NCLII-2 SCHOLARS

SAMANTHA WALTE studied special education and psychology at Illinois State University, earned her Master’s degree in special education as a Curriculum Adaptation Specialist at Northeastern Illinois University, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in special education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. For the past 2 years, Samantha has been a teacher of elementary and middle school students with significant cognitive and behavioral needs at a public alternative school in the Chicago suburbs. Prior to that, she taught students with developmental disabilities in a self-contained classroom in a public elementary school just outside of Chicago where she started a “buddy” program and ran ability awareness demonstrations for all 3rd-5th grade students.

Outside of the school setting, Samantha has worked in therapeutic recreation settings, coached Special Olympics, assisted adults with disabilities living in group homes, run weekend structured weekend social groups for children with autism, and implemented in-home Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy. She also enjoys yoga, biking, hiking, and food.

ALYSSA VAN CAMP is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the High Incidence Program in Special Education at Vanderbilt University. Prior to pursuing her Ph.D., she worked as a Project Coordinator on an IES Goal 3 grant evaluating the impact of a class-wide behavior intervention on student behavior and student engagement. Alyssa also served as the Director of Policy at the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) in Nashville, Tennessee. There, she directed SCORE’s policy work including the development of SCORE’s statewide policy agenda, communicating with diverse stakeholders on relevant education policy developments, leading the development of SCORE’s annual State of Education in Tennessee report, and collaborating with policy experts throughout Tennessee and around the nation to better inform SCORE’s work. In addition to her work at SCORE, Alyssa served as the Chief Executive Officer of Teach Twice, a social venture that publishes children’s literature from around the world to promote cultural understanding and international literacy development. She also spent time working at the macro and micro-levels of the education systems in South Africa and Uganda on issues related to teacher training and curriculum development. Alyssa began her career in education as a 4th grade teacher in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Originally from Ohio, Alyssa moved to Nashville to pursue her B.S. in Elementary Education at Vanderbilt University and went onto complete an M.Ed. in International Education Policy and Management at Vanderbilt University.

RACHEL DONEGAN is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Special Education from Vanderbilt University. Originally from the Midwest, Rachel earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She went on to earn her Master of Education in Special Education at Vanderbilt University specializing in high incidence disabilities.

After graduating, Rachel worked as an elementary special education teacher in inclusion and resource settings. During her time as a teacher, Rachel collaborated with other special education teachers in her district to support their implementation of various academic interventions. She also worked at the district level as an instructional coach for special education teachers at the elementary and middle school level. In this role, she designed and provided teacher trainings and in classroom support focused on reading intervention. Most recently, Rachel served at Vanderbilt University as a project coordinator for a reading intervention research project under Dr. Jeanne Wanzek.

In her spare time, Rachel enjoys running, trying new recipes, and teaching her dog, Gus, new tricks.

VERONICA MELLADO DE LA CRUZ is a doctoral student in Education Research at Southern Methodist University. She graduated from SMU in 2007 with a BA in Psychology and a Minor in Philosophy. Subsequently, Veronica’s 7-year career in early childhood intervention fostered three research orientations: school-based services as a key entry-point for early intervention, a strengths-based perspective in working with vulnerable and historically underserved populations, and an appreciation for the confluence of academic and biopsychosocial domains.

Since becoming a doctoral student in fall 2015, Veronica has been working under the direction of her advisor, Stephanie Al Otaiba. Experiences include work on a project exploring early literacy curriculum based assessments used to identify children at risk for future reading difficulties. In addition to data collection and project support, Veronica conducted analyses to compare the relative utility of assessing growth on English and Spanish language versions for emerging bilingual kindergarteners. Her efforts honed an interest in investigating assessment at the intersection of bilingualism and high-incidence disabilities (i.e., LD, EBD). Such work is critical to extending evidence-based practices in data-based instruction to dual language learners.

