Kara Dymond, Ph.D., is a late-diagnosed autistic/ADHD advocate, teacher, researcher, and award-winning teacher educator from Toronto, Canada. Her work supporting autistic students inspired her books Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom (2025) and The Autism Lens (2020). Kara researches accessibility in graduate teacher education and teaches graduate courses on Accessible Education & Classroom Neurodiversity at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, attempting to counteract the segregated and ableist ways in which education faculties teach about learner variability.

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Jessica Sinarski, LPCMH is an award-winning author, dynamic speaker, and the founder of BraveBrains. She has spent her entire career working with children who have challenging behaviors and the caring adults in their lives. She loves spicy food, Diet Coke, and her sweet, silly family…not in that order.

Jessica has worked with thousands of teachers, counselors, and administrators to get to the root of problematic student (and staff) behavior. She translates neuroscience into action steps through comprehensive professional development, diverse books, and practical tools for the classroom and beyond. Learn more at www.BraveBrains.com.

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Dr. Charles Bell is an award-winning associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences at Illinois State University. His research explores how out-of-school suspension, seclusion, and restraint impact families and teachers throughout the U.S. The Society for the Study of Social Problems selected Dr. Bell’s book Suspended: Punishment, Violence, and the Failure of School Safety as a finalist for the C. Wright Mills Book Award. Additionally, he has worked a subject matter expert on school punishment, violence, and public health projects with the Centers for Disease Control and the National Center for School Safety. His scholarship has been featured on NBC News, NPR, Detroit News, PBS, and in several international media outlets. Dr. Bell has also served as an expert witness in state and federal school punishment cases. New York University Press will publish his next book, No Restraint: Disabled Children and Institutionalized Violence in America’s Schools, in February 2026.

Purchase the book here: https://amzn.to/3YZbacf

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Lauren (she/her) is a neurodiversity and inclusion specialist and an experienced special educator and is the Executive Director of the Program for Neurodiversity and Inclusion, or “PINE.” PINE educates and empowers schools and communities to embrace neurodiversity, creating inclusive, accessible, and supportive spaces for children wherever they go. Her work centers on building neuro-inclusive spaces where every child belongs.

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Peter Vermeulen, PhD, has a Master's in Psychology and Pedagogical Sciences at the University of Leuven, Belgium (1985) and a PhD in Psychology and Pedagogical Sciences at the University of Leiden, The Netherlands (2002). From 1987 until 1998, he worked for the Flemish Autism Association, first as a home trainer for families with a child with autism, later as director of the home training centre, and finally as a trainer/lecturer. Then, from 1998 till 2018, he was working as a senior autism consultant/lecturer/trainer at Autisme Centraal. He is the founder and director of ‘Autism in Context’.

He presents worldwide and has given keynote addresses at many international conferences, including the Autism Europe Congress, the World Autism Congress, the Asian Pacific Autism Conference, the National Autistic Society, and Scottish Autism.

He wrote over 150 articles on autism and is the author of more than 20 books on autism with translations into more than 10 languages, a.o. "This is the title: on autistic thinking” (2001), “I am Special: a handbook for psycho-education” (2000, revised edition 2013), “Autism as context blindness” (2012), a book that won several awards in the USA, “The predictive brain and autism” (2022), and “What really works with autistic children” (published in the USA in 2024). In 2019, he received the Passwerk Life Time Achievement Award for his more than 30 years of contribution to the autism community in Belgium.

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Jenna Goldstein, MS/CAGS, Certified School Psychologist, is an AuDHD woman, school psychologist, and parent to neurodivergent children – the '3' perspectives of her practice, 'ND3'. As such, Jenna brings a 360-degree view of children, families, and systems to her work. After 15 years as a school psychologist in public schools, Jenna launched ND3 to offer counseling to children and teens, consultations for caregivers and professionals, and trainings for organizations that are uncompromisingly neuro-affirming and neuroscience-informed. More at ND3. https://nd3.org/

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Cassie Atallah is a Trauma Informed Changemaker with 10 years of teaching experience and 12 years of experience parenting her gifted, autistic son, who has become her greatest teacher. She has dedicated much of her time to learning about healthy, equitable approaches to extreme behavior. She shares this knowledge in her work as the co-founder and co-leader of EndSaR-MI and EndSaR-NJ, two organizations dedicated to creating safe schools without seclusion and restraint by finding creative ways to meet student needs in order to prevent meltdowns. She also creates content and offers coaching and training through inueri insight.

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Jessy Greer is an actor, writer, and producer with over ten years of experience in entertainment. After moving from Houston to Los Angeles to study at AMDA College of the Performing Arts, she quickly established herself in the comedy scene, sharing the stage with comedians like Amy Schumer and Margaret Cho. Jessy's career spans acting credits on shows like Lessons in Chemistry and Hollywood, performing and writing sketch comedy, and co-producing her feature film 818, showcasing her range and passion for storytelling.

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Staci Neustadt, CEO of Making Sense of Autism®, is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with over 20 years of experience providing individual and group therapy, training, mentorship, and leadership. In 2019, Staci joined Susan in developing the Neuro Strengths Based Support for Autism framework. Staci is passionate about creating a paradigm shift for therapists to holistically support autistic clients and for autistic clients to feel seen and heard as they build on their strengths and contribute their gifts to their community.

Susan Golubock is a retired occupational therapist. She received her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from Western Michigan University in 1968 and Masters of Education degree in special education technology in 1995. She was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum in 1999. Most of her career has been spent in school-based practice. Susan has been a keynote speaker and presenter at various conferences. Susan developed the Neuro-Strengths Based Support for Autism Framework, which comes from her personal experience as an autistic individual and professional experience as an occupational therapist who worked with autistic clients. She grew up trying to “be like everyone else;” she succeeded in masking but at the cost of never developing a sense of “self,” which led to symptoms of post-traumatic stress. When she was finally diagnosed in my early 50s, I learned that there were other options for how to think and behave, which radically changed my life for the better. Susan's passion is to educate parents and professionals so the autistic individuals in their lives are understood.

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Sam Shepherd is the founder of 3DA, a nonprofit that advocates for individuals with developmental disabilities across the country. 3DA focuses on providing accessible resources on their website (3DA.org) as well as advocating at both the state and federal levels.

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Cheryl Poe is the founder and Executive Director of Advocating 4 Kids, Inc., a Special Education Advocacy organization that provides resources, information, and workshops to parents and professionals, with a special focus on addressing the needs of Black and Brown children with disabilities.

She is the past board president of the National Allies for Parents in Special Education NAPSE, a national parent-driven organization that works hard to increase access and quality advocacy resources for special education families from underserved populations to improve educational outcomes.

