelle "Ricki" Hurtado is an autistic BCBA-D passionate about neurodiversity and autism advocacy. For 10 years, she has applied her skills in both clinical and academic settings in many ways, including providing direct care services, supervising technicians, training caregivers, conducting translational research, and teaching behavior analytic principles to students. Hurtado is working on developing tools to teach autism-affirming practices to educators, professionals, and caregivers. She also creates resources directed towards self-advocates on practical tools that can be utilized to improve quality of life through the lens of lived experience.
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Enid Hurtado-Stremming
Enid Hurtado-Stremming holds a bachelor's degree in special education with a concentration in moderate and severe disabilities from San Diego State University and a master's in education in applied behavior analysis from Arizona State University. With a decade of experience teaching PreK-12 in both urban and rural school districts, she has specialized in supporting autistic students, promoting inclusive practices, and implementing assistive technology. Currently, she serves as a coach for school staff at the Kentucky Autism Training Center, where she provides guidance and professional development to enhance educational outcomes for students with autism.
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Brianna Hutchison
Brianna Hutchison RBT with over six years of experience supporting individuals with autism and developmental differences. For the past three years, she has worked within Ohio County Schools, providing behavioral support and collaborating with educators to promote student success in grades pre-k-3rd grade. Prior to this role, Brianna gained extensive experience in an intensive 1:1 ABA clinic, where she delivered individualized interventions to meet diverse client needs.In Summer 2025, Brianna earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Capella University and plans to further her education in teaching to expand her ability to support students in both academic and behavioral growth.
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McAlister Huynh
McAlister Greiner Huynh is a national board certified special educator, author, speaker, and creator in NC, USA. She has been working with and learning from neurodivergent individuals professionally since 2011, steadily growing in her passion for neurodiversity, disability culture, and radical acceptance. Huynh is the educator behind "The Neurodivergent Teacher" on Facebook and Instagram, where she connects with families, professionals, and neurodivergent people worldwide to share philosophies around teaching, self-advocacy skills, accessibility, and coping strategies.
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Kelli James
Kelli James has worked in the disabilities field for the past nine years. She began as an educational American Sign Language interpreter and during that time obtained her master's of science in special education. She worked as an intervention specialist, primarily educating children diagnosed with autism. She has presented regarding virtual instruction, has been featured on the Boundless podcast, and has presented on the topic of social skills interventions. Currently, she is the peer and transitions supervisor at I Am Boundless, where she leads Boundless Experiences for Successful Transitions (BEST), which includes peer mentorship, social groups, job coaching, and case management.
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Matt Jameson
J. Matt Jameson is a professor in special education at the University of Utah. His primary research interests include instructional strategies and inclusive educational procedures for students with significant cognitive disabilities. He has authored and coauthored articles and book chapters focused on the provision of a free and appropriate public education and highly qualified special education teachers, instructional strategies used to support students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive settings, and evaluations of distance education and teacher preparation programs. He is currently the program coordinator for the low incidence disability program.
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Zhenying Jiang
Zhenying Jiang is a doctoral student in special education at the University of Kentucky, where she also serves as a research assistant. She holds master's degrees in interdisciplinary early childhood education and museum studies. She is a BCBA with experience supporting children and families across multiple settings. Her main research interests include family-centered approaches, social communication interventions, and culturally responsive practices. She has presented her work at regional and national conferences. Jiang has published peer-reviewed journal articles and co-authored books in science education. She is committed to supporting inclusive and equitable early intervention.
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Beverley Johns
Beverley Johns has over 40 years' experience working with students with special needs in Illinois. She was the administrator of a specialized school for students with emotional behavioral disorders and also was a retired professional fellow at MacMurray College. She is the author of 28 books, many of which are about working with students with behavioral issues. She now is a learning and behavior consultant and is the president of the Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois.
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Gabrielle Johnson
Gabrielle Johnson is a research administration management consultant at the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE). Johnson possesses a longtime passion for the pursuit of equity, social justice,and systemic change in education which led her to earn her PhD in educational studies, with a focus on school psychology from The Ohio State University. She is an Ohio Licensed School Psychologist and leverages her experience in this field as director of the Parent Mentor Oversight and Professional Development Program, CETE's leadership of Ohio's Parent Mentor Project.
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Ed Kapel
Ed Kapel, an employee of 25 years for the Office for Exceptional Children, continues his lifetime work of improving the delivery of services for children with disabilities, which includes classroom experience, supervision and organizational leadership. His time at the Ohio Department of Education culminated with serving as the interim director of the office. Currently serving as an assistant director for Region 7 State Support Team, Kapel provides professional development regarding instructional leadership, integration of students with disabilities, and parent support.
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Matthew Kaplowitz
Matt Kaplowitz is president and director of technology and innovation for Bridge Multimedia, the largest producer of audio description for network and cable TV in the United States.
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Alexa Karach
Alexa Karach is a child studies master's student at Vanderbilt University. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2024 with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in child and family development. She is interested in studying social-emotional development, emotion regulation, peer relationships, and social inclusion of minimally speaking children with autism.
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Hannah Keene
Hannah Keene, BCBA, has worked in applied behavior analysis (ABA) since 2017, beginning as a CLS provider in rural Kentucky. She earned her master's at the University of Kentucky, where she worked in a severe behavior clinic specializing in parent training and researched technology use to promote independence in students with IDD. As a BCBA, she served children with autism and other diagnoses across home, center, and community settings. Now pursuing a Ph.D. at UK, her research focuses on developing effective training models for future BCBAs and special education teachers to improve outcomes for children with IDD.
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Mary Kelty
Mary Beth Kelty is an itinerant teacher of the visually impaired and a certified orientation and mobility specialist who has taught as an intervention specialist for the past 24 years. She serves as a division chair for AERO for the education division. Kelty has presented several times at OCALICON, covering topics such as autism/technology and Tourettes. She has presented at both AERO and the TVI Online Symposium by Allied Independence.
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Brandon Kendall
Brandon Kendall is currently a special education teacher in a self-contained therapeutic program for students with complex emotional and behavioral needs and is completing his masters in educational leadership. Kendall is an educator at heart and has taught kindergarten through high school students in public schools, private schools, and residential facilities. He has a passion for special education and particularly for those students who have experienced significant adversity in their lives. In adition to teaching, Kendall spent 6 years teaching meditation to inmates at the Montana State Prison and working as the residential director for a children's oncology camp in Montana.
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Stephanie Keyser
Stephanie Keyser, M.A., BCBA, COBA, received her degree in applied behavior analysis from Ball State University and currently serves as the district behavior analyst for New Albany Plain Local Schools. She has worked across clinical, home, and school settings. Keyser is passionate about empowering those providing direct services to confidently utilize applied behavior analysis to support learners. Keyser presented previously at the Milestones National Autism Conference on relating the Global Autism Project Model to Local Practices.
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Patrick Kilbane
Patrick Kilbane is the Community Connections Manager and the Miami County Special Olympics Local Coordinator for the Miami County Board of Development Disabilities. He is a father of three children. Two of his children are complex medical that receive county board services. He created Mom's and Dad's Night Out events to bring caregivers together that walk a similar path. He has a background in special education as a former Intervention Specialist at the Pickaway County Board of Developmental Disabilities and a Transition Specialist. He has worked as a Service and Support Administrator. He has a background with helping youth and adults find community employment.
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Kelsy Kirby
Kelsy Kirby brings more than 10 years of experience as an Intervention Specialist in the public-school systems in central Ohio. With a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Ohio University, as well as an M.Ed. in Special Education, Kelsy worked as a behavior technician at an autism center for adolescents and young adults. Most recently, she served as a specialized behavior program teacher. She is passionate about supporting the autism community and looks forward to bringing that passion to this new role. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children.
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Harold Kleinert
Dr. Harold L. Kleinert is director emeritus, Human Development Institute and professor emeritus, College of Health Sciences, University of Kentucky. In his 55-year career, he has taught students with moderate and severe disabilities in settings ranging from state institutions to regular classrooms. He directed a broad range of federally funded demonstration and research projects, including alternate assessment, peer supports, and transition. He also directed work to teach medical, dental, nursing, and physician assistant students to communicate effectively with patients with developmental disabilities and autism. He served as co-course instructor for the KY LEND program.
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Karen Koehler
Karen E. Koehler, PhD, is an associate professor at Shawnee State University and the project director for the TVI Consortium and Certificate in Deafblind Education programs. She has presented at state and national conferences on topics related to education and supports for students who are visually impaired or deafblind, creating and sustaining partnerships in educator preparation and teaming to provide summer opportunities for children with low incidence sensory disabilities.
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Janet Kolk-Fazzio
Janet Kolk-Fazzio joined the Coalition in September 2023. She will be working in the executive office assisting families. Kolk-Fazzio provides information and resources, training, and assistance concerning special education to faamilies and professionals. She has a bachelor's degree in special education and is also working on her master in STEAM education.
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Tara Konstantakopoulos
Tara Konstantakopoulos is a teacher of the visually impaired and an orientation and mobility specialist at PNW BOCES in New York. After attending The Ohio State University programs for both her M.Ed. in visual impairment and certification for orientation and mobility, she taught at Ohio State School for the Blind. Upon her return to New York, Konstantakopoulos worked in District 75 of NYC Public Schools as an itinerant teacher of the visually impaired and orientation and mobility specialist. She has presented on a variety of topics at various in-services and conferences throughout the country.
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Colleen Kornish
Colleen Kornish, MEd, is a consultant and coach with State Support Team 9. She helps support traditional districts and community schools in Region 9. She assists schools in utilizing the Ohio Improvement Process to meet the needs of each LEA that she serves to improve student outcomes. She is an OLi4 coach. She is a member of the Ohio UDL Collaborative and works to help teachers remove barriers and provide access for ALL students using the principles of universal design for learning. Kornish is a "Golden Rule" advocate. Kornish was an elementary principal before becoming a consultant at SST9.
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Reena Kothari
Reena Kothari, Au.D., is a public health audiology consultant for the Ohio Department of Health in the infant hearing program and Ohio's Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program. She works with Ohio birthing hospitals and childrens hospitals on the newborn hearing screening program and follow up testing, as well as other parts of the EHDI system. She has developed public awareness materials, trainings, developed state and national level presentations for the Ohio Department of Health's infant hearing program.
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Renee Kramer
Renee Kramer has been in education for 23 years in a variety of roles within Celina City Schools: Special Education Aide, Intervention Specialist, High School Assistant Principal, and current High School Principal. She recently presented "Re-engage, Refocus, and Recover: Addressing Key Factors in Graduation Readiness" at the National Student Support Systems Convening in Indianapolis on February 25, 2025, with SST-6, Celina City Schools' Special Education Director, and Celina High School Assistant Principal.
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Karen Kritzer
Karen L. Kritzer, Ph.D. is the director of the Deaf Education Program at Kent State University. She has taught deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) students from preschool to upper elementary grade levels. At the university level, she teaches courses including Deaf Studies, Language Development, and Curriculum Design. Dr. Kritzer's research is focused on mathematics education for young D/HH children and family/home-related factors that contribute to early learning and development of critical thinking skills for this population. She has a variety of publications and has presented nationally and internationally on related topics.
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Leah Kuypers
Leah Kuypers, M.A. Ed., OTR/L, earned a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master's in education with a graduate certificate in autism from Hamline University. With experience in school and clinical settings, she specializes in regulation and social emotional learning. Kuypers is the author and creator of The Zones of Regulation, a widely adopted framework used internationally. She regularly presents on the topic to educators, therapists, clinicians, and caregivers across the globe.
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Aaron Lanou
Aaron Lanou is an inclusive educational consultant who coaches teachers to implement strengths-based supports for autistic students and all kids with academic, executive functioning, and social support needs. A member of Carol Gray's Team Social Stories, Lanou leads Social Stories workshops and supports the development of the Social Stories philosophy and approach. A former special educator, Lanou was executive director of the Nest Support Project at New York University, supporting the nation's largest inclusion program for autistic students. He has presented nationally and internationally, including in Aarhus, Denmark, where he led the adaptation of the Nest model to Danish schools.