Veronica looks forward to opportunities to explore a secondary interest in behavioral and psychosocial aspects of learning. A Mindset Study exploring mindset training paired with intensive reading intervention beginning fall 2017 promises to provide relevant experience.

Veronica is bilingual (Spanish-English) and enjoys exploring literary works in her native language from time to time. A native of Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, she is a long time Texan and currently resides with her family in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

VICTORIA WHALEY is pursuing her Ph.D. in special education at the University of Connecticut. A New England native, she received her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of New Hampshire and obtained her initial teaching certification Houston Independent School District’s alternative certification program, in partnership with the University of St. Thomas, Houston. As a Teach for America corps member, she was a bilingual elementary resource teacher in Houston ISD for five years and partnered with Teach For America in training and supporting other special education teachers. She then completed a Master’s in special education, with an emphasis in learning disabilities at Vanderbilt University. Following graduation, she directed the charter institute for the Nashville Teaching Fellows, overseeing the pre-service training new teachers for Metro Nashville Public Schools, before relocating to Connecticut, where she taught public school and worked in community organization around literacy. For the past 3 years, she has worked for an online start up, developing and implementing online intervention for students with reading disabilities.

Outside of work, Tori enjoys reading, hiking with her dog, and attending theater and other arts events.

Originally from Indiana, JESSICA WRIGHT earned a Bachelor’s in Science in Special Education and her Master’s of Education in School Administration and Supervision at Indiana State University. In Indiana, Jessica taught students with special needs grades Pre K-12 in a variety of settings, writing individualized education plans, tracking, writing, and facilitating behavior plans, and differentiating instruction. Jessica also played the role of department chair for her middle school and served as the committee chair for Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies (PBIS) and Response to Intervention(RTI). She served on a goals committee, which was instrumental in self auditing the Individual Education Plan goals to ensure they were in compliance with the state and government criteria.

After moving to Virginia, Jessica collaboratively taught special education, general education, and then moved into an administrative role in a public middle school. While teaching, Jessica was a mentor to other special education teachers about progress monitoring and data collection. She also served as a consultant to general education teachers about differentiation and trait writing. As an administrator, Jessica was a liaison for Project SEALS. She also was instrumental in initiating the PBIS program at her middle school working to increase positive student/ teacher interaction and decreased office discipline referrals.

Jessica is pursuing her Ph.D in the department of Special Education and Disability Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University. She intends on focusing her research on the successful application of a tiered intervention system in the conjoined area of academics and social/ emotional behaviors.

BRITTANY PENNINGTON is pursuing her Ph.D. in special education at the University of Minnesota. She got her bachelor’s degree in human development/family sciences with an emphasis in early childhood education from Oklahoma State University and taught second and third grade in Arkansas for 6.5 years. She obtained a master’s degree in educational leadership and a graduate certificate in applied behavior analysis from the University of Arkansas. Brittany served on the district literacy leadership team and chaired a positive behavior support team. In this role, she conducted teacher trainings, consulted with teachers, and oversaw the implementation of a behavior response to intervention plan. Brittany also worked with children with Autism in both clinical and in-home settings. She is particularly interested in functional analysis and treatment of severe problem behaviors in the public school setting, and in finding resource efficient ways to deliver high quality services in public schools.

Brittany enjoys traveling, reading, and running, and as a new Minnesotan she is learning to cross-country ski. She coached Girls on the Run and volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

KATHERINE SARGENT is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in special education at Vanderbilt University. She grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and attended the University of Dayton. She received a Bachelor’s degree in special education. After graduating, she joined the Peace Corps and served for 2.5 years in Kazakhstan. While there, she worked with a center for students with disabilities and partnered with a local school to develop an inclusive education program. After the Peace Corps, Katherine moved to Hawaii where she taught special education in a resource room setting for grades 3-5. She then moved to Nashville to earn her Master’s in high incidence disabilities before beginning her Ph.D. studies. In her free time, Katie enjoys travel, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.