Mrs. Poe holds a Master of Arts Degree in Urban Education and Counseling. She also has completed over 15 credit hours of postgraduate hours in psychology. In June of 2004, she completed the Nation Group Psychotherapy Institute at the Washington School of Psychiatry in Washington D.C. in the study of Group Psychotherapy. Mrs. Poe completed a two-year term as the Student Outreach and Recruitment.

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Jase Williams is a TEDx Speaker who has 25 years of experience working as an educator and is the former Principal of Henry Hill School who won the prestigious Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Award - Wellbeing - the top education award in New Zealand. Jase is a certified trainer in the Neurosequential Model in Education (NME), and he is one of the leading voices in Relational Neuroscience & Trauma Informed Practice in Education and has shared his knowledge through an equity-focused, compassionate, and indigenous lens with thousands of educators

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Ben is an education specialist and Author of ‘Disruption in Schools: Understand me before you mark me!’. He works with schools, teachers, and principals to tackle issues like teacher burnout, retention, school culture, and student behavior. Many of his strategies to improve behavior and classroom dynamics in schools are grounded in a deep understanding of neuroscience, child development, and psychology

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As a special education consultant for over 25 years, Jennie has represented hundreds of families and attended over a thousand IEP meetings. She empowers Teams to focus unwaveringly on the actual and intended “I’s” in IEP – Individual and Inclusion. She offers expertise and training in navigating the culture, process, and the functional application of special education for all audiences. She is actively engaged with national and state policy development, including service as a member of COPAA’s Government Relations and Social & Racial Equity Committees, a family representative on the Massachusetts Special Education Advisory Panel, and as a core stakeholder in Massachusetts's IEP Improvement Project. A 14-year Board Member on the Special Needs Advocacy Network (SPaN), she founded the School Fair, Same Side of the Table forum, and co-founded the Family Grant and IEP Clinic programs. In 2012, Jennie designed and coordinated the implementation of a transition program for high-cognitive, post-12th-grade students with executive functioning and social communication challenges at the Ivy Street School.

Jennie's latest work, Collaborative Curiosity and the Unstuck Protocol, represents the culmination of insights gathered in her years as a special education consultant and from her prior career in crisis management, marketing, and communications. This reimagined practice is being delivered in multiple venues to advocacy, related-service, and parent groups, and as PD for school staff.

Most importantly, she is a Special Education Surrogate and a fiercely proud parent of a young adult on the autism spectrum, her co-presenter in Collaborative Curiosity, Sam DunKley

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Stacy and Torrin Co-host a podcast that seeks to dispel the myths, misconceptions, and fears around Everything Autism. Stacy Badon is an Autism Education specialist, Sensory Enrichment Therapist, and Parent Coach, with previous experience as a Speech Therapist and Early Intervention teacher for public schools. She has 20+ years of professional experience supporting families in the Autism community, as well as global experience volunteering with nonprofit organizations. Torrin Kearns is an Autistic screenwriter, blogger, and neurodiversity advocate. Each episode takes a deep-dive into a different autism-related topic in a quest to provide answers, skills, and strategies for parents, caregivers, teachers, and therapists.

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Bringing together their combined experience and expertise in the fields of both mental health and education, Rick and Doris Bowman, affectionately known by schools and agencies around the country as “Team Bowman”, provide speaking, training, consultation, and coaching services to both educational organization and mental health agencies on topics of Trauma-Informed Practices/Care, Resilience Practices, Neuro-Affirming Practices, and approaches for intervening with youth with chronic challenging behavior of any cause.

Having lived through the opposite ends of what they view as the “trauma spectrum” in childhood, Rick and Doris bring not only their professional expertise but their lived experience to the work that they do – Rick having grown up in the “hot family” that was marked by violence and abuse as a result of his father’s own PTSD from serving 4 years fighting in the Philippines in WWII and his mother’s mental health diagnosis of schizophrenia, and Doris in the “cold family” where she experienced invalidation of feeling and emotion altogether and the trauma of having had 9 family friends (adults and children) murdered just down the street when she was 7 years old and her family never speaking about what had happened.

Rick & Doris’s credentials include the following:
• M.A. in Clinical Psychology (Rick)
• M.S., Education / Special Education (Doris)
• Advanced Certified Trauma & Resilience Practitioner – Education® (ACTRP-E®)
• Advanced Certified Trauma & Resilience Practitioner – Clinical (ACTRP-C®)
• Certified HeartMath® and “The Coherence Advantage®” Trainer
• Certified “The Resilient Heart” HeartMath Trauma Practitioner
• Certified “Stress & Well-Being Assessment®” Provider (HeartMath Institute)
• Certified Trainer “Collaborative Problem Solving®(Think:Kids, Massachusetts General Hospital)
• K-12 licensed school administrator in the state of Oregon
• PCI Certified Parent Coach®
• Certified special educator & administrator in the state of Oregon
Between them, Rick & Doris have held roles that include:
• Therapist
• Program Director
• Clinical Consultant
• Social Emotional Academic Learning Program Teacher
• Behavior Specialist
• Principal
• Assistant Principal
• Student Services Director

Rick & Doris have been former speakers at the Attachment & Trauma Network’s Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conferences since 2020, and are requested speakers at numerous national and state-wide administrator, educator and child-serving conferences, including special education, annual, and principal-specific conferences. They've been featured speakers at the Innovative Schools Summit's "Differently Wired" (trauma-informed) Conference, ESSDACK’s “Bridging to Resilience” Conference, Chaddock’s “Trauma-Informed Relationship-Focused Schools Conference”, and the Pacific NW Special Education & the Law Conference.

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Alex Shevrin Venet is an educator, author, and professional development facilitator based in Vermont. She teaches graduate teacher education at Vermont State University. Previously, she was a teacher and leader at an alternative therapeutic school, a community college instructor, and an after-school teacher in the upper elementary grades. Alex works with educators around the country to strengthen their trauma-informed education practices, with a focus on empowering teachers to create systemic change. She is the author of the bestselling book Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education, which has been integrated into teacher education programs in several states and has been cited in education research more than 200 times. Her follow-up book, Becoming an Everyday Changemaker: Justice and Healing at School, provides teachers with the tools to implement trauma-informed practices starting where they are.

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Karyn Harvey has worked as a clinician in the field of intellectual disabilities for over 35 years. She has her Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland. She has written three books: Positive Identity Development, Trauma–Informed Behavioral Interventions, and Trauma and Healing. She has a private practice and does therapy with people with intellectual disabilities. In addition, she regularly conducts training on trauma-informed support for people with IDD, trauma-informed leadership, and trauma-informed behavioral interventions for both state and individual organizations throughout the US and Canada. She sees restraints and seclusion as both traumatizing and re-traumatizing to the recipients and is passionate about the elimination of these procedures.