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Cathy Lassiter
Cathy Lassiter, Ed.D., is an author and international consultant with over 40 years in public education. Previously she served as a middle and high school social studies teacher, award-winning middle school principal and respected senior leader in a large urban district in Virginia. She has published several books with Corwin Learning, her most recent title Consequential Leadership: An Illustrated Guide for Leading for Impact. Her expertise includes school and central office leadership, school improvement, curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional development. She is a certified consultant in Visible Learning, Teacher Clarity, and other Corwin Learning content lines.
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Bernadette Laughlin
Bernadette Laughlin is the related services specialist in the Office for Exceptional Children at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. With a unique background of serving as a school speech-language pathologist before becoming a special education attorney, Laughlin has performed many roles at the department including overseeing special education related services, complaint investigation, coordination of Ohio's due process hearings, training of state hearing officers, tackling special education staffing shortages and is an expert in special education law. Laughlin holds a BS and MA from the Ohio State University, a juris doctorate from Capital University, and presents nationally.
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Amy Laurent
Amy Laurent, PhD, OTR/L, is the co-director of Autism Level UP! an autistic/allistic partnership dedicated to the provision of education, accessible resources, and practical strategies focused on increasing active engagement for autistic individuals and the members of their communities. She is a co-author of the SCERTS Model and frequently lectures internationally. She is passionate about neurodiversity and helping others to honor and understand the implications of "different ways of being" in relation to navigating the physical and social world. Laurent strives to practice what she preaches and uses her love of play and movement to meet her own regulatory needs.
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Mallory Legg
Mallory Legg is the director of Project HEAL (Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law). Legg earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Delaware and a juris doctor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She interned at Project HEAL during her second and third years of law school, started as a staff attorney in August 2014, and became the director in 2022. Legg received The Maryland Daily Record's Leading Women Award in December 2017, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Young Professional Award in November 2017, the Maryland Legal Services Corporation's Rising Star Award in 2018, and the Daily Record's VIP List Award in 2019.
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Janelle Leonard
Janelle Leonard is the case manager at Community Fund Ohio. With over 20 years of experience in social work, Leonard is a dedicated advocate for individuals navigating a range of physical, intellectual and psychological disabilities across the life span. Leonard attended Ohio University completing BA degrees in social work and Spanish and an MSW. She has been licensed in the state of Ohio since 2001, obtaining her Licensed Independent Social Work licensure in 2015. Leonard's professional knowledge covers the fields of disabilities, mental health, and aging.
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Stacey Lipps
Stacey Lipps is the program coordinator for independent programming at the University of Cincinnati, supporting transition-aged students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in developing pre-employment skills and job exploration. With 18 years of experience, she has honed her expertise in working with students facing emotional and behavioral challenges, particularly those impacted by autism and related disabilities. Lipps has contributed to the Warren County ESC's Social Communication Program, focusing on structured programming, evidence-based practices, and individualized interventions, and has experience in adult programming and community-based services
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Kaylan Long
Kaylan Long, M.Ed, BCBA, LBA, is a training and technical assistance associate at the VCU- Autism Center for Education (ACE). Long earned her masters of education in special education from Auburn University. She comes to ACE with experience as a special education teacher in two different states outside of Virginia. As a licensed behavior analyst, Long has extensive district-wide experience in providing coaching and training to various educational professionals within the public school setting on instructional and behavioral programming. Her passion is training others to provide trauma-informed, dignified, and values-based services to students with disabilities.
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Erin Loomis
Erin Loomis has served as an intervention specialist in a K-3 resource room for the past 8 years. She received her bachelor's in early childhood intervention specialist and intervention specialist mod/int from Walsh University and master's in special education: autism and related disabilities from Youngstown State University.
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Pamela Luft
Pamela Luft, PhD, is a professor emerita of deaf/special education at Kent State University. She is a current board member, prior president and secretary of the Council on Education of the Deaf, a consortium of eight organizations working to advocate, accredit deaf education programs, and certify program graduates. She has an MEd in deaf education from McDaniel College, an MS in technology for persons with disabilities from Johns Hopkins University, and a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research and publications focus on literacy, transition, technology, employment of persons with disabilities, deaf and special education policy, and instructional practices.
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Sean Macaskill
Sean is a professional and AuDHD. He co-founded Autistic Knowledge Development (AKD) which is a non-profit autism think tank based in Scotland. AKD created and runs in partnership with the Scottish Government the main free to access adult pre/post-diagnostic autism support nationwide service for Scotland. This service is available to people with or without a formal diagnosis. They published a Scottish Government white paper for adult autism support recently. The key findings are that the best quality autism support should be designed and led by trained professionals who are also autistic. Their work here is essential and has been proven to be both life-changing and in some cases lifesaving.
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Tara Madden
Tara Madden is a teacher for students with intellectual disabilities and autism at a high school, working on a masters en route to PhD in special education with a focus on applied behavior analysis specialization at the University of Nevada, Reno. She got her bachelors in animal science and was a veterinary technician, prior to becoming a teacher and getting a masters in special education. She presented a poster at the 2024 NABA conference, Specific Praise for Individuals with Disabilities: An Abbreviated Systematic Review. She has also worked on training with paraprofessional staff with various prompting methods and data collection, including least to most prompting within the classroom.
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Kelly Mahler
Kelly Mahler, OTD, OTR/L, has been an occupational therapist for 23 years, serving autistic children and adults. She is winner of the 2020 AOTA Emerging and Innovative Practice Award. Mahler is an adjunct faculty member in the department of occupational therapy at Elizabethtown College and is a co-principal investigator of multiple research projects pertaining to topics such as interoception, trauma, autism, and anxiety. She is an international speaker, presenting frequently on topics related to the eight, award-winning resources she has authored including The Interoception Curriculum & My Interoception Workbook.
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Tracey Manz
Tracey Manz is the parent of an amazing young man with autism. Manz is the project manager for the Family Resource Network of Ohio which is the hub for Charting the LifeCourse in Ohio and provides resources to families that experience disability. She is a Charting the LifeCourse ambassador. Manz is also the project manager for the Nisonger Aspirations program which provides social skill development and resource education for teens and adults on the autism spectrum and their caregivers.
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Hunter Markle
Hunter Markle is an autistic young adult with autism. He enjoys sharing his experience of living a mentally healthy life and transitioning to the adult health care system. He completed high school by transferring to a virtual school and was working on college courses when COVID happened. He is currently working part-time in the deli department at a local grocery store and speaks regularly about transition through a partnership with the Wisconsin Youth Health Transition Initiative. He has given input to different Got Transition? projects. He also freely shares his mental health struggles and how he deals with them as an autistic. He loves D&D and is always looking for campaigns to join.
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Timothy Markle
Timothy Markle is director of WI Youth Health Transition Initiative at the Waisman Center (UW Madison). He is the 2025 Merle McPherson Family Leadership Award winner for exemplary contributions to further family/professional collaboration within the state Title V program & AMCHP. He is on the board of directors for the ASSCW. He is married, has two adult children (one on the spectrum) and lives in Stoughton, WI. He is founder of Forgiveness Factor, which exists to promote forgiveness as a way to live mentally well through classes, workshops, and speaking about forgiveness, suicide prevention, and addiction recovery. He has MAs in counseling and Christian studies.
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Katie Marshall
Katie Marshall, Ed.S/ M.Ed, has worked in the area of special education for over twenty years. She has served as a school psychologist, assistant principal, and director for student services in both small and large districts. Marshall currently works as a consultant with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce State Support Team (SST) Region 13 where she focuses on school improvement, multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), and special education in the Cincinnati area schools and districts.
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Peter Marti
Peter Marti is a third-year doctoral candidate in the special education program at Florida State University (FSU). He is also an Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) predoctoral fellow through the R2D2 program. Marti graduated from Florida State University in 2018 with an MS in curriculum and instruction. Before returning for a PhD, he taught elementary special education for 2nd through 5th grade for four years. Currently, Marti works with Dr. Veronica Fleury on dialogic reading research. His core research interest is to develop socially valid technology-based literacy interventions for autistic children.
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Lee Mason
Lee Mason, PhD, BCBA-D, is an applied behavior analyst with Child Study Center at Cook Children's in Fort Worth, Texas, and an associate professor of medical education in the Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University. For the past quarter century he has worked with people with disabilities in recreational, residential, educational, and clinical settings. Mason was a member of the faculty of the University of Texas at San Antonio for eight years, where his research on language assessment and intervention for children with autism from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds was honored with the President of UTSA's Distinguished Diversity Award.
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Jennifer Matson-Cary
Jennifer Matson-Cary is a speech language pathologist within Lancaster City Schools. She has over 10 years of experience, working with children with various disabilities including speech and language impairments, autism spectrum disorder, and hearing impairments. Matson-Cary has experience working with AAC systems and works with students in self-contained classrooms. She enjoys working with other professionals to help students become more effective communicators and support their communication across multiple environments. Matson-Cary received her BA and MA in speech language pathology from the University of Toledo.
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Raymond McCain
Raymond Chip McCain is from the Office for Exceptional Children at Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and is education program specialist for the Supports and Monitoring Team. McCain has been monitoring schools for 9 years and was previously employed in Tennessee where he was a intervention specialist for 12 years and a special education administrator for 9 years.
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Christine McCall
Christine McCall is a innovative occupational therapist with almost twenty five years of experience, including four years as a licensed therapist and twenty years as an assistant. McCall earned her master of science in occupational therapy from the University of Cincinnati in 2021, where she presented at AOTA on her research completed on return to work and meaningful productivity after stroke. Currently, McCall supports students with multiple and emotional disabilities at Montgomery County Learning Center. McCall is recognized for her dedication to professional development, mentorship, and advancing occupational therapy practices within non-traditional learning settings.
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Tricia McCollum
Tricia McCollum, PhD, works as a consultant with Ohio's State Support Team, Region 4. She specializes in the areas of early learning school readiness, special education, and family and community engagement. She received her doctorate in special education from Kent State University. McCollum has worked in the field of special education for 16 years as a teacher, administrator, and consultant, and has spent the past 8 years working with preschool children with ASD. Her research interests include supporting young children with ASD and the adults who work with them, peer-mediated interventions, and creating structured early childhood settings.
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Shelley McCoy-Shehata
Shelley McCoy-Shehata, TVI, COMS, is an evaluation coordinator with the Statewide Services and Outreach Division of Ohio Deaf and Blind Education Services. McCoy-Shehata has served as adjunct faculty at The Ohio State University and Shawnee State University. She earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education, and M.A. in sensory impairment and inclusion from OSU where she also received certifications in orientation and mobility and teaching students with VI. McCoy-Shehata is enrolled in the Certificate in Deafblindness Education Program at SSU and has served on various boards for professional organizations.
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Stacy McGuire
Stacy N. McGuire, Ph.D., BCBA-D, is an assistant professor in the School of Inclusive Teacher Education at Bowling Green State University. Her research focuses on providing equitable education for students with behavioral support needs and emotional and behavioral disorders.
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Donna McNear
Donna McNear, M.A., COMS, is an independent educational consultant specializing in technical assistance and supports to children with visual impairments. She partners with educational agencies, organizations, and families nationally/internationally. She is an author, researcher, and presenter at conferences/webinars and recognized for her work in assistive technology, braille, and the western Pacific islands. She is a recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Award, Council for Exceptional Children; the Holbrook-Humphries Literacy Award, Getting In Touch with Literacy 2023. She serves on the Philanthropic Council for the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, University of Minnesota.
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Tera McNutt
Tera McNutt is a board certified behavior analyst specializing in therapeutic services for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. She holds a master of arts in applied behavior analysis from Ball State University, and a bachelor of science in speech pathology and audiology from Miami University. In her current role as senior director of therapies at New Story Schools in Ohio, McNutt oversees all therapeutic services, manages the administration of the ADOS-2 for diagnostic evaluations, and leads the mental health committee, bringing an interdisciplinary approach to care.
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Carly McVey
Carly McVey, MEd, is a senior director at OCALI and Senior Advisor for the new Center of Excellence on Instructional Practice. She has worked for over 20 years in the field of adult learning and professional development and spent the past decade at OCALI advancing the organization's online offerings for professionals and families. Throughout her experiences, she's been driven by her lifelong love of learning and by the determination to ignite this same love in others, whether her own children, students in her classroom, or the professionals she serves.