BRITTANY STERRETT is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Special Education and Disability Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Formerly, she was a special education teacher at the middle school level. In this position, she implemented intensive interventions to create an individualized learning framework for students with high incidence disabilities in math and language arts.

Brittany received her B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Legal Studies from Virginia Tech. She earned her M.Ed. in Special Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. In the spring of 2014, Brittany represented VCU and presented at the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Poster Presentation Session. She is now a member of the SEALS II program, which seeks to develop and implement a professional development and consultation model to support teachers in their efforts to promote students’ adjustment across the middle school years. Her focus will include the development of protocols for intensifying interventions for students with significant academic and behavioral difficulties.

Excited to be back home in Texas, JENNIFER STEWART is currently pursuing her PhD in Education at Southern Methodist University. She is a former special educator who has taught in a self-contained classroom unit embracing students in grades K- 5 with moderate to severe disabilities before moving abroad to teach middle school as a learning support specialist in London, England. Over the course of her career, she has had the great privilege of developing and maintaining a model classroom unit with the support of her school district’s instructional support team. Her classroom served as a training ground for other teachers in her district in the use of evidence-based teaching strategies for students with autism, intellectual disability, and other behavioral challenges. She helped to coach her colleagues in implementing positive behavior supports, instructional modifications, and using classroom data to drive day-to-day classroom instruction. In England, she worked alongside middle school students with dyslexia and ADD/ADHD to develop independent strategies and supports for the mainstream classroom.

Jennifer holds a Bachelors of Arts in Education and Theatre from Saint Louis University and a Masters of Education in Special Education from Southern Methodist University. Prior to teaching in the school setting, she worked as an educational intern with the Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and Nashville Children’s Theatre. Out of the classroom, Jennifer can be found singing, seeing live theatre, training for her next race, and volunteering as a member of the family selection committee for Habitat for Humanity- South Collin County.

BETH POKORSKI is a doctoral candidate in Special Education at Vanderbilt University. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with expertise in intensive intervention for young children with moderate to severe developmental delays or disabilities. Her research interests center around supporting the behavioral and pre-academic functioning of this population through developmentally-appropriate, evidenced-based intervention and supporting families and practitioners in acquiring the necessary skills to be agents of positive change.

KAITLIN LEONARD, M.Ed. is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in special education with a specialization in reading at the University of Connecticut. Recently, Kaitlin was fortunate to engage in university teaching and was the instructor for two courses at UConn: Language and Literacy for Students with Cognitive Disabilities and Teaching Reading and Writing in the Elementary School. Kaitlin previously served as a Hanson Initiative for Language and Literacy (HILL) Facilitator. The HILL is a non-profit organization that specializes in school-wide literacy change. There, she served as a literacy consultant for multiple school districts and an expert literacy coach for an IES Grant, Enhancing Core Reading Instruction (ECRI), for the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon. In addition, Kaitlin served as an external literacy coach for Connecticut Kindergarten through grade 3 Literacy Initiative (CK3LI). The initiative is part of the CT Education Reform that supports schools in implementing research-grounded practices to improve the reading abilities of children in kindergarten through third grade. Prior to joining the HILL, Kaitlin worked as a special education teacher and classroom teacher in a school district that served as a model for response to intervention (RTI). Her research interests include aiding schools to implement RTI with fidelity, intensive interventions in reading, and effective coaching models.

Kaitlin enjoys spending time with her husband, Justin, daughter, Maura (8), and son, Will (6).

BRITTANYLEE MARTIN is pursuing her Ph.D. in special education with a concentration in high incidence disabilities at Vanderbilt University. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Special Education from Florida Gulf Coast University and a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Special Education from Florida State University. She was recognized as a Golden Apple Teacher of Distinction in 2013. Brittany was selected to work in collaboration with the Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (FCR-STEM) at Florida State University and Florida’s Curriculum Planning and Learning Management System (CPALMS) to develop curricular units that emphasize conceptual thinking in the primary grades in the summer of 2013.