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Margaret Thorsborne is an author, trainer, and facilitator of Restorative Practice with a background in education and counselling. She is a pioneer of Restorative Practice in schools in Australia and New Zealand in the mid-to-late 1990s, and in the UK in the early 2000s. She has since trained restorative practitioners and change makers in education, workplaces, community, police, and justice sectors across Australia, Asia, New Zealand, the UK, the USA, and Canada. She remains involved in this important transformation in schools, particularly around whole school implementation of trauma-informed, relational approaches and culture change. Marg has been awarded an Order of Australia medal for her contribution to education and a Lifetime Achievement award from NACRJ in the USA.

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Kara Dymond, OCT, PhD, is a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD advocate, teacher, author, researcher, and award-winning university lecturer. Kara teaches autistic elementary students who inspired her books, Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom (Jessica Kingsley, 2025) and The Autism Lens (Pembroke, 2020). Kara earned the 2024 Award for Excellence in Initial Teacher Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, where she teaches graduate courses on neurodiversity-affirming classrooms. In 2025, she received the King Charles III Coronation Medal, a Governor General Award for service, for her dedication to improving the lives of autistic people and their communities across Canada. She researches intersections of neoliberalism, ableism, racism, classism, and neuronormativity in education; teacher reflexivity; and the transformative potential of neurodiversity-affirming pedagogy, where all are expected and welcomed, and is a co-investigator in a study on Universal Design for Learning and accessibility in teacher education. For fun, Kara co-hosts a podcast called Autistic Tidbits & Tangents, along with autistic psychologist Maja Toudal and autistic composer Bruce Petherick.

From Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom: The world expects the impossible from teachers, with so many young people in our care, all with unique needs. How do we help everyone to thrive?

Imagine a classroom where there is no 'normal' - where all brains are expected and welcomed. Students are taught about neurodiversity, metacognition, and self-advocacy alongside the curriculum and are encouraged to identify their own needs. Learning tools are taught and available to everyone!

This thoughtful guide breaks down the learning process. It's brimming with practical tips, brain-based strategies, and illustrative examples that teachers can implement in the classroom. Stories of real teachers and neurodivergent students help educators envision how to apply neurodiversity-affirming approaches.

This book invites a compassionate lens for teachers and students alike. It's the how-to of forging partnerships with students - our best resources in collaboratively problem-solving pressing classroom concerns and invisible learning needs. Everyone benefits when we plan with accessibility in mind!

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Tamara Ward is a 2023 NABJ Pew Youth Justice Fellow. A MDDC Press Association award-winning multi-platform journalist, she is also an accomplished communications professional with over 20 years of experience in various communications disciplines, including journalism, media relations, crisis communications, marketing, social media, and web. However, journalism is Tamara's first love. She has experience covering environment, sports, government, politics, and community news for a variety of platforms, including print, online, and broadcast.

The very first interview she conducted was with Rosa Parks. Decades later, Tamara reported for E&E News on Capitol Hill about environmental and energy policy and politics and where they intersect with the Trump administration, the 2020 Presidential campaign, the House impeachment inquiry, the State of the Union Address, and COVID-19. In 2024, Tamara completed a fellowship with NABJ and The Pew Research Center.

Previously, she covered the Maryland General Assembly, county government, and local and state politics for APG Media. Her articles appeared in a half dozen newspapers in Maryland, including The Calvert Recorder, The Maryland Independent, and The Enterprise.

A Brookings Legis Fellow in the House of Representatives, she managed gun violence prevention, veterans’ issues, voters' rights and more. Currently, she works in a robust press office in the federal government.

A two-time graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, Tamara earned a bachelor's in Speech Communications and, as an Eleanor Merrill Fellow, she obtained a master's in Broadcast Journalism.

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Polina is a trauma-informed speech-language pathologist, family communication and feeding expert who specializes in autism and ADHD. She uses play to engage with each child’s unique perspective of the world. She earned her Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology from CUNY Queens College, where she was an adjunct lecturer for seven years. She also has a Master of Science degree in Nutrition Education from American University, which has transformed the feeding therapy aspect of her practice, particularly in the area of ARFID. With additional certifications in trauma and ADHD, Polina is an integrator of information, continuously expanding her knowledge and ensuring effective therapeutic intervention

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Connie Lillas, Founder and Executive Director of the NeuroRelational Framework (NRF) Institute Research to Resilience (www.NRFcare.org), co-authored the NeuroRelational Framework textbook and later authored the NRF 3 Steps to Resilience Foundations Manual. She oversees the NRF Institute’s ongoing research, focusing on understanding toxic stress across all ages and cultural backgrounds.

The NRF Institute is an innovative social enterprise uniting passionate practitioners worldwide. The institute champions five key paradigm shifts, challenging the limitations of viewing behavior through a compliance vs. non-compliance lens and their long-term hidden costs. By applying assessment and intervention guidelines, we call NeuroRelational Care, the NRF provides customized, collaborative, and coordinated solutions for children and families navigating complex challenges.

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Nicole Keler is a passionate special education leader with nine years of experience working in the public charter school system across Washington, D.C. She is currently a Specialist on the School Equity and Effectiveness team at the D.C. Public Charter School Board. However, she started in the education system as a special education teacher, then transitioned to working as an inclusion manager to support families and students with diverse learning needs on a larger scale. She believes that home-school partnerships are the key to successful student outcomes. Rooted in trauma-informed practices such as Flamboyan and Conscious Discipline, Nicole works tirelessly to engage families throughout the special education process and has created systems to ensure team collaboration during the Tier 1,2,3 process. Her experience inspired her to establish LiveWellEd, with co-founder Angie Zara to bridge school and family best practices.

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When I think back to about five years ago now, around the time that I first learned of my daughter’s traumatic seclusion incident at school from another parent, I was in a state of shock. After running into one frustrating and upsetting experience after another with the school and district, and even in reviewing provincial education policies, the only thing that I could think to do was to search for the issue of seclusion and restraint online. This is when I found the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint. In this session, I’ll share my journey as a parent from ABA and behaviorism to finding a better way.

 Chantelle Hyde: Chantelle is a dedicated mother and advocate. She became an active advocate against restraint and seclusion after learning that their daughter was being locked in a room at school in rural New Brunswick, Canada. Chantelle’s path to advocacy was paved by her desire to be a part of a community of support for other families. Chantelle hopes to bring positive change to Canadian systems. Chantelle is the lead Canadian volunteer for the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint and facilitates book study groups for the organization.

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Katie Pagnotta is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, functional success educational consultant, parent coach, and author. She is also the creator of the Brain- and Body-Aligned Responsive Systems (BBARS) of Excellence framework. She guides educators, administrators, and school staff in strengths-based approaches that leverage the human design and empower the development of the necessary mindsets and habits that lead to re-envisioned success; success the achieves goals by rooting in wellness.