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Hedda Meada
Dr. Hedda Meadan is the Snyder Distinguished Professor in the Department of Special Education and Child Development at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a board certified behavior analyst. Her research focuses on a cascading intervention model for training and coaching natural change agents—such as family members, educators, and service providers—to use evidence-based strategies that support children's social-communication skills in natural environments. She has published widely on interventions for children with disabilities and their families and on training and coaching caregivers and professionals.
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Stacy Meadows
Stacy Meadows, MSW, LSW (IN), CYC-A, earned her masters at the Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville. While in her undergrad program, she completed the Public Child Welfare Certification Program. For over 20 years, she has worked with children, adolescents, and families in child welfare, runaway and homeless youth services, and currently school-based mental health. She is the therapist for the emotional disabilities program at Smith Elementary.
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Emily Meier
Emily Meier is an instructor and transition program coordinator at the USD Sanford School of Medicine. She works extensively in the areas of holistic transitions and healthcare transition. She also facilitates South Dakota's Transition in Action Clinic and the Arizona DHS/University of Arizona's Transition Pilot Program. Meier began her career teaching children with ASD; she then served as an education coordinator and special education director. Meier instructs educators and healthcare professionals across the country in the areas of healthcare transition, individual healthcare plans, ASD, holistic transition strategies, challenging behavior, social skills, and educational programming.
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Melonie Melton
Melonie Melton is a licensed SLP with degrees from Old Dominion University, and an assistive technology certificate from George Mason University. Her experience includes treatment of children and adults with a variety of communication and literacy disorders in schools, home health, an outpatient pediatric clinic and private practice. She is a member of ASHA, ASHA's S.I.G. 12 (AAC), and SHAV. Melton has provided presentations on a number of topics related to AAC and autism at various local, regional, state, and national conferences. She is a co-founder of a private practice, Collaborative Speech Solutions, PLLC and is an adjunct instructor at Hampton University.
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Meredith Mendoza-Gillotte
Meredith Mendoza serves as the family outreach and education coordinator at the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. Prior to joining the division of Policy and Strategic Development, she has had the opportunity to collaborate with and work for organizations in the health care, insurance, Medicaid, and disability industries. For over 5 years, she was a Spanish language certified healthcare interpreter for medical facilities across the United States. She has over 10 years combined in the insurance and Medicaid industries. She is driven to this work as the proud mother of 4 children, including 2 diagnosed with autism, and 4 bonus children.
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Joshua Metcalf
Joshua Tyler Metcalf, M.A., M.S., is a clinical psychology doctoral student and the assistant coordinator of the Trauma and Suicide Prevention Clinic at Eastern Kentucky University. Metcalf has served on multiple research teams including interdisciplinary health education centers and graduate school laboratories. He currently provides and assists in the coordination of statewide suicide intervention and trauma informed care trainings for state funded organizations. Metcalf has presented at national and university conferences and is currently working to publish several articles regarding the evaluation of autism spectrum disorder.
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Alex Miller
Alex Miller, the I/DD administrator with Aetna - OhioRISE, assists OhioRISE members and families navigate the developmental disability system and serves as the subject matter expert within the OhioRISE plan. Miller has 10 years of experience in the developmental disabilities field.
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Carol Miller
Carol Miller received a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1994. She completed a post-doctoral experience at Purdue University, and has been a faculty member in the department of communication sciences and disorders at Penn State since 2000. Miller's research focuses on different pathways that language development can take from childhood into adulthood, using behavioral and electrophysiological methods.
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Lauren Miller
Lauren E. Miller works as an assistant professor in the child study department at St. Joseph's University. She earned her Ed.D. in intellectual disability/autism at Teachers College where she also obtained her master's degree in multiple and severe disabilities. Miller holds a bachelor's degree in elementary and special education from Providence College. She has over ten years of experience in working as a special education teacher in elementary and secondary settings. Her past publications and presentations focus on students who will soon age out of the school system and into adulthood, as well as secondary transition evidence-based practices.
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Christy Millhouse
Christy Millhouse is a 4-H Eeducator from The Ohio State University. She has experience working in a county 4-H program and now works at the State 4-H office with a focus on STEM programming and the K-2 Cloverbud audience. Millhouse creates curriculum and supports colleagues in their programming efforts. As part of her job duties, she drives the Ohio 4-H mobile classroom across the state providing technology education to youth in a variety of settings. She has taught about a variety of topics both in Ohio and at national conferences.
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Morgan Minter
Morgan Minter, a graduate of Western Hills High School, earned her bachelor's in occupational science from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). Driven by a passion for healthcare and helping others, she is pursuing a doctorate in occupational therapy at EKU. Throughout her academic journey, Minter developed a deep understanding of human health and wellness, with a focus on promoting independence and improving quality of life for individuals facing challenges. She is committed to making a meaningful impact in the field, combining knowledge and compassion to help others thrive.
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Laura-Lee Minutello
Laura-Lee Minutello, senior public policy analyst at Disability Rights Florida (DFR), began her career as the agency's Voting Access Advocate and currently oversees DRF's voting work helping to protect the right to private and independent access to the ballot box for Floridians with disabilities- as well as working on DRF's broader policy agenda. She holds a bachelor of science in psychology from the University of Central Florida and is working toward a master's of nonprofit management. Minutello is passionate about the intersection of policy and human rights, and as a person with cerebral palsy, understands the implications of disability policy through both professional and personal lenses.
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Najma Mohamoud
Najma Mohamoud holds an MBA. She has dedicated the past nine years to serving as a multi-cultural information specialist and trainer at the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD). In addition, she is proud to be a Charting the Life Course ambassador. For eight meaningful years, she had the honor of being a big sister to her nonverbal autistic brother which has deepened a commitment to advocating for children with disabilities. She is passionate about connecting multicultural families and students with the essential resources and services they need to thrive and lead fulfilling lives.
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Jennifer Montgomery
Dr. Jennifer Montgomery is a teacher of the Deaf/HOH in a public school district and supports students k-12 with a range of learning needs. She uses ASL, Cued Language, and spoken language to teach language and literacy using multisensory methods and science of reading programs. She has taught this approach to graduate students at Columbia University for 20 years as an adjunct associate professor. Her dissertation was the first study of the Orton Gillingham method, supported with Cued Language, in a public school district.
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Johnetta Moore
Johnetta Moore is an attendance strategist dedicated to transforming school communities by tackling chronic absenteeism and promoting educational equity. She equip school leaders and teachers with tools, training, and strategies to build effective attendance initiatives. With 15+ years in urban education, she has served as an ELA teacher lead, reading specialist, SST chair, and attendance team chair in Baltimore City Public Schools. Her passion is driving student engagement, improving academic performance, and fostering a culture of consistent attendance in diverse school settings.
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Megan Moore
Megan Moore has dedicated her career to creating inclusive and supportive environments where every individual can thrive. As the vice president of the Neurodiversity Center of Excellence at Everway and formerly serving as senior product director at n2y, Moore champions inclusive and supportive practices across K-12 education. Her 25+ years of firsthand special education experience as a special education teacher, autism specialist, program specialist and adjunct professor uniquely informs her leadership as she develops and drives initiatives to enhance accessibility, productivity and well-being, helping everyone understand and be understood.
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Tim Morse
Tim Morse, EdD, has worked for 40+ years as a university professor, district-level special education administrator, and special education teacher. He founded and, for seven years, directed an autism demonstration school for the Mississippi Department of Education. He has authored four books addressing remedial instruction for students with disabilities and those manifesting learning challenges and over 80 articles published in peer-reviewed journals and other professional publications. Additionally, he has made presentations about various special education topics at state, national, and international conferences.
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Michelle Motil
Michelle Motil specializes in supporting families with children who are Deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired. She does this by developing resources, presenting information, collaborating with partners, participating in advisory boards, and providing training across the state of Ohio. Motil is an experienced public speaker, and has spoken for keynotes, conferences, and events. She obtained a B.A in adolescence education and English language arts from Heidelberg University. Motil has personal experience with disabilities as a person who is deafblind with cochlear implants. She has served as the family liaison for the Outreach Center for 8 years.
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Brandi Muhammad
Brandi Muhammad joined the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD) in January 2022 as an information specialist/trainer for Northwest Ohio. She also works as a contractor with the Family Resource Network of Ohio. Muhammad provides guidance on IEPs, 504 plans, parents' rights, and the special education process. Through workshops and coaching, she empowers parents to confidently advocate for their children's education.
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Ryan Murphy
Ryan Murphy, M.Ed., is the preschool coordinator at the Stark County Educational Service Center. He serves 12 different school districts and over 100 staff members throughout Stark County by helping coordinate, monitor, and enhance their preschool programs. He previously served as a special education director for the past 7 years. He is passionate about early childhood education and implemented the SPARK program at his previous district, where he volunteered as the SPARK administrator. He has previously presented throughout Region 9 on RTI, UDL, MTSS, SDI, and Freshman Academy. Murphy also sits on several educational and philanthropic boards.
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Hailey Naftel
Hailey Naftel is a dedicated educator focused on supporting individuals with visual impairments. After earning an undergraduate degree in elementary education, she taught before pursuing a master's in teaching the visually impaired at Vanderbilt University. Her personal experience with visual impairment and involvement in research projects at Vanderbilt deepened her expertise. Currently, Naftel works as a contracted teacher of the visually impaired for Kentucky's Visual Impairment Preschool Services, applying her knowledge and passion for inclusive education to advocate for students.
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Kristy Nelson
Kristy Nelson is a dedicated educator and school leader focused on student success. Since June 2022, she has been an assistant principal at Celina High School, contributing to Each Child on Track, Check & Connect, OLi4, BLT, and the Threat Assessment Team. Previously, she was a team leader, teacher, and PBIS co-coordinator at Lima West Middle School and taught math and science at Holy Rosary and Waynesfield-Goshen. She holds a master's in school leadership from Concordia University Chicago and multiple licenses. A 2019 Lima City Schools "Outstanding 11" award recipient, she also led St. Marys Sister Cities (2013-2015).
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May Nguyen
May Nguyen is a licensed educational psychologist and nationally certified school psychologist with the California School of the Blind Assessment Center. She is also a co-founding member of Resilient Minds Collective. Nguyen serves as the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) BVIPsych interest group co-coordinator and is a member of the California Association of School Psychologists (CASP) assessment committee. In addition, she has taught as an adjunct faculty member for the school psychology rogram at California State University, East Bay, and guest lectured at universities across the country.
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Theresa Nicholls
Theresa Nicholls, Ed.S isthe founder of PartnerEd Solutions, LLC. She has a thorough understanding of special education policy with nearly 20 years' experience working with state agencies, school districts, and families to solve tough problems. She is not only a parent, but an educator who has served as a school psychologist, a state director of special education, and a national consultant to school districts and state agencies on special education improvement efforts, including systems of alternate dispute resolution. Through PartnerEd Solutions, Nicholls works with state education agencies, school districts, and families to prevent and resolve conflict in special education.
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Elena Nightingale
Elena Nightingale, PhD, is the program manager for psychometrics and reporting for the Georgia Department of Education. In addition to overseeing operational psychometric and reporting work and technical evaluation research for Georgia's assessment programs, her research interests include the design and evaluation of assessments for special populations, including adult learners, non-native English speakers, and students with cognitive disabilities. She has designed and led assessment research studies for the Center for the Study of Adult Literacy at Georgia State University.
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Meghan Nilsen
Meghan Nilsen has been working in special education for Baker 5J school district since 2012 and has served as special education coordinator for the past five years. Before her time in Oregon, Nilsen taught special education in the suburbs of Chicago since 2008. In her current role, she works closely with teachers and students to ensure that all learners receive the appropriate tools and accommodations necessary for academic success. Nilsen has worked with the Oregon Technology Access Program (OTAP) team and the Accessible Education Materials (AEM) Cohort Grant since 2019.