Prior to beginning the doctoral program, Brittany began her teaching career as an Intensive Academics teacher and Inclusion Specialist at a Title 1 school in Southwest Florida. During this time, she worked with children with severe academic and behavioral challenges in self-contained and inclusive settings. After relocating to middle Tennessee, Brittany worked as a Resource Teacher and Response to Intervention (RtI) Coordinator at the school-wide level at a rural school outside of Nashville. In this role, she was responsible for providing individualized interventions in reading and math in the general education setting. Her time spent working in the RtI field prompted her to pursue her Ph.D. to study the Response to Intervention process and research more intensive interventions for students with math disabilities.

In her free time, Brittany enjoys traveling, reading, crafting, and spending time with her husband, Tom, and daughter, Sadie!

KATHERINE LEDBETTER-CHO is a doctoral student in special education with a concentration in autism and developmental disabilities at the University of Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in special education from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science degree in autism and applied behavior analysis from Texas State University.

Upon graduating with her bachelor’s degree and teaching certification in 2009, Katherine taught a self-contained high school classroom for students with autism and emotional and behavioral disorders for 3 years. Katherine then began working as a Graduate Research Assistant at Texas State University’s autism clinic while completing her master’s degree. Katherine has designed and implemented individualized educational and behavioral programs for children with autism in clinic, home, and school settings. She has provided training to clinicians, teachers, and parents in the implementation of applied behavior analytic techniques. Katherine has also published research related to improving academic and safety skills for individuals with autism and presented at national and international conferences for special education. Katherine’s primary research interests include interventions designed to improve the communication and academic skills of children with autism while evaluating collateral, or untargeted, changes in additional behaviors.

MARIA LEMLER HUGH is a doctoral student in Educational Psychology (Special Education) at the University of Minnesota. Her research interests are focused on teachers’ implementation of evidence-based interventions as a means to improve outcomes for young children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. As a means to reduce the research-to-practice gap, Maria studies teachers’ decision-making around practice use and how this relates to implementation. Maria earned her Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science from Case Western Reserve University and obtained a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education and became certified as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at Vanderbilt University. Before pursuing her doctorate, she held the positions of Educational Consultant at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s TRIAD (Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders) and Autism Specialist at the University of North Carolina’s TEACCH Autism Program.

RACHEL KUNEMUND is pursuing her PhD in Special Education and Disability Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Prior to beginning the doctoral program, she taught for 4 years at the Faison School for Autism. Throughout her time teaching, Rachel worked with preschool, elementary, and middle school aged students on both academic and behavioral skills. She worked with an interdisciplinary team of professionals to help create both individualized education plans and individualized behavior interventions. Using these behavioral interventions in the classroom, she aimed to help students achieve higher levels of independence and academic success. While teaching in her regular classroom, Rachel also worked with a behavior analyst to create a pilot version of an inclusive early intervention classroom using applied behavior analysis.

During her time in the classroom, Rachel also completed the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders (LEND) program through Virginia Commonwealth University. While in the LEND program, she presented a poster on specific academic interventions in the classroom for children with Autism using observational learning strategies. Rachel received her M.Ed. in Special Education from Virginia Commonwealth University and her B.S. in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Originally from Connecticut, SARAH WILKINSON earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Education (Urban Education and Teacher Research) from Clark University in Worcester, MA. She also completed a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Special Education, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) from Assumption College in Worcester. Most recently, Sarah taught in Leominster, MA at the Leominster Center for Excellence (LCE), a small innovation high school designed for students who struggle to succeed in the traditional high school setting due to social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. During her first year there, Sarah helped to develop and implement a PBIS model in the school. Prior to her work at LCE, she was a history teacher at Shrewsbury High School in Shrewsbury, MA for 9 years. There she taught a variety of courses such as inclusion history, Advanced Placement U.S. History, and after school credit recovery for at-risk seniors. As part of her Masters program, Sarah also taught history for one year at South High Community School in Worcester, MA.