Katie authored Empowered by the Human Design: Utilizing the BBARS of Excellence Framework to Foster Student and Educator Success, a book that includes interview segments from 18 experts within the fields of education, psychology, and neuroscience. The book is a work of collective wisdom grounded in Polyvagal Theory and synthesized in a user-friendly way to facilitate practical application for educators. Its reviewers have called it “a powerful and practical new model for regulation and resilience,” “required reading for all educators,” “a gift to the field,” and “a game-changer.” Throughout the book, Katie combines the wisdom of her interviewees with her own research as well as her years of experience as a former K-12 NH public school counselor.

Katie utilizes her book and framework as tools to support schools in their journey of moving towards neuroscience-aligned education. She is passionate about providing professional development opportunities that support the whole school community in order to help educators and students thrive!

Sam Chadwick has been working as an educator for five years, four of which have been at Somerset Elementary School. Even before graduating and starting her professional career she always had a passion for working with kids and did so as a tutor, nanny, and in the PreK/daycare setting. After working with, and learning about students with exceptionalities and students with trauma, she decided to get her masters degree in Trauma-Informed education to better her practice and approach to support all students. Sam runs her classroom with one main mantra for herself, the other adults in the room, and her students; "Be a good human." Sam believes it's important to remember everyone in the classroom has different needs to be successful and assists students in meeting their needs in ways that aren't hurting someone else's path to learning. She works to create a welcoming and encouraging environment where all adults and students can be successful using routine, setting and achieving goals, and using regulation as a path for connection.

In her 30 years as an educator, Ellen Surprenant has been privileged to learn alongside students, educators, and families, in a variety of public elementary school settings. She has worked as a PK teacher, a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, a special education teacher, and an Assistant Director of Special Services. Currently, Ellen is the building administrator at Somerset Elementary School in Hartland, Maine. Her mission is to use a neuroscience and strengths-based approach to grow and support a team that views behavior through a regulation lens; understanding actions as a response to the body's internal state, particularly the nervous system, rather than as intentional or willful choices. The ultimate aim of this approach is to foster a community of safety, creativity, curiosity, and kindness leading to improved job satisfaction and retention for educators and joyful, engaged learning for students.

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Yeiter has 50 years of personal commitment to specifically supporting people who live in a status he names a “reputation for challenging behavior”. He draws on a rich personal history. His time in the company of people defined by a story of challenging behavior begins in an unreformed back ward in 1971 and continues through an attempt to reform the institution by implementing behavior analytic treatments, the move into local group homes and day programs, the implementation of integrated special education, and the development of individualized supports for work roles and establishing people in their own homes. In making a positive difference in people’s lives, he has taken many roles: ward attendant, behavior specialist, administrator, consultant, and teacher.

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Sandra McConnell, who is sometimes known as the PDA Mama Bear, is an instructor, speaker, blogger, and parent coach. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology, and two graduate certificates in neurodiversity and learning differences. And her 13-year-old son is Pathologically Demand Avoidant, or PDA, an unofficial autism profile characterized by an intense and persistent anxiety-driven need to resist demands. It just so happens, Sandra is PDA, too, diagnosed in early 2024. While parenting her son and navigating the school system were certainly a challenge, they’ve had relative success, and she attributes the edge to her insider’s perspective – one she described as perpetually on the outside looking in.  

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Staci Neustadt, CEO of Making Sense of Autism®, is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with over 20 years of experience providing individual and group therapy, training, mentorship, and leadership. In 2019, Staci joined Susan in developing the Neuro Strengths Based Support for Autism framework. Staci is passionate about creating a paradigm shift for therapists to holistically support autistic clients and for autistic clients to feel seen and heard as they build on their strengths and contribute their gifts to their community.

Susan Golubock is a retired occupational therapist. She received her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from Western Michigan University in 1968 and Masters of Education degree in special education technology in 1995. She was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum in 1999. Most of her career has been spent in school-based practice. Susan has been a keynote speaker and presenter at various conferences. Susan developed the Neuro-Strengths Based Support for Autism Framework, which comes from her personal experience as an autistic individual and professional experience as an occupational therapist who worked with autistic clients. She grew up trying to “be like everyone else;” she succeeded in masking but at the cost of never developing a sense of “self,” which led to symptoms of post-traumatic stress. When she was finally diagnosed in my early 50s, I learned that there were other options for how to think and behave, which radically changed my life for the better. Susan's passion is to educate parents and professionals so the autistic individuals in their lives are understood.

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Angelina Zara was born and raised in the heart of Washington, DC; Angie found her passion in education in 2015, serving students and caregivers in her hometown. Angie’s career includes the creation of the position of Social Emotional Learning Specialist in her previous school building, which subsequently expanded across the Local Educational Agency, ranging from elementary to high school campuses. Her experience includes implementing school-wide shifts through sustaining positive relationships, capacity building, addressing adult mindsets, and leveraging positive outcomes for staff and students. In the Spring of 2024, Angie made her transition to work for Washington, DC Public Schools to support schools across the city in implementing restorative practices to support the whole child. Additionally, Angie collaborated with the Office of the State Superintendent (OSSE) to create the first set of Washington DC Social and Emotional Learning Standards. In addition to working full time in the DC school system, Angie presents nationally on the topics of trauma accommodating principles and strategies, applied educational neuroscience, and adult wellbeing and nervous system regulation. Angie also serves as an adjunct faculty for Butler University’s Applied Educational Neuroscience Certification Program under trauma-informed trailblazer Dr. Lori Desautels. In 2023, Angie co-founded LiveWellEd, LLC, which supports caregivers, educators, and organizations responding to the needs of the post-pandemic education system by sharing best practices and systems design through consulting and coaching.

Nicole Keler is a passionate special education leader with nine years of experience working in the public charter school system across Washington, D.C. She is currently a Specialist on the School Equity and Effectiveness team at the D.C. Public Charter School Board. However, she started in the education system as a special education teacher, then transitioned to working as an inclusion manager to support families and students with diverse learning needs on a larger scale. She believes that home-school partnerships are the key to successful student outcomes. Rooted in trauma-informed practices such as Flamboyan and Conscious Discipline, Nicole works tirelessly to engage families throughout the special education process and has created systems to ensure team collaboration during the Tier 1,2,3 process. Her experience inspired her to establish LiveWellEd, with co-founder Angie Zara to bridge school and family best practices

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Mike is passionate about the ability of public education to provide all students with a high-quality education and is proud to be the superintendent of Harwood Unified Union School District. Mike’s goal is to improve classroom experiences for students and teachers and be a champion in the community for public education.

He started his career in 1991 as a middle school and high school social studies teacher in the City of York, Pennsylvania. Following experiences as a high school assistant principal, middle school principal, and assistant superintendent for personnel, he was named Superintendent of Schools for the Penn Manor School District in 2009, a school system serving 5400 students in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

After finishing his educational career in Pennsylvania, Mike was drawn to the Harwood Unified Union School District in central Vermont through his travels in the state, particularly during the time his daughter attended the University of Vermont.