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Michele Nobel
Michele McMahon Nobel is an associate professor and program director at Ohio Wesleyan University. She has worked in special education for 30 years starting as an intervention specialist in central Ohio. After earning her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in ABA and special education in 2005, she shifted her focus to preparing preservice teachers. She has published in peer-reviewed journals, written book chapters, and presented at regional, national, and international conferences. Her research includes peer-mediated interventions for students with exceptionalities and educator preparation, particularly regarding trauma-informed education, equity, and resilience.
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Danielle Nolan
Danielle Nolan is social work leader, educator, and community collaborator at Autism Ontario where she leads content collaboration initiatives with autistic individuals, caregivers, and community stakeholders to develop client-centered educational materials and resources. With over 10 years in pediatric social work, her experience extends to coaching cross-functional teams, designing engagement frameworks, and advancing inclusive practices. She is a trainer and facilitator on mental health promotion, self-care, cultural humility, and systems navigation. Nolan received her masters of social work from the University of Toronto.
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Darlene Norman
Darlene Norman works in her private practice, Resilient Minds Collective, as a licensed educational psychologist conducting school neuropsychoeducational evaluations. She has experience in public education as a school psychologist and director of special education for 18 years in CA. She serves in school psychology organizations at the local and state levels, and is the recipient of the CASP Outstanding School Psychologist award. In addition, she is a parent of a child with deafblindness. She is an advocate for deafblindness needs at the state and national level and is an independent facilitator for families with regional center services.
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Alexa Nunnari
Alexa Nunnari is an early development and learning specialist for the Early Childhood Center of Excellence. Her professional passion is supporting communication development and family engagement for children who are Deaf and hard of hearing. Nunnari received her bachelor's degrees in Deaf education and elementary education from Indiana University of PA. She started her career as a paraprofessional and ESY teacher at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. Prior to coming to OCALI, Nunnari was working as a teacher of the Deaf in Cleveland Metropolitan School District supporting students across multiple classroom settings from ages 3-11.
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Joie Nunnelly
Joie Nunnelly is a current student pursuing her M.Ed in severe and low-incidence disabilities at Vanderbilt University. Before starting her master's degree, she recieved her bachelor's in special education at the University of Kentucky. Nunnelly is a certified special education teacher for both high and low incidence disabilities. Nunnelly's current research is focused on enhancing peer networks for youth with disabilities who use AAC.
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Camille Nuttall
Camille Nuttall, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a graduate student in the department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University. She formerly worked as a pediatric speech-language pathologist in the school and clinic settings specifically focusing on AAC implementation. Ms. Nuttall has worked with students with a variety of speech, language and social support needs. She is passionate about supporting and improving outcomes for children with complex communication needs and their families. Her current research is focused on improving language and literacy outcomes for complex communicators through school and family support networks.
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Maggie O'Brien
Maggie O'Brien is co-director at ONI, where she also provides nursing services. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare and the I/DD field, she continues to learn and grow, and is passionate about using technology to create new ways of supporting others.
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Allison Officer
Allison Officer is a certified autism specialist, licensed K-12 intervention specialist, and member of the MCESC Autism & Low-Incidence Coaching Team (ACT). The ACT Team provides ongoing coaching and professional development to educational teams throughout the Dayton, Ohio region in using evidence-based practices. Prior to joining the ACT Team, Officer taught in Mad River Local Schools in Riverside, OH, as a K-4 intervention specialist in a cross-categorical resource room. Officer received a BS in education from the University of Dayton and an MS in education from Walden University.
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Kimberly Ofori-Sanzo
Kimberly Ofori-Sanzo is a speech-language pathologist who is committed to educating parents and professionals on the neurological effects of a late or incomplete first language acquisition for deaf and hard of hearing children. She received her B.A. in psychology and in communication sciences and disorders from the University of Vermont in 2010, her M.S. in speech-language pathology from Gallaudet University in 2012, and her doctor of speech-language pathology in 2022. She is also a board-certified specialist in child language through the American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders and has many years of experience working at a school for the deaf.
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Heidi Orvosh
Heidi Orvosh, PhD, is an instruction and technology integration specialist with the Northern Buckeye Education Council and an active member of the Ohio UDL Collaborative. With over 20 years of experience in education, she specializes in coaching teachers and supporting schools in scaling their technology initiatives to enhance learning outcomes. Orvosh's background includes working with State Support Team Region 7, teaching at both the secondary and post-secondary levels, and serving as an administrator. She holds a PhD in curriculum and instruction from New Mexico State University, bringing a deep understanding of innovative teaching practices to her work.
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Susan Osterhaus
Susan Osterhaus taught secondary math for 29 years at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired before becoming the statewide math consultant in 2007. She shares her experience freely throughout Texas, nationally, and internationally through presentations, workshops, videos, publications, and curriculum development. Osterhaus is a long-time member of the BANA Nemeth and Tactile Graphics Committees. She is a co-author of Nemeth at a Glance, the Nemeth Code Curriculum, and Learning and Teaching the Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts: A Step-by-Step Guide. She is also a consultant for Project INSPIRE 2: Access and Equity in STEM Learning for Individuals who Read Braille.
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Alissa Otani-Cole
Alissa Otani-Cole works in OCALI's Lifespan Transitions Center as a transition to adulthood consultant. Prior to this she worked as an aide at her kids' elementary school. Before this she spent more than 16 years in vocational rehabilitation for Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities as a counselor and supervisor. She is currently supporting the work around OCALI's Pre-Employment Transition Services curriculum development with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities.
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Noah Patzarian
Noah Patzarian is an undergraduate student at the University of Albany. He earned his bachelor of science in human development and educational psychology in May 2025. He has served as a research assistant on projects including understanding how US school-based professionals support immigrant autistic students and their families, investigating the supports Afghan parents of autistic children need, and understanding how Chinese folklore may temporarily affect children's perceptions of gender roles. His research interests include understanding the effects of intersecting identities, neurodiversity, and how to best support students from marginalized communities in schools.
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Shirley Peganoff O'Brien
Shirley Peganoff O'Brien, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, is a professor of occupational therapy at Eastern Kentucky University. She has clinical, research, and teaching expertise in sensory modulation, leadership, and student development theory and practice. She is published and presented on ASD, sensory issues, leadership, policy, and implications for school performance.
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Robert Pennington
Robert Pennington PhD BCBA-D is the William T. Bryan Endowed Chair in special education technology at the University of Kentucky. He has over 30 years of experience working with individuals with disabilities, their families, and teachers and has published over 100 articles, book chapters, and books related to working with persons with ASD and intellectual disability. Pennington has provided hundreds of presentations to researchers, practitioners, and families. He values service to the field through membership on numerous advisory committees, editorial boards, leadership in professional organizations, and consultation in schools.
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Jessica Perdue
Jessica Perdue is currently a 6-12 intervention specialist working at Clinton-Massie Local Schools. She mentors first-year teachers through the Ohio CEC New Teacher Institute Mentorship Program.
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Andrew Persch
Andrew Persch is an associate professor in the occupational therapy department at Colorado State University and is the director of the Transition, Employment, and Technology (TET) Lab. The TET Lab is focused on improving the transition to adulthood and employment among those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He worked with Dr. Dennis Cleary and partners in special education and vocational rehabilitation to create the Vocational Fit Assessment (VFA), providing an accurate, person-centered measure of work-related adaptive behavior that informs job placement and customized employment decision-making.
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Christopher Phillips
Christopher Phillips is a leader in digital accessibility and inclusive education, serving as a technical assistance specialist at Utah State University's National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials & Instruction. With over 20 years of experience, he has shaped accessibility policies, led training, and advocated for inclusive technology. He started his career in special education and prior to his current role was the digital accessibility coordinator at Utah State University and held roles in accessibility and education. An author and speaker, he serves on advisory boards and champions equitable, accessible digital learning.
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Crystal Phillips
Crystal Phillips holds a bachelor's degree in early childhood education from Ohio University and a master's degree in intervention specialist from the University of Rio Grande. She procured her behavior intervention specialist certification from Kent State University in 2020. Phillips is a special education teacher, a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA), and a certified Ohio behavioral analyst (COBA). She currently works for Circleville City Schools. Phillips develops and helps implement practical functional assessments, provides professional development for district staff, and training RBTs. She is also a liaison for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio.
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Kimberly Phillips
Kim Phillips is the assistant administrator of dispute resolution in the Office for Exceptional Children at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. A former Franklin County assistant prosecutor, she also served as a guardian ad litem for 17 years. Phillips's experience in special education, having worked as a facilitator/mediator and a state level review officer before joining the department internally. Her background in both law and special education supports her commitment to helping the students, families, and educational agencies across Ohio.
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Lori Pinchot
Lori Pinchot works at State Support Team Region 4. She earned her bachelor's and master's degree in speech language pathology and obtained her pupil personnel administration licensure. Pinchot worked as a speech-language pathologist, special education director, preschool special education administrator/elementary special education supervisor. At SST4, Pinchot's focus is on special education, improvement of special education systems, providing technical assistance and coaching to districts and providing professional development on special education topics. Pinchot participates on several statewide workgroups. She has recently presented at the National CEC conference in Baltimore.
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Monique Pinczynski
Dr. Monique Pinczynski joined Boise State University in 2024 as an assistant professor with the department of early and special education. She earned her Ph.D. in special education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2024 and her M.Ed. in special education, autism from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 2017. Dr. Pinczynski is a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and is passionate about training teachers in evidence-based practices to support learners with autism and intellectual disability. Her research focuses on supporting communication and daily living skills for learners with autism and intellectual disabilities across the lifespan.
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Kathleen Post
Kathleen A. Post, M.S., CCC-SLP is the clinic coordinator and professor at MWU's Speech-Language Institute. She teaches courses in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and supervises SLP graduate student clinicians at the Speech-Language Institute in all facets of speech and language service. Her research and publications are focused on autism, parent coaching, interprofessional education, and AAC. Post has presented at numerous national and state conferences. For over 30 years, she has served individuals who are challenged with communication disorders, their families, and the professionals that work with them as a clinician, a consultant, and a collaborator.
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Christine Powell
Dr. Christine Powell, a Fulbright Scholar with a doctorate in education, specializes in ADHD coaching and learning. She's a licensed special educator and educational therapist. Powell provides tailored educational therapy to empower individuals with diverse learning profiles. She also offers resources, such as an executive functioning snapshot.
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Sarah Powell
Sarah R. Powell is a professor in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin and associate director of the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk. Her research, teaching and service focus on mathematics, particularly for students who experience mathematics differently. Powell is currently principal investigator (PI) of several grants, collaborates on Math Words. To help create the next generation of researchers focused on mathematics, Powell is PI of a doctoral leadership grant (LIME) funded by the Office of Special Education Programs. Powell was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2019.
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Geoff Pradella
Geoff Pradella is the CEO of Kids Brain Health. He has 25 years of international experience in business, government, non-profits and higher education. His work reflects a commitment to enhancing organizational capacity, executive management and systems, strategic analysis, complex change management, policy, human rights, inclusion and innovation. He volunteers extensively and serves on a wide range boards. He is currently the chair of Genome Alberta and a founding director of the Canadian Museum of Recorded Music and Culture Foundation. He received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his professional and volunteer work and service to the community and society.
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Ruth Prystash
Ruth Prystash is an autism specialist, author, and editor who has worked as a classroom teacher and private consultant with neurodivergent individuals of all ages for over 40 years. She was a co-founder of the Reach Autism Program, a finalist for the 2011 California Teacher of the Year, and a university instructor in regional autism certification programs. She graduated from Stanford University and currently teaches English for their online high school. She is known as a lively and entertaining presenter, whose audiences are constantly surprised by her unpredictable antics and bag of toys. Prystash is a passionate advocate for the right of every individual to have a rich and meaningful life.
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Mari Quanbeck
Mari Quanbeck is an education program specialist at the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO), an OSEP-funded technical assistance center located at the University of Minnesota. Quanbeck holds an MA in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota, specializing in quantitative methods in education. She has worked on numerous NCEO projects over the past five years, including conducting extensive state policy analyses and systematic literature reviews. Quanbeck's areas of interest include testing accommodations, participation decision making, and alternate assessments.