Sarah is pursuing her doctoral studies in Educational Psychology (Special Education) at the University of Connecticut. She plans to focus her work on behavior supports at the secondary level.

Born and raised in New England, CAITLYN MAJEIKA spent 3 years as a Special Education Resource Teacher in Rhode Island. During her time there, Caitlyn worked with students across a wide range of disabilities in grades two through six. In this role, she provided her students with direct behavior support and access to the Common Core curriculum in the general education classroom in addition to providing individualized academic interventions in a resource setting. In this role, Caitlyn also served as a Catalyst Teacher on her district’s Digital Literacy Committee. Through this opportunity, she worked with other teachers to plan curricula embedded with instruction in digital literacy skills. Caitlyn also coached her middle school’s Unified Basketball team, which provided students with disabilities the opportunity to play intermural sports alongside their typical peers.

Caitlyn holds both a Bachelor’s in Elementary/Special Education and a Master’s of Education in Special Education from Vanderbilt University. She is also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Upon graduation, Caitlyn is currently a doctoral student at Vanderbilt University, pursuing her passion for research and teacher preparation. Her research interests center around increasing teacher use of data-based decision-making to adapt and intensify behavioral interventions. More specifically, she is interested in utilizing student characteristics (e.g., function of behavior) to more efficiently and effectively inform the selection and/or adaptation of Tier 2 behavioral interventions.

Selected Publications:
Gilmour, A., Majeika, C. E., Sheaffer, A., & Wehby, J. H. (accepted for publication). Teacher evaluation and student behavior: Are evaluation rubrics designed to support teacher development in classroom management? Submitted to Teacher Education and Special Education.

Kunemund, R., Majeika, C., Mellado De La Cruz, V., & Wilkinson, S. (2017). Practice Guide: Check-In Check-Out for Students with or At-Risk for Emotional or Behavioral Disabilities. Washington, DC: US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.

Majeika, C. E., Walder, J. P., Hubbard, J. P., Steeb, K. M., Ferris, G. J., Oakes, W. P., & Lane, K. L. (2011). Improving on-task behavior using a functional assessment-based intervention in an inclusive high school setting. Beyond Behavior, 20, 55-66.

Selected Presentations:
Majeika, C.E., Van Camp, A.M., Wehby, J.H., Commisso, C., Gaier, K., & Kern, L. (2018, March). Enhancing Tier 2 Behavioral Interventions with an Adaptive Intervention Framework. Presented at the annual International Conference on Positive Behavior Support, San Diego, CA.

Wilkinson, S., Majeika, C.E., Kumm, S., & Sterrett, B. (2018, March). Intensifying Behavioral Interventions Through a Data-Based Decision-Making Process. Presented at the annual International Conference on Positive Behavior Support, San Diego, CA.

Chauvin, C. B., & Majeika, C. E., LeJeune, L.N., Wilkinson, S., & Zimmerman, K. N., (2018, February). Teach Like Skinner Is Watching: Embedding Operant Learning Strategies within Explicit Reading and Writing Instruction. Presented at the annual conference of the Midwest Symposium for Leadership in Behavior Disorders, Kansas City, KS.

Van Camp, A. M., Majeika, C. E., Chauvin, C.B. Wehby, J.H., Commisso, C., Gaier, K., & Kern, L. (2018, February). When Standard Protocols Don’t Work: Adapting Check-In/Check-Out to Meet Individual Student Needs. Presented at the annual conference of the Midwest Symposium for Leadership in Behavior Disorders, Kansas City, KS.

Zimmerman, K. N., Chauvin, C. B., & Majeika, C. E. (2018, February). Adapting Classroom-Based Antecedent Interventions for Diverse Students. Presented at the annual conference of the Midwest Symposium for Leadership in Behavior Disorders, Kansas City, KS.