Mike is a member of the Vermont Superintendents Association and currently serves as its representative on the statewide Commission on the Future of Public Education in Vermont.

He is enjoying the opportunity to learn, discover, and help Harwood make the progress the school desires for its students and community.

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Meghan Ashburn is a continuous learner, former elementary educator, family support specialist, speaker, and co-author of the award-winning book, I Will Die On This Hill. Her book club of over 15K members publishes book recommendation lists on autism and neurodiversity, and her website NotAnAutismMom.com is packed with resources for parents and educators. Meghan has advocated for communication rights and inclusion at the local, state, and national levels of government

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Kelly Mahler is an award-winning occupational therapist, author, and interoception groupie known for her boundless curiosity and fondness for crunching pinecones. Holding a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, she has served school-aged children and adults for over 23 years. Kelly is the author of 12 resources, including The Interoception Curriculum, now used in over 30 countries worldwide. She enjoys speaking internationally on interoception, neuro-affirming practices, and playful strategies for inner exploration using a lens of curiosity, validation, and empathy.  

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 Bringing together their combined experience and expertise in the fields of both mental health and education, Rick and Doris Bowman, affectionately known by schools and agencies around the country as “Team Bowman”, provide speaking, training, consultation, and coaching services to both educational organization and mental health agencies on topics of Trauma-Informed Practices/Care, Resilience Practices, Neuro-Affirming Practices, and approaches for intervening with youth with chronic challenging behavior of any cause.

 Having lived through the opposite ends of what they view as the “trauma spectrum” in childhood, Rick and Doris bring not only their professional expertise but their lived experience to the work that they do – Rick having grown up in the “hot family” that was marked by violence and abuse as a result of his father’s own PTSD from serving 4 years fighting in the Philippines in WWII and his mother’s mental health diagnosis of schizophrenia, and Doris in the “cold family” where she experienced invalidation of feeling and emotion altogether and the trauma of having had 9 family friends (adults and children) murdered just down the street when she was 7 years old and her family never speaking about what had happened.

 Rick & Doris’s credentials include the following:

·         M.A. in Clinical Psychology (Rick)

·         M.S., Education / Special Education (Doris)

·         Advanced Certified Trauma & Resilience Practitioner – Education® (ACTRP-E®)

·         Advanced Certified Trauma & Resilience Practitioner – Clinical (ACTRP-C®)

·         Certified HeartMath® and “The Coherence Advantage®” Trainer

·         Certified “The Resilient Heart” HeartMath Trauma Practitioner

·         Certified “Stress & Well-Being Assessment®” Provider (HeartMath Institute)

·         Certified Trainer “Collaborative Problem Solving®(Think:Kids, Massachusetts General Hospital)

·         K-12 licensed school administrator in the state of Oregon

·         PCI Certified Parent Coach®

·         Certified special educator & administrator in the state of Oregon

Between them, Rick & Doris have held roles that include:

·         Therapist

·         Program Director

·         Clinical Consultant

·         Social Emotional Academic Learning Program Teacher

·         Behavior Specialist

·         Principal

·         Assistant Principal

·         Student Services Director

 They are now in the final stages of preparing to release their first book, titled after their current workshop – “Your FBA is a Fantasy! A Guide to Making Trauma-Informed, Neuro-Affirming Practices Actionable, and Aligning our FBAs and Behavior Plans Accordingly”.

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Justin Moorman and Katie Thornton are veteran educators who are well versed in Trauma-Informed Practices with advanced training in the Neurosequential Model in Education, Applied Educational Neuroscience, Crisis Prevention Intervention, Restorative Practices, Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH), and Advanced Collaborative and Proactive Solutions. They believe kids do well if they can, and problems should be solved WITH kids. They look forward to sharing their passion with others to continue to help reform educational practices based on current research. Katie and Justin have launched the (Re)Education of Schools Podcast to give voice, advocacy, support, and professional development to other educators

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Erin Grimm comes from a long line of educators. She has over ten years of experience teaching world languages and English and now owns her own business "Seahurst Learns Together," which is dedicated to academic coaching of students with what she calls "alternative emotional intelligence."

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Katie Crosby is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in the treatment of childhood/developmental, trauma, and human trafficking in children and adolescents. Prior to this, Katie served as the Program Director for a long-term residential treatment facility for youth who were survivors of human trafficking or who are at high risk of exploitation. During this time, Katie developed the first innovative program that was grounded in neuroscience, early childhood development, and traumatology for survivors of domestic minor sex trafficking victims in the state of Arkansas.

After starting a family of her own, she left the non-profit organization and founded Surviving Trauma Specialty Care Clinic that provides counseling, assessment, education, and consultation services to families and organizations. Through her innovative approach that is grounded in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, she provides assessment and counseling services that utilizes the brain’s ability to grow and heal.

STS Care Clinic also provides online or in-person workshops, public speaking, and consulting on initiatives to spread awareness about childhood trauma and teach parents, caregivers, and professionals how to help children improve their mental health. Using the latest research available, Katie shares practical, evidence-based skills for healing and preventing trauma.

Throughout her career, Katie witnessed an outrageous gap between the number of children that experience trauma and the number of adults who know how to support them. In response, she founded Surviving Trauma Specialty Care Clinic (STS Care Clinic) to help children, adolescents, and families heal from the wounds of trauma through neuroscience & trauma-focused services. Through her innovative approach that is grounded in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, she provides assessment and counseling services that utilize the brain’s ability to grow and heal.

STS Care Clinic also provides online or in-person workshops, public speaking, and consulting on initiatives to spread awareness about childhood trauma and teach parents, caregivers, and professionals how to help children improve their mental health. Using the latest research available, Katie shares practical, evidence-based skills for healing and preventing trauma.

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Rebecca Engle is a graduate student at Texas Tech University who is passionate about educational policy and leadership. Rebecca made history in Texas politics at 19 and is devoted to advocating for positive change. Alongside her studies, Rebecca is a Neurodivergent public speaker and creative writer. She actively serves her community, support women in business, and nurture young minds as a special education teacher. Rebecca’s goal is to inspire and collaborate for a brighter future.

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Maria Sanders is a Licensed Social Worker, PCI Certified Parent Coach® and is certified in the Collaborative Problem Solving® (CPS) approach by Think:Kids, a program based at the Department of Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Her work is supported by Conscious Parenting and Collaborative Problem Solving®. She works with parents struggling with any parenting challenge, from getting a child to sleep to addressing parent-teen conflict.

Maria works one-on-one with parents virtually or in her Montclair, NJ office. She offers programs to schools (public and independent), pediatrician offices, professional organizations, and corporate meetings.