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Saurym Quezada
Saurym Quezada is a doctoral candidate at Florida State University (FSU). She is a licensed teacher in K-6th elementary education and K-12th exceptional student education with an autism endorsement. She has over 7 years of teaching experience across Pk-12th primary and secondary classrooms locally and internationally. She earned a bachelor's degree in Christian ministry from Trinity International University and a master's degree in special education from Florida Atlantic University. She is currently a graduate research assistant for Dr. Michael Tuttle, Ph.D. at FSU, and a member of Dr. Jenny Root's Graduate Curriculum Access (GCA) Research Lab.
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Maryam Rana
Maryam Rana is a registered occupational therapist and education and training specialist at Autism Ontario. She holds an MScOT from the University of Toronto and undergraduate degrees in kinesiology and environmental science from McMaster University. Rana has worked with autistic children across clinical and community settings, with a focus on sensory regulation, functional skill development, and inclusive practice. She is passionate about advancing neurodiversity-affirming care through education, collaboration, and systems-level change.
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Katherine Randle
Katherine Randle, MPH, is a disability health consultant at the Ohio Disability and Health Partnership. A researcher for 15 years, Randle has also served as a self-advocate, a teacher for students with disabilities and educational challenges, and an educator on disability to health professionals. She currently collaborates on developing disability trainings for a variety of health professionals. Randle has presented in universities, healthcare centers, and professional training programs, and contributed to several articles and book chapters.
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Brigid Rankowski
Brigid Rankowski, M.S., is an artist, educator, and advocate living in Maine. Rankowski participates on state and national disability boards, as well as working with several research groups addressing intersectional topics, such as healthcare barriers and suicide prevention. When not doing advocacy work, Rankowski is a professional fire breathing mermaid.
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Cathy Rasmussen
Cathy Rasmussen, PhD, CCC-SLP, is dean of the College of Interprofessional Healthh and Human Services of Nazareth University in Rochester, NY. At Nazareth, she established and co-directed the Deafness Specialty Preparation program, a joint program with the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, to prepare speech-language pathologists for work with deaf children. Rasmussen has served as president of the National Cued Speech Association and has presented on the use of cueing for communication, phonemic awareness, and literacy to a wide variety of parent and professional audiences.
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Kathryn Rathers
Katie Rathers, M.S., OT/L is a graduate of Cleveland State University with 10+ years of experience providing occupational therapy services to youth in charter school settings throughout Cleveland, Ohio. Rathers works for PSI serving as a health services field supervisor for the OT department and has been an active Charting the Lifecourse ambassador with the Family Resource Network of Ohio since 2023. Rathers is the proud mother of an outstanding differently abled young man. Through her experiences, Rathers looks forward to building capacity, inspiring hope, and supporting individuals with disabilities to live life to the fullest!
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Alexis Redford
Dr. Alexis Redford is an Assistant Professor at North Carolina Central University. Dr. Redford is a certified teacher of students with visual impairments and is well-versed in the challenges teachers face in the field. Her work in higher education seeks to influence practice, research, and policy in the field of visual impairment to enhance teacher confidence, improve student access, and promote equity while strengthening teacher preparation. Additionally, through her work in implementation science, she aims to refine how practitioners identify and apply effective practices, tools, and strategies with fidelity, ultimately supporting student and teacher success.
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Laura Reed
Laura O. Reed, PhD, C-SLDI teaches graduate courses at Robert Morris University, where she received her doctorate. She holds reading K-12 and English 9-12 licenses and structured literacy dyslexia interventionist certification. She has nine years of experience teaching general and special education preservice and inservice educators. Her research interests focus on the use of effective intervention strategies for students with diverse needs and the preparation of teachers and paraeducators in literacy instruction. She has presented at the IDA, OCTEO, ISACS, and OCALICON. Reed is passionate about bridging the science of reading and practice of literacy instruction in inclusive classrooms.
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Diane Reilly
Diane Reilly serves as a certified Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments and Orientation and Mobility Instructor within the Guam Department of Education's Division of Special Education. Over the past eleven years, she has consistently provided specialized vision instruction to students with visual impairments enrolled in both primary and secondary educational settings on Guam. Through her dedication, Diane Reilly contributes to creating an inclusive educational environment that fosters the academic and personal growth of students with visual impairments, aligning with the broader goals of enhancing educational outcomes and promoting equal opportunities for all students.
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Lauren Renaud
Lauren Renaud, MA, is a Researcher at the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW). Lauren received her Master of Arts in Health Promotion at Dalhousie University, completing a thesis on physical and social barriers in post-secondary institutions for students with mobility-related disabilities. Lauren has been contributing to accessibility and employment research at CCRW for the past year.
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Michelle Rentsch
Michelle Rentsch, M.Ed., is a consultant with SST9. She assists district and school personnel in special education and universal design for learning. She is a member of the Ohio UDL Collaborative and works to help teachers remove barriers and provide access for ALL students using the principles of universal design for learning. Her belief and passion for students with disabilities drives her work. She is an OLi4 coach. Rentsch was a director of special services and elementary principal before becoming a consultant at SST9.
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Virginia Ressa
Virginia Ressa, Ph.D., is an research associate for the National Center on Educational Outcomes where her work focuses on improving assessment practices for students with disabilities. She provides technical assistance to state education agencies and conducts research to inform improved assessment practices and outcomes for all students. Having worked in a state education agency and as an educator, Ressa is committed to supporting educators with the tools and resources necessary to provide equitable opportunities to all students.
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Peggy Rickman
Peggy Rickman has been an educator since 2005. She has taught special education in three states including Florida, Illinois, and Ohio. She has an undergraduate degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and her graduate degree from Indiana University. She is certified to teach College Credit Plus in social sciences. She has previously presented at the Ohio School Board Association Capital Conference in 2024.
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Danielle Riddick
Dr. Danielle Riddick's endless pursuit during her 15 year career in education has been to develop systems that improve outcomes for all students. She pursued this mission in her roles as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, principal and adjunct professor and through published work and presentations. Riddick earned a bachelor's degree from The University of Texas at El Paso; a master of education from the University of North Texas; and a doctorate from Southern Methodist University. Riddick strongly believes that every child deserves an educational system creating spaces in which they can truly blossom.
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Andrea Roberts
Andrea Roberts and her husband Greg took on the responsibility of a 6-week-old baby born to their foster daughter who was unable to keep him due to substance abuse and mental health difficulties. They have navigated multiple systems and very complex needs of the child for 11 years when the possibility of an MCAT review was offered. Roberts has leaned into discovering who her child is and how to support his needs. She admits that her approach and mindset toward supporting complex needs has changed many times over the years. She is dedicated to making sure her child lives his best life. Additionally, she had careers as a flight attendant and former nurse.
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Hannah Rogers
Hannah Rogers received her bachelor's in special education and masters degree in educational studies from Ohio State University. Her previous position, intervention specialist, and current position of project coordinator for a federally funded research study through Ohio State have involved supporting students with the most significant support needs. She is passionate about AAC, literacy, and paraprofessional and teacher training, and considers herself a lifelong learner--knowing that special education is dynamic and ever changing. Rogers has led many professional development sessions in three local school districts, and presented at the TASH conference and EHE Research Forum at Ohio State.
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Ron Rogers
Ron B. Rogers, Ed.D., worked directly with Ohio's 16 State Support Teams on universal design for learning. Rogers received a master of education from Ohio State University and, in 2018, received his doctorate in educational administration. Rogers has over 36 years of professional expertise in education and criminal justice. He has served as a curriculum specialist, director, principal, technology consultant, cognitive coach, and teacher. He was the Director of the UDL Center at OCALI and led the Ohio Universal Design for Learning Collaborative with over 26 members. Rogers was the past chairman of the State Advisory Panel for Exceptional Children (SAPEC). Rogers retired this past August.
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Jenny Root
Jenny Root, Ph.D., is an associate professor of special education at Florida State University and director of the General Curriculum Access Lab. Her scholarship focuses on designing and evaluating interventions to improve academic outcomes for students with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. She is a former middle school special education teacher and has over 15 years of experience conducting research and teaching at the university level. Root has authored over 50 publications in the area of instruction and assessment in special education and was the awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers by President Biden in 2025.
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L Penny Rosenblum
L. Penny Rosenblum owns Vision for Independence, LLC. Her company provides research and professional development expertise to a variety of clients. She has 35+ years of experience as a researcher, university professor, and teacher of students with visual impairments. From 2012-2016, she was project director for two Institute of Education Sciences studies. Rosenblum was the director of research for the American Foundation for the Blind from 2020-2021. As a person with low vision, she is able to share first-hand information with others about the impact of a visual impairment on the lives of children and adults.
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Madison Ross
Madison Ross, M.Ed., BCBA, is a doctoral student in the department of special education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She was formerly a high school special education teacher and has over ten years of experience working with students with disabilities. Her research interests center on inclusive practices and transition support for young adults with extensive support needs, as well as ways to amplify student voices to shape meaningful educational experiences and improve post-school outcomes.
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Kristin Rossman
Kristin Rossman, MS, CCC-SLP, is an AAC team member for Oakland Unified School District and the coordinator of SPG's AAC Mentorship Program. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon and her master's from Lehman College in the Bronx, NY. Passionate about AAC, she provides training for SLPs, educators, and families to support students with complex communication needs. Rossman has expertise in a range of AAC systems and is committed to expanding AAC knowledge and implementation through mentorship and professional development.
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Jessica Roth
Jessica Roth is currently an intervention specialist at Lancaster City Schools, teaching a self-contained class with students in grades K-4. She has more than 15 years of experience working with children in self-contained behavior and multi-handicap classrooms. Roth has helped develop curriculum and IEP goal banks for subject areas, helping students of all abilities reach their full potential. Roth received her bachelors of arts, specializing in moderate to severe special needs from the University of Toledo, and her masters in administration leadership from Concordia University.
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Chloe Rothschild
Chloe Rothschild is an adult with autism who is on a mission to advocate and teach others about autism from her perspective. Rothschild is one of the co-authors of the My Interoception Workbook for Teens, Adolescents, and Adults. She also serves on the Arc of the United States national board and the OCALI advisory board. Rothschild works as a an educational consultant at TRIAD (the Autism Institute) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. When she is not presenting or working, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, participating in adaptive ice skating and dog agility.
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Drewe Rowbotham
Drewe Rowbotham is the housing coordinator for Autism Edmonton and Autism Society Alberta. He hosts the Autism Housing Network of Alberta (AHNA) and is a board member with the Autism Independent Living Association (AILA). Rowbotham has a B.Ed with distinction from the University of Alberta and has been in the business of housing for over 17 years since becoming a "land steward" aka landlord. His professional career includes serving at-risk youth, housing first and diversion management. Rowbotham is pleased to serve autistic and neurodivergent individuals in improving access to and quality of housing across Alberta.
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Emily Rubin
Emily Rubin, MS, CCC-SLP, is the director of Communication Crossroads in southern California, a private practice specialized in providing professional learning to school systems and agencies serving children and their families. She is a speech-language pathologist who is passionate about the relationship between engagement and the development of language, learning, and well-being. She is a co-author of the SCERTS Model and a co-developer of the Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge and Skills (SEE-KS). These approaches provide frameworks that are sensitive to the unique needs of neurodivergent children and can serve as a universal design that benefits all learners.
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Joanna Ryan
Joanna Ryan is an assistant professor of special education at the University of North Dakota, where she coordinates the applied behavior analysis programs. Her research focuses on real-world inclusive academic instruction and behavioral supports for students with extensive support needs, especially in rural communities.
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Sara Sadowski
Sara Sadowski is an education program specialist in the Office for Exceptional Children at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. She holds a master of education from the University of Toledo, and she obtained her bachelor of arts in English at The Ohio State University. Her experience includes working both in general education as a high school English as well working as an intervention specialist at the high school level. Sadowski currently sits on the urban support team at the department, supporting the state's large urban districts.