Majeika, C.E., Van Camp, A.M., Sheaffer, A. W., & Wehby, J.H., Commisso, C., Gaier, K., & Kern, L. (2017, October). The Current Landscape of Tier 2 Behavior Interventions: Evaluating the Use of Data and Clinical Judgement to Make Decisions. Presented at the annual conference on Advancing School Mental Health, Washington, DC.

Commisso, C. E., Gaier, K. L, Kern, L., Majeika, C. E., Van Camp, A. M., Wehby, J. H. (2017, October). A Review of Check-in/Check-out (CICO): Components, Evaluated Adaptations, and Implications for Use with Students. Presented at the annual conference on Advancing School Mental Health, Washington, D.C.

Majeika, C.E., Van Camp, A.M., Wehby, J.H., Commisso, C., Gaier, K., & Kern, L. (2017, October). Adapting Tier II Behavior Interventions. In B.P. Lloyd (Chair) Adapting and Intensifying Behavioral Supports Along a Tier II—Tier III Continuum. Symposium presented at the annual conference of the Tennessee Association of Behavior Analysts, Nashville, TN.

SAMANTHA (SAM) GESEL is a Ph.D. candidate in Special Education at Vanderbilt University. A New Hampshire native, Sam attended the University of New Hampshire for both her undergraduate (B.A. in Psychology) and master’s degrees. Throughout this time, she worked at an area agency, providing direct support to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sam completed a dual certification master’s program, through which she earned an M.Ed. in Elementary Education and an additional certification in Special Education. She worked as a general education fourth grade teacher in New Hampshire for three years. While a teacher, Sam served on committees related to literacy instruction, assessment, and technology, leading school-based initiatives in these areas.

Sam began her Ph.D. program in Fall 2015, under the supervision of her advisor, Dr. Chris Lemons. With a minor area in Research Methods, Sam has been trained in advanced statistical methodology and research design (group and single case). During her time at Vanderbilt, she has worked on faculty-led research grants related to reading interventions for students with or at-risk for disabilities. Sam has begin her own research line related to intensive interventions and data-based decision-making in reading. She has presented her research at national and international research conferences. Sam is especially interested in training teachers to use data-based individualization (DBI) in practice, identifying barriers to implementation, and supporting continued use of these practices. Recently, Sam completed a meta-analysis of the effect of teacher training in DBI on teachers’ DBI knowledge and skills. Currently, Sam is completing her dissertation study, which is a replication study examining the relative accuracy and timeliness of different reading progress monitoring schedules, one component of the DBI process. In addition to her research work, Sam values her experiences in teaching and service. Sam is a member of the Council for Learning Disabilities and the Council for Exceptional Children (general member and member of Divisions of Research and Learning Disabilities). She has also served as a mentor for newer Ph.D. students. Most notably, Sam recently received the Shores Award for Teaching Excellence, a departmental award recognizing her achievements related to teaching and supervising undergraduate and graduate students.

AMANDA MARTINEZ-LINCOLN is a Ph.D. candidate in the Special Education department at the University of Texas at Austin, with a concentration in Learning Disabilities and Behavioral Disorders. She is a National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention (NCLii) scholar and is the project coordinator for the Connect-IT Project that is developing and testing the effectiveness of an inference intervention for middle school students with reading difficulties. Her research focuses on the underlying cognitive mechanisms of learning disabilities. She is particularly interested in examining how knowing or learning a new language influences students’ learning in reading and mathematics.

SKIP KUMM is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in special education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His interests include special education services in juvenile justice facilities, transition services for youth leaving secure care facilities, mental health and behavioral interventions, and using data-based individualization for students requiring intensive behavioral and academic interventions. Before pursuing his Ph.D., Skip was a special education teacher and department chair at Nancy B. Jefferson Alternative School, a Chicago Public School located in the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center. Skip also taught at Banner Academy West in Chicago, where he was the special education case manager for the Youth Engaged in School (YES) program. The YES program was designed to educate youth under court supervision and focused teaching social-emotional skills embedded in the core curriculum.