Maria started her professional career as a school social worker doing work for the Child Study Team and running social skills groups. Additionally, she has 15+ years experience as an Early Intervention Specialist serving as a teacher and social worker.

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Sandi Lerman is the Founder and Program Director of Heart-Strong International and the creator of the Heart-Strong Model™ - a trauma-informed, neuro-affirming system for growth, healing, and transformation in children and adults.

Heart-Strong International (HSI) provides certification programs and training for heart-centered practitioners and aspiring coaches to build confidence, learn an effective coaching system, and make money doing work they love.

Sandi is a certified transformational coach, mindfulness teacher, and somatic practitioner. A lifelong educator, she has over twenty years of teaching experience in K-12, university, and adult education settings and has been a university instructor for a master’s program in trauma and resilience in schools.

In addition to her training certified transformational coaches, parent coaches, and educational trainers, she has coordinated two state-wide non-profit parenting and community mental health education programs in Indiana.

Sandi is also a former American Sign Language interpreter, speaks Spanish, and has lived and worked as an international educator in both Scotland and Mexico.

Most importantly, she is the proud Mama Bear of Hiro, a young adult adopted at age ten who has overcome extreme challenges resulting from complex developmental trauma.

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Robyn Gobbel, MSW, loves coffee, P!NK, and everything about the brain. Once (recently!) her teenager went ballistic on her for getting ANOTHER (glitter!) coffee mug in the mail. Robyn loves cultivating deep, resonant connections with anyone who is up for it, and is especially fond of all the grown-ups in the world who love and care for kids impacted by trauma- helpers, healers, educators, and parents. 

Robyn's favorite thing ever (besides glittery coffee mugs) is teaching anyone who will listen to harness the power of neuroscience so they can cultivate deep, resonant connections. What would change in the world if we could all do that? To see, be with, feel, and deeply know each other…and ourselves. Robyn thinks everything could change. 

Robyn is an author, educator, and former therapist turned community creator. She runs a virtual community for parents of kids with big, baffling behaviors and teaches professionals how to help the families no one else knows how to help. You can get your hands on all sorts of free resources at www.RobynGobbel.com, including her podcast, The Baffling Behavior Show.

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Diane Gould is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in serving autistic individuals. As the Executive Director and Founder of PDA North America, she founded the annual PDA North America conference held in Chicago which has changed the lives of hundreds of PDA families.

Currently, Diane has a private practice in the suburbs of Chicago, where she serves neurodivergent children, adults, and their families. Over the last 40-plus years, she has worked for both private agencies and school systems. Diane was the Childhood Disability and Family Support Specialist for the Jewish Children’s Bureau for over a decade. She created many different types of programs and support groups, family camps, and parent education. She also established inclusion consultation and home visiting programs. She also has worked for two special education cooperatives which resulted in working in 14 schools during her career.

She served on the Professional Advisory Board of the Autism Society of Illinois for many years. Diane also facilitates a program to improve relationship skills for teens and adults.

She has served as a consultant and guest lecturer for many area school districts, parent associations, and private agencies.

Diane provides assessments and consultations to families and school districts and frequently attends school meetings. Diane has always been interested in human behavior and works with individuals, parents, and schools to create support plans that increase emotional regulation. She has been vocal with her concerns that our commonly used practices increase dysregulation and make behavioral challenges worse. She fights against punitive practices including seclusion, restraint, suspension, and expulsion.

It was the understanding of behavior and support in the PDA literature that first drew her to learn more about PDA. And learning about PDA, led her to begin the new PDA movement in North America. Diane formed PDA North America at the first American PDA conference in March 2020. She has written a book with Ruth Fidler on Navigating PDA in America which will be published in June 2024.

She is making it part of her life’s mission to gain more awareness and understanding of PDA in North America through this non-profit organization.

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Julie Roberts, M.S., CCC-SLP, founding CEO of Therapist Neurodiversity Collective, Inc., is a late-diagnosed Autistic ASHA-certified, licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who has been practicing since 1999. She is a frequent speaker, educator, and trainer who delivers high-energy presentations that challenge audiences to reexamine their beliefs about Autism and re-access outdated and damaging therapy and education practices.

Julie’s work focuses on professional and public education about empathetic evidence-based therapy alternatives to ABA and behavioral therapy models that are non-trauma inducing and respectful of autistic social communication differences, social justice, and human rights. Her articles and educational resources have reached well over three-quarters of a million people and are frequently cited in other presentations and articles.

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Ginger Healy MSW, LCSW started her career as a child abuse investigator, hospital social worker, and school therapist. She spent 15 years as the social service supervisor at an international adoption agency, where she learned about developmental trauma and attachment needs in children. She is currently a clinical social worker and the director of programs at the Attachment & Trauma Network. She co-anchors the podcast “Regulated and Relational” with Julie Beem, executive director of ATN. Ginger speaks and teaches across the nation on trauma-informed schools and therapeutic parenting. Ginger is the author of Regulation and Co-Regulation: Accessible Neuroscience that Brings Calm into the Classroom, and she is also the author of the accompanying workbook that aims to reach beyond the classroom for caregivers and child-serving professionals. Her third book, Managing Big Emotions: Identifying Triggers, Developing Coping Strategies, and Communicating Effectively, was released just this month! (Oct 2024)

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Charles Williams, a dedicated educator with nearly two decades of experience, has made impactful contributions in various capacities, including teacher, assistant principal, and principal within the K-12 educational sector. His unwavering commitment to fostering equity is highlighted through his advocacy work with the Equity Offices of both the City of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools. Charles extends his passion for promoting inclusive narratives as the host of "The Counter Narrative Podcast" and as a former co-host of the educational show "Inside the Principal’s Office." In addition to his educational endeavors, Charles is the founder of a consulting firm, where he thrives as a best-selling author and is celebrated for his compelling workshops and motivational keynote speeches.

Expanding his influence beyond his immediate professional circle, Charles contributes his expertise and insights as a board member for the College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences at Purdue Northwest. His commitment to educational excellence and leadership development is further exemplified through his roles on the boards of Lead by Learning and the Leadership EDIT Conference. Through these positions, Charles continues to advocate for transformative educational practices and leadership strategies that resonate across diverse platforms and communities.

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Susan Driscoll is President of Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) and oversees the development of all products and programs, the trainers who deliver them, and for the support and care of the clients who use them. She joined CPI in 2017 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and in 2022 was named a Director of the company.

Prior to joining CPI, Susan served as President and CEO of Wolters Kluwer Health, Professional and Education, where she transformed the business from a traditional book publisher to a subscription-based healthcare content business. She has extensive experience in both healthcare and higher education publishing and training.

Susan also has startup experience: prior to joining Wolters Kluwer, Susan was CEO of iUniverse, an internet-based provider of self-publishing services that was funded by Barnes & Noble and Warburg Pincus.