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Sara Salsbury
Sara Salsbury is an intervention specialist at West Geauga Local School District. She has been teaching special education since 2001 and holds teaching licenses in mild to moderate and moderate to intensive with endorsements in reading (PreK-12) and transition to work (7-12). In 2023, Salsbury became a Charting the LifeCourse ambassador and works to incorporate the tools across her district. She is passionate about the postsecondary transition process for all students, especially those with the most intensive needs. She firmly believes that all individuals can find happiness and success within their community. Sara holds a B.S. in education and an M.Ed. in professional teacher of reading.
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Mackenzie Salt
Dr. Mackenzie Salt is an Autistic autism researcher and a research associate with the McMaster University Autism Research Team and the National Centre for Autism Collaboration. He is also a part-time assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioural neuroscience at McMaster. He is a Health System Impact Fellowship program alumnus. He is currently working on several projects, all involving gathering information from and learning from the experiences of Autistic adults and using the findings to inform policy change. Dr. Salt is also currently the Editor-in-Chief of the all-Autistic editorial board of the Canadian Journal of Autism Equity.
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Janet Sanchez Enriquez
Janet Sanchez Enriquez, PhD, BCBA-D is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Charlotte, where she was an OSEP scholar under the mentorship of Dr. Rob Pennington. Her research centers on advancing applied behavior analysis (ABA) to serve vulnerable and diverse populations through culturally and linguistically responsive assessment and intervention. She is a founding member and Secretary of the Mexican Organization of Practitioners of ABA, serves on the board of directors for the World Behavior Analysis Day Alliance, and sits on the executive council for the Texas Association of Behavior Analysis.
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Barbara Sapharas
Barbara Sapharas has worked in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities for over 49 years, holding several positions, including SLP, support administrator, and staff development specialist. Her areas of focus have included the use of technology, person-centered thinking, self-determination, civil rights, and supporting families. In addition, she is a sibling. Her youngest brother, Nick, had a developmental disability, and her brother Jim has an acquired disability, affecting him after the age of 22.
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Elizabeth Sautter
Elizabeth A. Sautter, MA, CCC, is a licensed speech-language pathologist specializing in social, emotional, and executive functioning intervention. She is the author of the best-seller, Make Social and Emotional Learning Stick: Practical activities to help your child manage emotions, navigate social situations and reduce anxiety. Her website provides free resources and a parenting course/community to guide parents to help their children thrive during everyday routines and activities. She is a collaborative Zones of Regulation trainer and co-author the Zones game and children's books. She is also the co-author of the Revised Whole Body Listening Larry book and posters.
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Rachel Schles
Dr. Rachel Schles is the visual disabilities program coordinator and assistant professor of the practice at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University. Her professional focus is on preparation of future TVIs, timely identification of students with VI and deafblindness of special education services and understanding the true prevalence of students with VI.
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Amy Schlessman
Amy Schlessman has over 23 years of experience as a school-based physical therapist. She is the director of ADEPT, a student success program, at Tufts University. Her research is focused on embedding physical activity throughout the school day, school health/safety, collaborative practices in special education, and best practices in teaching. Schlessman has delivered over 65 professional presentations at national, state, and regional conferences, and over 100 invited speaker presentations. She serves the Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy as the Treasurer and State Advocacy Liaison for Ohio. Schlessman serves on Ohio PT Association's Pediatric Special Interest Group leadership team.
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Celia Schloemer
Celia Schloemer works at the University of Cincinnati UCEDD, with 19 years of experience supporting families of school-aged children with disabilities as an educational advocate. Currently, she supports individuals with disabilities and their families across the lifespan, connecting them to resources and sharing information and trainings that improve outcomes. She is a certified Charting the LifeCourse ambassador and coach, is on the statewide Community of Practice (COP) Supporting Families and is an active member of the National COP Supporting Families. Schloemer is also a sibling, sister-in-law, aunt, and mom to individuals with developmental and learning disabilities.
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Grace Schoessow
Grace Schoessow, M.S., OIMHP-III, ECMH-C, is an early childhood mental health consultant and certified trauma practitioner with a master's in clinic psychology and specialization in early intervention to support optimal mental health, full inclusion and neurodiversity. She has over 20 years of experience serving children and families facing emotional, developmental, mental, and behavioral health challenges. Grace is the director of infant and early childhood mental health services at the Greene County ESC, and is actively involved in advancing Ohio's efforts to integrate early childhood systems to best meet the complex needs of children and their caregivers.
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Rachel Schultz
Rachel Schultz is a project coordinator for Center of Excellence and team lead for internal accessibility practices and outcomes. She holds a bachelor of science in special education and a master of arts in curriculum and instruction, with licensure in both TESOL and special education. Additional certifications include assistive technology professional (ATP) and Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC). Schultz has worked in both residential and educational settings and has always been passionate about removing barriers and increasing access.
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Robin Schulz
Dr. Robin Schulz is a school-based speech and language pathologist, adjunct instructor at the University of Cincinnati, and Ohio Ambassador for Charting the LifeCourse. She has presented nationally on peer relationships and the social impact of inclusive dance programs. Schulz has served as community group leader for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati and as board president of Marjorie Book Continuing Education. She has partnered with multiple organizations to facilitate inclusive and sensory-friendly opportunities. Most importantly, Schulz is a mom and advocate to her amazing daughter who has Down syndrome and complex communication needs.
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Kelly Schumann
Kelly Schumann, LISW-S, ECMH-C, OIMHP-III, PMH-C, is an Ohio early childhood mental health consultant (ECMH-C), certified in perinatal mental (PMH-C), and holds the Ohio Infant Mental Health Professional (OIMHP-III) credential. She is a licensed independent social worker with supervision designation and experience working with children, families, and caregivers. Currently, Schumann offers IECMH consultation serving the child, family, classroom and programmatic levels. She believes in the importance of relationships, promoting positive childhood experiences, and supporting adults as they take on the essential role of nurturing the children in their lives.
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Jill Senner
Jill E. Senner, PhD, CCC-SLP has over 25 years of experience working with children with complex communication needs. She is the owner and director of Technology and Language Center, PC, where she specializes in providing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services via telepractice. Senner presents lectures on AAC topics online and around the world and has published research articles and textbook chapters on AAC.
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Nicole Shepherd
Nicole Shepherd is a district administrator and board certified behavior analyst from West Virginia. She holds a doctor of education degree from Ohio University. Shepherd offers a variety of professional learning opportunities in her school district including presentations for the Teacher Induction Program, book studies, and sessions for professional and service personnel. Topics include praise, de-escalation, behavior, and autism. Additional interests include tiered systems of support, school-based mental health, school safety, and school-based ABA programs. Recent presentation topics include comprehensive autism services, tiered mental health supports, and de-escalation practices.
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Julie Short
Julie Short, MA, serves as a regional specialist for the Autism Center at OCALI, where she coordinates and delivers regional and statewide professional development, consultation, and technical assistance to enhance outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Short has been an active participant in the National Community of Practice on Autism Spectrum Disorder and has contributed to both the National Autism Leadership Collaborative and the Statewide Autism/Low-Incidence Collaborative. Before joining OCALI, Short taught both general and special education in elementary and middle schools. She is also a mother to a daughter on the autism spectrum.
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Judy Siens
Judy Siens, a project assistant at the AT&AEM Center at OCALI, manages the operation and delivery system of accessible educational materials (AEM) to Ohio school districts as well as carrying out the annual Federal Quota registration of eligible students who are blind or visually impaired for the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Office for Exceptional Children. This program generates supplemental funds for AEM for Ohio students. She also maintains the AT&AEM Center's clearinghouse of braille, digital, and large print textbooks and educational aids loaning to eligible students. Siens has worked for OCALI for 23 years.
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Yue-Ting Siu
Dr. Yue-Ting (Ting) Siu is a teacher of blind and low vision students (TVI) and coordinates the Northwest Center for Assistive Technology Training (CATT-NW) at the WA State School for the Blind (WSSB). She loves working with students of all ages with visual impairments and additional disabilities including deafblindness. Her mission is to advance teachers' proficiency with access technology, promote innovations in multimedia accessibility, and motivate a new generation of "techie TVIs". Ting is the author of the textbook Access Technology for Blind and Low Vision Accessibility (2020), available from APH Press. Connect with her on Facebook or bluesky @tviting
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Allison Skweres
Allison Skweres is the Supervisor of the Diverse Language Program at Transitions Behavioral Health, providing behavioral health services to the community. A board certified behavior analyst, she holds a master's in psychology (behavior analysis) from Florida International University and a bachelor's in psychology from Universidad de Lima. Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Skweres has extensive experience in applied behavior analysis, case supervision, and management. Passionate about behavioral health, she is dedicated to supporting multicultural families by connecting, advocating, and providing essential resources.
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Cherie Smith
Cherie Smith is a regional school improvement consultant who supports schools in implementing universal design for learning. She has a master's of education in both educational leadership and the inclusive classroom. Her experience as a special education supervisor, adjunct instructor, consultant, and intervention specialist at the secondary level in both Florida and Ohio has helped her coach and train school districts in designing for a variety of learners. She has been a member of the Ohio UDL Collaborative for nine years and has been the co-chair of the UDL-IRN Implementation Special Interest Group for seven years.
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Kelly Smith
Kelly Smith is the external affairs administrator of OhioRISE at the Ohio Department of Medicaid. She is a passionate advocate with over ten years of experience in state government. In her role at Medicaid, she leads stakeholder engagement activities implementing the OhioRISE program ensuring all community partners, providers, and systems are ready to serve youth with complex behavioral health and multisystem needs and continue to grow the system of care. Smith holds a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Akron.
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Sean Smith
Sean J. Smith, a professor of special education at the University of Kansas, has a background in special education and technology. He is a project director on several US Department of Education program initiatives and has authored and presented hundreds of articles/papers on special education technology. He has served in leadership (e.g., President) of the Council for Exceptional Children's Division on Technology (ISET) and currently serves on the Board of the National Down Syndrome Congress. He is the proud parent of four children, one having an intellectual disability.
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Melinda Snodgrass
Melinda R. Snodgrass, PhD, is an associate professor at Illinois State University in the department of special education. Her current research focuses on building inclusive schools through family-school partnerships and anti-ableist work. She also explores issues of methodology in mixed methods and single-case research, including how people perceive school-based practices (i.e., social validity).
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Joel Snyder
Dr. Joel Snyder is known internationally as one of the world's first "audio describers," a pioneer in the field of audio description, a translation of visual images to vivid language. Since 1981, Snyder has introduced audio description techniques in more than 60 countries and has made thousands of live events, media projects and museums accessible. His book, The Visual Made Verbal - A Comprehensive Training Manual and Guide to the History and Applications of Audio Description, was published by the American Council of the Blind and is available as an audio book, in Braille, and in print in seven languages.
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Emily Sobeck
Emily Sobeck, PhD, is an associate professor of special education at Franciscan University. Sobeck earned her doctorate in special education from the University of Pittsburgh and has special education teaching experience at both the elementary and secondary level. Her research interests include paraeducator training and supervision, extended school year programming, teacher preparation, and classroom behavior management. She serves as an editorial review board member for several peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Special Education. Sobeck teaches courses related to intervention and instruction for students with disabilities, classroom organization, and behavior management.
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Jennifer Sommerness
Jennifer Sommerness, Ed.S., is a researcher at the University of Minnesota, dedicated to inclusive education and student success. With a background as an inclusive special educator, national consultant, and technical assistance provider, she supports systems change through professional development and collaboration. Her expertise includes inclusive instructional systems delivery, transition-aged students, classroom assessment, multilingual learners with disabilities, students with complex needs, positive behavioral supports, and paraprofessional training. She is widely published and partners with educators to foster inclusive environments where all students thrive.
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Clara Spears
Clara Spears is a doctoral student at the University of Cincinnati, studying occupational therapy and special education. Spears works as a lead teacher at UC's Center for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, supporting transition-age students with IDD. Spears is currently researching the use of sensory-based interventions to support positive behavior and engagement in students with ASD. She is mentored by Dr. Todd Haydon. As an autistic person, Spears has a unique perspective. She strives to advocate for compassionate care and empower people with disabilities to live joyful, self-determined lives.