Skip obtained his Master’s in Education from National-Louis University and his B.S. in Aviation from the University of Dubuque.

LISA DIDION is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in special education at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in St. Louis, MO and attended the University of Missouri-Columbia. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Cross Categorical Disabilities and obtained her teaching licensure for students with special needs in grades K-12. While in school, she worked as a respite care provider and test administrator. After graduating, she then moved to Nashville to earn her Master’s in Emotional/Behavior Disorders at Vanderbilt University. She gained experience as a liaison for Positive Behavior Support (PBS). Following graduation, Lisa spent 2009-2015 as an urban, public school, special education teacher for K-5th grade students in Wilmington, DE. Lisa taught students with moderate-severe learning, behavioral, mental and physical disabilities in both self-contained and inclusive settings. After school hours, she taught in homes of students that were put on homebound instruction. Beyond the classroom, Lisa was active as a Girls on the Run Coach, PBS Team Leader, Health & Wellness Team Leader, Building Leadership Team member, and Math Council Representative. Beyond her building, she served as a member of her district’s Special Education Committee and the Elementary Grade Reporting Committee. She was named Teacher of the Year in 2013-2014.

Lisa’s current research focus is centered around investigation of data use, both by students for their own self-monitoring and teachers for instructional decision making. Specifically, she is focused on self-determined learning practices to improve academic and behavior outcomes for students with high-incidence disabilities. Also, Lisa is interested in teacher learning, specifically in how to provide teachers with supports to use data to inform instruction in order to deliver effective intensive interventions for improved student outcomes.

In her spare time, Lisa enjoys cooking, biking, yoga, camping, and visiting her family in St. Louis.

CARLIN CONNER is currently pursuing her PhD in Education at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Carlin has been living in Dallas for the past 4 years, originally placed there as a member of Teach for America to teach special education. Before coming to Dallas, Carlin completed her Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Development at the University of Georgia (UGA). While at UGA, Carlin also received a certificate in Disability Studies, which ultimately inspired her to get involved in the field of special education. During her 4 years in Dallas, Carlin worked as a 3rd-5th grade special education teacher at Uplift Williams Preparatory, a Charter School with a majority ESL population. She worked with students of all abilities: learning disability, Down syndrome, traumatic brain injury, Autism, behavior disorders, and more, in both inclusive and self-contained settings. She was named District Special Education Staff Member of the year for the 2015-2016 school year, during which time she also worked as a resident coordinator for special education at her entire K-12 campus. In May 2016, Carlin received her Master’s degree in Special Education at SMU before heading to New Orleans to enjoy the summer with her family and dog, Titus. Growing up in New Orleans gave Carlin a love of good food and music, which she tries to make time to enjoy in Dallas. She also enjoys running, swimming, and biking, and has completed several half marathons and sprint-triathlons.

CHRISTERRALYN BROWN is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in special education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She attended St. Xavier University where she completed her Bachelor’s of Communication Disorder with a concentration in Spanish Studies. After earning her B.A. she attended Governors State University where she earned her M.A. in Multi-categorical Special Education. From 2011-2013, she worked as a Special Education Resource teacher for Posen-Robbins School District, a south suburb of Illinois. Looking for a more challenging work environment, she decided to accept employment with AUSL, a school management organization focused on transforming school outcomes for the lowest performing schools in the city of Chicago. Christerralyn began her career with AUSL as a special education teacher focusing on small group intense intervention. She then became the school’s case manager as well as the MTSS coordinator. In these roles she focused on developing a strong co-teaching inclusion model as well as establishing a multi-tiered system of supports focused on closing the school-wide achievement gap.