Patricia Bosco is the Instructional Designer for Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI).

Patricia is passionate about creating change and growth through effective and engaging learning experiences. An avid advocate for designing learning that places the learner’s needs, capabilities, and experiences at the center of the design process.

Connie Persike, M.S., CCC/SLP, is a highly experienced Speech Language Pathologist and Educational Consultant. She has 20+ years of experience in educational settings and holds a certificate in instructional coaching, positive education, and applied educational neuroscience.

She served as a member of the multi-state work group to help develop the Common Core Essential Elements for English Language Arts. Connie is a published writer for Autism Parenting Magazine and writes for Exceptional Needs Today. She created an innovative process to assess student behavior, which deviates from the traditional behaviorism approach and aligns with current relational and neuroscience while maintaining a trauma-sensitive and neurodiversity approach.

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Jodi Place has served as a public educator for over 25 years. Prior to becoming a school administrator, she was a Nationally Board-Certified English teacher. As an administrator, she has experience leading in traditional high school and middle school settings as well as alternative education. She holds her Applied Educational Neuroscience certification from Butler University and is currently pursuing her Neurosequential Model in Education training led by Dr. Bruce Perry. She has published a Quick Reference Guide with ASCD, Supporting Emotional Regulation in the Classroom. 

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Pam Collins is a late-identified neurodivergent parent to two amazing multiply neurodivergent adult sons. She provides Neurodiverse-Affirming parent coaching, consulting, and education services to families and community partners and has been supporting families for over 25 years in British Columbia and outside of Canada. She is a volunteer for the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint. She is passionate about the most current research in psychology, especially related to neurodivergence (Autism, PDA, ADHD) and neuroscience (Trauma, anxiety, and depression). She works to share information with others so they can be informed to make decisions, experience joy, and be hopeful.

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Dr. Dustin Springer has been an educator for 27 years and is currently an elementary school principal in Kansas.  Additionally, he serves alongside Dr. Lori, Angie Zara, and Rob Beltz as affiliate faculty at Butler University in the Applied Educational Neuroscience certification program and as a consultant for Revelations in Education.  Dr. Springer is married with three children and actively pursues any opportunity to watch live music to bring calm to his nervous system.

Crystal Williams is a 7th-grade Social Studies teacher at Belzer Middle School. She began at Belzer in the Alternative to Instruction classroom in 2015 as an Instructional Assistant (IA). While as an IA, she returned to school to obtain her Master's in Education.  She has obtained the Applied Educational Neuroscience Framework Certification program with Dr. Lori Desautels.  Crystal has had the pleasure of presenting at the Lawerence Learning Summit, Lawrence Advance Academy, and the Butler Neuroscience Symposium; Crystal is on a mission to help adults and children become aware of themselves through Educational Neuroscience.  She aims to teach others how to integrate educational neuroscience in the classroom.

Born and raised in the heart of Washington, DC, Angelina Zara found her passion in education in 2015, serving students and caregivers in her hometown. As an elementary school teacher in a Title 1, full-inclusion classroom, Angie learned early on about the power of research-based, trauma-informed strategies, and her philosophy was forever changed. She has first-hand experience of the impact of trauma-informed education and the direct correlation to powerful relationships and increased student achievement in diverse learning communities. Angie completed Applied Educational Neuroscience Certification from Butler University in 2021, and has had the privilege to work closely with Dr Lori Desautels. These collaborations include designing and incorporating various applications within her Applied Educational Neuroscience (AEN) Framework. 

 Robert Beltz is a dedicated educator and consultant based in Oakland County, Michigan, and he also teaches the graduate Applied Educational Neuroscience program at Butler University. With an extensive background that spans over 20 years in the field of education, Robert has served in various roles as a teacher, ELD specialist, and trauma-responsive coach. He holds multiple certifications in areas such as Trauma-Responsiveness, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Applied Educational Neuroscience, and English as a Second Language (ESL). His primary focus is on enhancing social-emotional learning and promoting brain development, specifically for students who have been impacted by trauma. 

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Professor Andrew McDonnell BSc., MSc., PhD. is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist to and Director of Studio III Clinical Services; Director, clinical consultant and Team Leader to Studio III Training; formerly worked as a Clinical Psychologist in the NHS until 2002 as the manager of a service. Visiting Professor of Autism Studies at Birmingham City University. Andrew has a particular interest in the design of community settings for people who present a challenge. He has extensive experience of working with service users with a learning disability and/or Autism who self-harm.

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Trisha Thompson is a late-diagnosed AuDHD Early Childhood Education Consultant and parent to an Autistic child. She has been working in the field of ECE for almost 10 years. Prior to becoming a consultant, she worked in various teaching and leadership roles. She has a Master of Science in General Psychology (non-licensure) and is currently working towards a certification in Applied Educational Neuroscience. Trisha is passionate about helping others in the field understand that neurodiversity-affirming practice is an integral part of developmentally appropriate, anti-bias, and trauma-informed practice.

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Anne Borden King is a Toronto-based podcaster, writer and human rights advocate. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Healthy Debate and the Thinking Person's Guide to Autism, among other publications. She is the host of Noncompliant, a popular podcast about neurodiversity. Her Substack is entitled The Children Do Not Consent.

A co-founder of Autistics for Autistics, the Canadian autistic self-advocacy organization, Anne has presented before the United Nations and the Canadian Senate among others, about autism policy. She is the founder of The Autistic Health Access Project, which educates medical students and clinicians about making health care accessible for autistic patients. Her upcoming book, The Children Do Not Consent: The Search for Autism’s “Cure”—and the kids who pay the Cost, will be published in 2025.

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Andrew Bridge spent 11 years in Los Angeles County foster care. After aging out, he attended Wesleyan University, then graduated from Harvard Law School and was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship. He began his legal career representing children against the State of Alabama, where his work resulted in the closure of one of the country’s most notorious psychiatric institutions, the Eufaula Adolescent Center. Returning to Los Angeles, he became CEO of The Alliance for Children’s Rights, representing children in the foster care system where he grew up. Andrew is the co-founder of National Adoption Day and New Village Girls Academy for pregnant and parenting teens. His memoir Hope’s Boy was a New York Times bestseller and Washington Post Best Book of the Year. Most recently, he was a member of the executive management team for Illinois DCFS, and with Arizona as his home, he now serves on the Arizona Foster Care Review Board. His second book about that fight against Alabama, The Child Catcher, will be released in September. You can find information on The Child Catcher here: https://www.andrewbridgeauthor.com/

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Ginger Healy MSW, LCSW started her career as a child abuse investigator, hospital social worker, and school therapist. She spent 15 years as the social service supervisor at an international adoption agency where she learned about developmental trauma and attachment needs in children. She is currently a clinical social worker and the director of programs at the Attachment & Trauma Network. She co-anchors the podcast “Regulated and Relational” with Julie Beem, executive director of ATN. Ginger speaks and teaches across the nation on trauma-informed schools and therapeutic parenting. Ginger is the author of Regulation and Co-Regulation: Accessible Neuroscience that Brings Calm into the Classroom, and she is also the author of the accompanying workbook that aims to reach beyond the classroom for caregivers and child-serving professionals. Her third book Managing Big Emotions: Identifying Triggers, Developing Coping Strategies, and Communicating Effectively releasing in October 2024.