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Stacy Springer
Stacy Springer, MS, OTR/L, ATP has over 20 years experience as a special educator, occupational therapist and assistive technology specialist. Currently, as the program director of the AT&AEM Center at OCALI, she leads initiatives that enhance access to assistive technologies and accessible educational materials across Ohio and beyond. Her career includes leadership in multiple school districts, state-level roles, university instruction, and consultation across five states, along with contributions to international projects and published work on disability adaptations. Springer is a member of the QIAT Leadership team.
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Brandy Stanfill-Hobbs
Brandy Stanfill-Hobbs, MSEd, is the director of consultation at the Nest Support Project. Stanfill-Hobbs taught in NYC Public Schools for 11 years, including seven as a teacher and coach in the Autism Nest Program. As director of consultation Stanfill-Hobbs supports the Nest consultant team to partner with practitioners, enhance inclusive practices, and deepen understanding of neurodiversity in schools. She facilitates PD for Nest administrators and coaches centering on true inclusion, implementing ND affirming practices, equity, and strength-based approaches in education. Stanfill-Hobbs is the author of two chapters in the recently published The Autism Nest Model.
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Wendy Stoica
Wendy Stoica is the assistant administrator in the Office of Assessment at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. She leads the special populations and projects team that administers state required assessments for English learners and students with disabilities including the Ohio English language proficiency screener, Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment, Ohio Alternate Assessment for English Language Proficiency, and the Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities. Stoica began her career as an educational audiologist at Heartland Area Education Agency in Johnston, Iowa, and has been with DEW since 1998.
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Doug Sturgeon
Doug Sturgeon is a professor at Shawnee State University. For more than 15 years, he was a teacher for students who were deaf/hard of hearing in West Virginia. His research interests are WV one-room schools and their teaching materials.
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Kelli Suding
Kelli Suding is an accessibility specialist on CAST's accessibility team and a technical assistance specialist for the Center on Inclusive Technology and Education Systems (CITES) where she ensures accessible educational materials and technologies for equitable learning opportunities through universal design for learning (UDL). She has extensive presentation, keynote and training experience and excels at connecting theory to practice. Suding holds a teaching license in general education and special education, aligned with her masters in learning and technology. Her instructional background includes working with students needing various levels of intervention.
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Todd Sundeen
Todd H. Sundeen, Ph.D., is a professor in the School of Special Education, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). He has been teaching at UNC for 17 years with students at all levels, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral. His primary areas of specialization are inclusive practices and co-teaching especially in rural settings. He also focuses his research on instructional interventions for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities with a specific emphasis on classroom learning strategies, interventions, and assessments for mathematics and expressive writing.
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Chevonne Sutter
Chevonne Sutter, Ph.D., BCBA-D, is a research assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. She serves as project coordinator for the Nevada Dual Sensory Impairment Project, which provides technical assistance to families and service providers of children with impairments in both vision and hearing. She is also co-principal investigator for Project BASE (Behavior Analysts in Special Education). She teaches courses in special education. Her research interests include data-based instructional decisions and systematic instruction for students with severe disabilities, identification and implementation of evidence-based practices, and applied behavior analysis in educational settings.
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Amy Szymanski
Amy Szymanski, MEd, has 30 years of experience in education, primarily in the area of special education and secondary transition for students with disabilities. Szymanski currently works as a secondary transition and workforce development consultant contracted by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Office for Exceptional Children.
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Kurt Taube
Kurt Taube is an educational program specialist at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Taube received his M.A. in psychology from Marshall University and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Purdue University. He has numerous publications and presents nationally.
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Travis Taylor
Travis Taylor is the graduation and college in high school administrator in the Office of Graduate Success at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. He joined the Department in 2021. Prior to working at the department, he worked with high school youth in the non-profit sector in central Ohio for eight years.
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Pam Thornburg
Pam Thornburg has been an Ohio parent mentor for 22 years. She has worked in social services all of her adult life and became a mother of a child who sutained a traumatic brain injury at the young age of 4. Her life has since been about advocating for children and adults, mentoring parents and community. She has been a part of many boards, has built a large lending library for parents, been active in Parent Advisory Council, Region 14 SST and currently faciliates a play group for children who needed socialization, communicaton and play based learning. She is involved in Special Olympics and the Ohio Brian Injury Association.
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Callie Topp
Callie Topp enjoys working with individuals across the lifespan with autism and IDD. Topp is a clinical psychology doctoral student at EKU and she currently works at an ICF with adults with intellectual developmental disorder. She is the graduate student coordinator of the Whitlock Autism Learning Center at EKU and runs a grant-funded social group for teenagers and young adults with social differences.
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Jen Townsend
Jennifer C. Townsend, MEd, is a consultant and owner of Universal Access Consulting, LLC. She's the author of Think Differently: An Educator's Approach to Appreciate What Works, co-author of SEE-KS, and contributing author to Changing the World for Parents, and People with Autism and A Spectrum of Solutions for Clients with Autism. Townsend has a Master's in Education from Johns Hopkins University.
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Megan Trowbridge
Megan Trowbridge, EdD, is the program director for the Autism Center at OCALI. She coordinates and provides regional and statewide professional development, consultation services, and technical assistance to improve outcomes for individuals with ASD. Trowbridge began her career as a paraprofessional and then as an intervention and behavior specialist before becoming a consultant on Region 14 State Support Team/Southern Ohio ESC. She has collaborated on projects for students with disabilities through local universities, was the president of her local Board of Developmental Disabilities and been a member of state-wide committees for assistive technology and low-incidence disabilities.
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Hisae Tsuda-Miyauchi
Dr. Hisae Miyauchi has obtained her Ph.D. in 2013 and currently is an associate professor at University of Tsukuba, Faculty of Human Sciences. She was a visiting scholar at College of Education and Human Ecology, Ohio State University in 2018. Her research interests include education for visual impairment and inclusive education. She explores ways to increase inclusion and diversity through collaborative research with colleagues in the US and Europe.
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Erin Turner
Erin Turner, MA, is an educational consultant for the Enhanced Peer Networks Project at Vanderbilt University. Turner began her career as a special educator and held many roles in schools across the country in her 12 years as an educator. Now, in her current role, she collaborates with schools to foster meaningful relationships between students with and without disabilities. She provides training and coaching for school teams to support social communication and language skills for students with complex communication needs, including the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Turner is an adjunct instructor in the department of special education at Vanderbilt University.
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Michael Tuttle
Dr. Michael Tuttle is an assistant professor in the blindness and low vision studies program at Florida State University. His research focuses on how assistive technology can support access and success for students with visual impairments. He collaborates on projects that research and develop solutions for teachers of students with visual impairments, including the T.E.A.M. (Tech Equity and Access in Math) Initiative, project CREATE! (a Braille Training grant), and the Miami Lighthouse's Blind Soccer Program. He teaches courses focused on the education of students with visual impairments, including topics such as Unified English Braille, assistive technology, and literacy instruction.
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Darlene Unger
Darlene Unger, Ph.D., is a professor of special education at Kent State University. Her instructional experiences reflect educational services for youth with autism and developmental disabilities. Unger has coordinated research and training projects on multiagency collaboration and employment services for individuals with disabilities. Her publications include book chapters and articles on the transition experiences of adolescents with autism, employer experiences with individuals with disabilities, disability-employment discrimination, supported employment, and the use of technology for teaching and learning. She is past-president of CEC's Division of Career Development and Transition.
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Kimberly van der Hoek
Kim van der Hoek is the chief operating officer of Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN). Prior to joining KBHN, she was the inaugural centre manager for the Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control, a Canadian Cancer Society-funded national research program focusing on the area of health economics, health policy, health service and ethics. She helped build this world-leading research program based out of BC (British Columbia) Cancer. She received her undergraduate and master's degrees in kinesiology from Simon Fraser University (SFU) and was SFU's Female Athlete of the Year multiple years running, competing as a heptathlete and representing Canada internationally.
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Maureen van Stone
Maureen van Stone is an assistant vice president and director of the Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities (MCDD) at Kennedy Krieger Institute and the founding director of Project HEAL (Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law), an MCDD community-based program. Van Stone earned a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Southern California, a master's degree in developmental psychology at The Johns Hopkins University, and a juris doctor at Whittier Law School. Van Stone is an associate faculty for the Department of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and affiliate faculty for the Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
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Mary Vicario
Mary Vicario, LPCC-S, has a certificate in traumatic studies from The Justice Resource Institute and has 35+ years experience turning the latest research into interventions for all ages and abilities. She was a counseling delegate to China and Mongolia; participated in a conference on human trafficking in Germany; receives training at international trauma conferences and Harvard Medical School; is a trainer for Ohio Child Welfare and co-authored the Foster Parents Survival Guide, articles, curricula, and a textbook chapter on counseling children and adolescents; is a member of OCALI's MCAT; and over the past 12 years assisted multiple Strong Families, Safe Communities grants.
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Jackie Vollmer
Jackie Vollmer is an intervention specialist with a dual license (mild/moderate and moderate/intensive) from the state of Ohio. She spent 12 years teaching students with low-incidence disabilities and a variety of needs. She is in her second year as a coach on the austim and low-incidence coaching team, coaching educational teams in 6 counties. Vollmer is a recipient of the Centerville City Schools Excellence in Education award, Ohio Teacher of the Year nominee, Bringing Out The Best In Kids award and an "A-LIST" teacher chosen by the Miami Valley Autism and Low-Incidence Coaching Team at the Miami Valley Regional Center.
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Lauren Vondrell
Lauren Vondrell is a neurodiversity self-advocate and trauma-informed behavior analyst from Cincinnati, OH. She attended University of Cincinnati and earned a M.Ed in applied behavior analysis, after obtaining a BA psychology from The Ohio State University. She works to educate staff and families on evidence-based practices within behavioral health.
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Lisa Wade
Lisa Wade's disability advocacy began more than 20 years ago when her youngest child was diagnosed with autism. Since then, she has served on committees and with organizations on many disability issues. She developed a curriculum for families using Griffin-Hammis' Self-Guided Discovery model walking through steps for customized employment. She worked at the Utah Parent Center where, as a Charting the LifeCourse ambassador, she gave presentations and wrote training materials for families on person-centered planning. She currently works for Utah's Developmental Disability agency on the employment and person-centered planning team.
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Denise Waldman
Denise Waldman, MOT OTR/L, is an occupational therapist for over 27 years. Currently working at the Stark County Educational Service Center in North Canton for over 10 years, she works with preschool up to 21 years of age students within the school based setting. Waldman serves on the assistive technology augmentative alternative communication team as a consultant in access, and is a member of the feeding and swallowing team at the SCESC. She helps present several AT courses annually to local, state, and national teams. Her previous work experience includes in-patient rehab, acute and outpatient therapy, hand therapy, home health, and managerial experience in skilled nursing/long term care.
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Virginia Walker
Virginia L. Walker, PhD, BCBA-D, is a professor in the department of special education and child development at UNC Charlotte. Walker's research has focused on PBIS, supports planning to enhance the inclusion of students with extensive support needs, and effective training practices for school staff supporting these students. She serves as an editorial review board member of Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, and Inclusive Practices.
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Ilia Walsh
Ilia Walsh, M.S.Ed., M.B.A., is the director of individual and family services and oversees individualized consultations, group programs, and workshops. She has over 26 years of experience in training and education, and first started working with AANE in 2012. She has created custom autism educational content for the private, public, and non-profit sectors and is also the creator and host of the Autism in Real Life podcast. Walsh identifies as neurodivergent and is the parent of an autistic adult.
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Ryan Walsh
Ryan Walsh is a support specialist at AANE and a musician who is involved with music and podcast production. He shares his lived experience as an autistic adult on topics related to self-advocacy, mental health, education, employment, and building meaningful connections.
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Emily Walz
Emily Walz is a licensed special education teacher (M.S.Ed) with over 20 years of experience in the field of education. She spent the first 15 years of her career teaching special education and leading social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives in New York City and the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. Walz's role as director of instruction at The Zones of Regulation allows her to use her rich experience to be hands-on in developing curriculum content and training for Zones leaders, as well as consulting with schools, districts, and organizations in the U.S. and abroad. Walz designs inclusive instructional experiences for both youth and adults across settings and tiers of support.