BRITTA BRESINA is a doctoral student in educational psychology (special education) at the University of Minnesota. Her research interests focus on improving instructional interventions for students at risk for or with learning disabilities, especially in reading comprehension. She is interested in investigating cognitive correlates of discourse comprehension, primarily the relation between working memory and reading comprehension. Additionally, Britta is interested in educational neuroscience, implementation science, and supporting teachers’ use of data to make instructional decisions. Britta earned a bachelor’s degree in special education learning disabilities and elementary education and completed coursework in emotional & behavioral disorders from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. While there, Britta served on two research teams and worked as a clinician at the university’s interdisciplinary clinic. In addition, Britta, along with a professor, traveled to Scotland to experience Scottish special education practices.

After college, Britta spent 6 years teaching junior high special education in Iowa City, Iowa. As a teacher, Britta was privileged to work with students with learning disabilities and emotional & behavioral disorders. In her most recent year of teaching, she took on the leadership role of Instructional Design Strategist, working in a collaborative coaching relationship with both general and special education teachers. In this role, Britta helped develop and provide a variety of personal professional development and supported teachers to use data to drive instructional decisions focused on increasing student achievement. Britta also served on many building and district level leadership teams as well as coached junior high volleyball and track & field. Britta enjoys spending time with her family, playing sports, being outdoors, reading, crafting, and spending time with her husband, Jace.

GINA BRAUN is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Special Education at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Gina received her Bachelor’s in elementary education from Indiana University. After completing her undergraduate studies, she received her Master’s in special education from Loyola University in Chicago. Gina spent the first part of her career teaching students with mild to moderate special needs on the southwest side of Chicago. While teaching, Gina gained experience as a self-contained, resource, and inclusion teacher. She also founded and co-lead the Response to Intervention team at her school. Following her career as a teacher, Gina became an instructional coach for new special education teachers across several Chicago Public schools. She spent time getting to know the teachers’ practice and helped build their capacity in the areas of classroom management, instruction, content knowledge, IEP development, knowledge of the student, and assessment.

Gina’s current research focus is two-fold. Focused on reading comprehension, she works on systematically intensifying interventions as well as preparing and supporting teachers who teach literacy to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Aside from being a student, Gina enjoys spending family time with her husband Erik, and charming and rambunctious toddler, Anden.

CHRISTY AUSTIN is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in special education at the University of Texas at Austin. Before starting the program, Christy worked for 2 years as a 1st and 2nd grade teacher at Rawson Saunders, a private school for students with dyslexia. Prior to teaching at Rawson Saunders, Christy worked as a special education coordinator and assistant principal at KIPP:Camino Academy in San Antonio, Texas. She was responsible for developing and monitoring the implementation of IEPs for students receiving special education services, developing and monitoring the services provided to students under 504, managing student discipline, coaching and supervising teachers, and presenting professional development to staff related to special education training, school culture, and discipline. Christy also spent 2 years as a life-skills teacher at Chase’s Place, a school for students with moderate to severe developmental disabilities.

Christy received a B.A. in humanities from Trinity University, where she played college tennis and was a two-time All-American doubles player. She received a M.Ed. in special education at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in learning disabilities and behavioral disorders. She is particularly interested in research in the area of reading interventions.

KRISTI BAKER is currently pursuing her PhD in Special Education from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Born and raised in Texas, Kristi earned her Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Houston and her Master’s in Special Education from Southern Methodist University. Over the past 10 years, Kristi has worked with a broad spectrum of students in elementary through high school with varying disabilities and is passionate about serving students with special needs. Most recently, Kristi has worked with other teachers within a local, urban charter district as the special education coordinator. In this role, she worked to implement systems to ensure that all schools within the district had the resources needed to serve their growing populations of students with IEPs and 504 plans. Kristi plans to focus her work on interventions that address the over-classification of minority students in special education. Beyond work and school, Kristi is very active in her church and enjoys reading, cooking, and spending quality time with family and friends.