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Jo Hannah Ward
Jo Hannah Ward serves as the administrator of the Office for Exceptional Children, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Her background includes direct classroom experience, building level leadership, and mental health services in schools. Ward has previously served as the executive director for the Center for Continuous Improvement, director of the Office for Improvement and Innovation, assistant director in the Office for Exceptional Children, and as the deputy superintendent at the Ohio Department of Youth Services and the Franklin County Court Juvenile Detention Facility. Ward received a MEd from the University of Dayton and has a BS from The Ohio State University.
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Lydia Wayman
Lydia Wayman is an autistic advocate with a BS in education and an MA in English and nonfiction writing. Through her presentations, writing, and art, she uses her experience to support families and professionals by helping them understand how autistic people see the world. She has worked at an autism resource center, mentored youth with disabilities, and spoken at a variety of events and conferences. Her writing has appeared in magazines, books, and newspapers, and she has helped to develop trainings and professional courses. She is the co-author of the middle grade novel Snoopers & Sneakers, which features an autistic main character.
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Emily Webb
Emily Webb is a doctoral student at the University of Kentucky studying special education and interdisciplinary early childhood education. Webb's research interests include inclusive classroom teaching practices that facilitate healthy social and emotional skill development. She works as a research assistant to develop progress monitoring training modules for preschool teachers. Webb serves as a tutor for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and uses blended practices to individualize learning goals and instruction. In 2024-25 Webb participated in the LEND program and was chosen as a National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations 2025-26 fellow.
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Jennifer Webb
Jennifer Webb is currently working at Malone University as the chair of education and associate professor. She has over 25 years of teaching experience from kindergarten through graduate school. Her passion is working with students who have disabilities as well as teaching about students with disabilities, so that future teachers understand the nature and needs of all students.
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Leeann Weigman
Leeann Weigman is a consultant for State Support Team 9, where she provides professional development and coaching to school districts. She has a bachelor's degree in early childhood education, a master's of education in early childhood special education from Bowling Green State University, as well as a master's degree in educational administration from the University of Cincinnati. Weigman has worked as an early intervention specialist, preschool special education teacher, and an early childhood special education director.
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Stephanie Welch Grenier
Stephanie Welch-Grenier, Ph.D., CVRT, TVI, COMS, is a research associate III with the NRTC's Older Individuals who are Blind-Technical Assitance Center. She is a dedicated educator and rehabilitation specialist with over 12 years of experience in the blind and low vision field. She has worked as a direct service provider in various settings, including for school districts, vocational rehabilitation services, and older blind programs. She also coordinated programming at the Lighthouse of Southwest Florida for transition-aged youth and older blind adults. Her leadership roles include local and international work through AER and as a CVRT Subject Matter Expert through ACVREP.
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Zoe Wenk
Zoe Wenk is the project coordinator of the Ohio Disability and Health Partnership where she leads a CDC-funded project focused on healthcare access for people with disabilities. Wenk has a background in disability studies and disability advocacy and received her BA from The Ohio State University. She previously worked at a local Center for Independent Living and as a teacher for disabled kids prior to that. Wenk is an invisibly disabled person and has subject matter expertise on disability rights, digital accessibility, and disability studies.
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December West
December D. West, wife and mother of five, three of whom have special healthcare needs, including autism, Alport Syndrome, and Tourette Syndrome, brings a deep personal understanding to her maternal and child health work. Her family's experience with navigating complex healthcare systems and advocating for children with special needs has fueled her passion for ensuring that health systems are inclusive and accessible for all families. Currently serving as a parent consultant for the Ohio Department of Health, West brings the parent perspective to over 30 programs within the Bureau of Maternal, Child, and Family Health, ensuring a parent-centered approach to healthcare services.
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Cara Whalen Smith
Dr. Cara Whalen Smith is an accessibility consultant at the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center where she leads accessibility initiatives and serves as principal investigator for healthcare workforce development projects to improve health outcomes for people with disabilities. She has published and presented on disability at the state, national, and international level. As a public health physical therapist, Whalen Smith is a licensed physical therapist and a certified health education specialist with expertise in accessibility, universal design, and workforce development.
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Mandy Whitfield
Mandy Whitfield brings over two decades of experience working directly with students. Her transition from special education supervisor at MCESC to assistant principal reflects her dedication to expanding educational opportunities for students with special needs. In her role, she supports the principal in leading the school, fostering a positive learning environment, and managing daily operations. Whitfield works closely with intervention specialists, paraprofessionals, and related service providers to ensure that each student's needs are met. Her collaborative approach highlights her commitment to a well-rounded education that nurtures both academic and developmental growth.
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Ashley Whitlatch
Ashley Whitlatch is a Registered Behavioral Technician with Ohio County Schools. She has 6 years of experience in an intensive clinical setting and is in her second year working in the school system servicing mainly elementary aged students. Ashley specializes in providing staff training and coaching, and creating materials to make the classrooms more accessible for students with autism. SHe is currently attending Purdue University Global majoring in Psychology with a focus in Applied Behavior Analysis. Ashley is also the mother of two children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
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Hillary Wier
Hillary Wier currently serves as the mobile services unit coordinator for Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD), where she is the primary point of contact for statewide collaboration related to mobile services. Prior to her current position, Wier was a counselor at OOD, specializing in providing support to individuals who are Deaf or hard of hearing and has also worked the non-profit sector, providing vocational services. Wier holds a bachelor's degree in speech and hearing science, a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, and an associate degree in American Sign Language interpreting. She is also a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC).
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Elizabeth Wietmarschen
Elizabeth Wietmarschen, MEd, is a transition to adulthood consultant at the OCALI Lifespan Transitions Center. She has worked with youth and young adults with disabilities in various capacities from providing direct care to supervising and training professionals in the field. She has extensive experience in developing programs that help promote successful post school outcomes for youth with disabilities and has a deep working knowledge of developing transition plans by using age-appropriate transition assessments. Wietmarschen is a licensed intervention specialist with her transition to work endorsement and a Charting the LifeCourse ambassador.
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Stephanie Wilcox
Stephanie Wilcox has been working with people with disabilities for three decades, two of those having been in the classroom. She currently teaches a self-contained classroom in a high school setting. Stephanie earned her bachelor's degree in mild/moderate intervention specialist from Capital University, her masters degree in applied behavior analysis from Purdue University, and is a special education and education policy PhD student at the Ohio State University. She has previously presented on implementing music inclusion at the Ohio School Board Association state conference.
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Renae Wilhelm
Renae Wilhelm, OTD, OTR/L, is a graduate from the University of Toledo. She has experience working in the field of occupational therapy in skilled nursing, outpatient, inpatient, and community settings. She has worked with various ages and populations but has always had a love working with individuals with developmental disabilities. She started her career at the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities in 2021. She has presented at OCALI, Ohio Occupational Therapy Association, Ohio Eduction Technology Conference and at various county boards in northwest Ohio.
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Alice Williams
Alice Williams is an assistant professor at Central Michigan University in teaching and special education. She was an OSEP scholar, who earned her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in special education from Florida State University. Her research interests include reading instruction for students with cognitive impairments, complex communication needs, and teacher fidelity in intervention implementation. She has presented at national and international conferences and contributed to articles and book chapters on working with individuals with extensive support needs. She was a speech language pathologist and special education teacher for fourteen years.
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James Williams
James Williams was diagnosed with autism in 1991, at the age of 3. He graduated from Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Illinois, in 2010, with a modified diploma, and has been an active member of Glenbrook North's Booster Club since 2015. He gave his first presentation on autism in 1999. Today, he travels around the U.S. lecturing on autism. He is the author or co-author of seven autism-related books. He served on the SPARK Research Match Committee in 2021 and 2022, and on the SPARK Community Advisory Committee from 2017 to 2023. He is also a professional recorder player who has recorded a total of three solo albums and two collaborative albums.
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Thai Williams
Thai Ray Williams is a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and a national board certified teacher with 32 years of experience as a special education teacher. Her research interests include: (a) writing instruction for students with extensive support needs, (b) family-centered and culturally-responsive practices for Native families of children with disabilities, and (c) the use of evidence-based practice of special education teachers serving in rural communities.
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Michelle Willson
Michelle Willson is an evaluation specialist on the research team at the CCRW, where she leverages data to highlight the impact of community services. She has extensive experience working directly with equity-deserving groups, including persons with disabilities and Indigenous communities. She holds an honors B.A. in Indigenous studies from Trent University and pursued a post-graduate certificate in autism and behavior science at Seneca College. She has a M.A. in community psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University, where she earned a program evaluation certificate, underpinning her expertise in research and evaluation. She works passionately towards fostering inclusion and belonging for all.
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Kristen Wilson
Kristen Wilson is a graduate of Cal State East Bay in speech pathology and audiology who has worked with diverse populations of children and adults. Currently, she is a lead SLP for Pacific Coast Speech Services and has been a CF supervisor for over a decade, mentoring new professionals and supporting students in schools. She co-authored the Whole Body Listening Larry series and the updated Listen, Learn, and Grow book and poster, promoting regulation, self-awareness, and advocacy. A passionate advocate for students transitioning to adulthood, Wilson brings both professional expertise and personal insight as a parent of neurodivergent children. She enjoys cooking and traveling.
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Laura C Windholtz
Laura Windholtz is a speech-language pathologist for Montgomery County Educational Service Center in Dayton, Ohio. She provides speech and language services to students with multiple disabilities in a separate facility for students with complex needs. Services include: direct treatment, AAC Evaluations, coaching staff on use of AAC devices, coaching staff on comprehensive literacy strategies and modeling language in the classroom. Windholtz serves on the building leadership team for Montgomery County ESC, where she collaborates with administrators and related service providers on building level issues.
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Bradley Wyner
Bradley Wyner joined Milestones Autism Resources as director of education in 2023. With a background in intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, foster care, and residential treatment, Wyner combines best practices regarding mental health, trauma, autism and person-centered thinking, with an acute interest in support for people who present with severe to profound disabilities. A NADD-certified specialist in the support of mental wellness for people with disabilities, his work has been recognized by the Ohio Mental Illness/Intellectual Disabilities Coordinating Center of Excellence, Connecting for Kids, NADD and the Traumatic Stress Institute.
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Josh Young
Josh Young is the director of operations for the Ohio Network for Innovation (ONI), a nonprofit organization which loves to challenge norms to find creative solutions to problems. For OCALICON, he is also representing the Supported Decision-Making Network of Ohio, whose members are interested in promoting supported decision-making across the state. Young specializes in helping people learn and practice supported decision-making using a variety of practical approaches. He has worked in the field of I/DD for over 20 years in a variety of roles and is also autisic. He earned his B.A. in sociology from Kent State University.
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Beth Zillinger
Beth Zillinger, M.S., CCC-SLP, serves as the Kansas Infinitec Program Director with over 15 years of experience in speech-language pathology and assistive technology. A graduate of Fort Hays State University, she has worked as an SLP, AT Coordinator, and autism team leader. Beth has co-developed statewide AT initiatives and presented at KSHA, OCALICON, and Closing the Gap. She also continues supporting rural Kansas families through private practice, providing speech and language therapy focused on AAC and assistive technology.
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Bambi Zinkon
Bambi Zinkon is a multi-system youth and family regional coach at OCALI and is passionate about helping families navigate complicated systems to support youth with complex needs. She has been an interpreter for the Deaf for nearly 40 years and has spent 25 years in the DD field at the county board level. She has served a 10-year term on the Ohio Self-Determination Association board. Zinkon has trained local first responders to prepare them for encounters with people with autism and I/DD. This work focused on trauma responsive approaches, communication in crisis situations. Zinkon is a trauma informed biographical timeline facilitator.
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Jennifer Zwicker
Dr. Jennifer Zwicker is the chief scientist at Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN). She is the director of health policy at the School of Public Policy and an assistant professor in the faculty of kinesiology, University of Calgary. With interests in the impact of health and social policy on health outcomes, her research utilizes economic evaluation and policy analysis to assess interventions and inform policy around the allocation of funding, services, and supports for children and youth with developmental disabilities and their families. Her aim is improving outcomes from a life course perspective, important for evaluation studies and informing policy development to address unmet needs.