Julie Beem has been the Executive Director of the Attachment & Trauma Network since 2009 and an active member and volunteer since 2005. Julie lives in the Atlanta area and is the mom to four and grandmother to 3. Her youngest daughter, adopted internationally over 25 years ago was the reason she found support and education from the other parents at ATN.

Under Julie’s leadership, ATN has grown to reach families, schools and communities around the world. In 2016 ATN was given an Angel in Adoption award to honor the organization’s contributions to adoptive families across the US. And in 2014 the Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools program was created. Julie is a frequent speaker at adoption/foster parenting conferences and education events focused on early childhood trauma.

Julie’s educational background includes a BS in Secondary Education (English/Speech/Theatre) and an MBA with emphasis on Professional Services Marketing. Her true passion is making life easier for children impacted by trauma and the families who love them. Paying it forward has become the cornerstone of Julie’s work through ATN.

When not immersed in the daily tasks of a growing non-profit, Julie enjoys traveling with her husband, watching her daughter in swimming and dressage competitions and playing with the grandbabies.

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As a young child, Heathyr always knew she would go into the helping profession, whether it was medicine, teaching, or social work. Heathyr has a bachelor’s degree in History Education and a Master’s in Social Work. Heathyr is working on licensing so that she can become a clinical social worker. Heathyr hopes to achieve a Ph.D. in the near future. 

Heathyr has worked in residential since 2017 and as someone who is trained in restraints, she believes there are better ways of handling crisis situations for youth. Heathyr believes that if schools, hospitals, residential, or any place that claims to be a safe spot for children and youth should be just that. Reducing and eliminating seclusion and restraints will build more resilient youth and caregivers in the long run. 

 In her spare time, Heathyr enjoys reading, researching, playing video games with her husband, and taking the most random picture of her pets that she can.

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Jeff Spitzer-Resnick, is a nationally recognized attorney with thirty-eight years of experience in the fields of civil rights, disability and education law. He currently owns and operates Systems Change Consulting, a consulting and training law firm providing local, statewide, and national consulting and training for individuals, non-profits, and public entities. His focus is on making progressive systems change in the areas of civil rights, disability rights, general and special education, and combating abuse and neglect of vulnerable populations. He has been working on eliminating the inappropriate use of seclusion and restraint on children in school for nearly three decades.

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Joe Brummer is a trauma survivor. Having lived through early exposure to violence, child abuse and neglect, and two violent anti-LGBTQ hate crimes, he turned his healing journey into a career in peacebuilding, restorative justice, and consulting in trauma-informed education. He supports schools and youth justice institutions internationally using a trauma-informed restorative lens to create supportive human-centered environments.

Joe is a member of the adjunct faculty at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, teaching the Peacebuilding Skills: Dialogue, Trauma & Restorative Justice course. Joe has appeared on dozens of podcasts and webinars and presented at national and international conferences. Joe has completed the certification course in Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model in Education and is a member of the Attachment and Trauma Network’s Training Collaborative.

Margaret Thorsborne, is an author, trainer and facilitator of Restorative Practice with a background in education and counselling. She is a pioneer of Restorative Practice in schools in Australia and New Zealand in the mid-late 90’s, and the UK in the early 2000’s. She has since trained restorative practitioners and change makers in education, workplaces, community, police and justice sectors across Australia, Asia, New Zealand, UK, USA and Canada. She remains involved in this important transformation in schools, particularly around whole school implementation of trauma-informed, relational approaches and culture change. Marg has been awarded an Order of Australia medal for her contribution to education, and a Lifetime Achievement award from NACRJ in USA.

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Diane Gould is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in serving autistic individuals. As the Executive Director and Founder of PDA North America, she founded the annual PDA North America conference held in Chicago which has changed the lives of hundreds of PDA families.

Currently, Diane has a private practice in the suburbs of Chicago, where she serves neurodivergent children, adults, and their families. Over the last 40-plus years, she has worked for both private agencies and school systems. Diane was the Childhood Disability and Family Support Specialist for the Jewish Children’s Bureau for over a decade. She created many different types of programs and support groups, family camps, and parent education. She also established inclusion consultation and home visiting programs. She also has worked for two special education cooperatives which resulted in working in 14 schools during her career. 

 She served on the Professional Advisory Board of the Autism Society of Illinois for many years. Diane also facilitates a program to improve relationship skills for teens and adults.

She has served as a consultant and guest lecturer for many area school districts, parent associations, and private agencies.

 Diane provides assessments and consultations to families and school districts and frequently attends school meetings.  Diane has always been interested in human behavior and works with individuals, parents, and schools to create support plans that increase emotional regulation. She has been vocal with her concerns that our commonly used practices increase dysregulation and make behavioral challenges worse. She fights against punitive practices including seclusion, restraint, suspension, and expulsion.

 It was the understanding of behavior and support in the PDA literature that first drew her to learn more about PDA. And learning about PDA, led her to begin the new PDA movement in North America. Diane formed PDA North America at the first American PDA conference in March 2020. She has written a book with Ruth Fidler on Navigating PDA in America which will be published in June 2024.

 She is making it part of her life’s mission to gain more awareness and understanding of PDA in North America through this non-profit organization.

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Dr. Weaver has a keen interest in promoting emotional health and working with schools and agencies to nurture the growth of all kids and adults using strength-based methods. She consults in the areas of messaging, community and team engagement, teacher training, strategic planning, and program design and evaluation. Dr. Weaver is also a performer and improvisational theater coach, and she uses tools from applied improv to strengthen collaboration and innovation in work settings.

As a tenured, full professor of Behavioral Science at Saint Louis University, her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention among others, and has led to the widespread dissemination of effective parenting programs. Most recently, she launched Support Over Silence (supportoversilence.com) to provide bystander training to support parents and children struggling in public. Dr. Weaver is Co-director of the Community Engagement Core of the Center for Innovation in Child Maltreatment at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Using a systems lens, Dr. Weaver grounds her research, teaching, and practice in the rigor of the scientific approach, the art of storytelling, and the importance of connection across people and sectors.

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Antwan Morris lived the stereotypical lifestyle of a young black male growing up in the inner city. By 14, he’d essentially dropped out of school, and by 17, he was incarcerated. With 20+ years of hard work, advocating, healing, and public speaking, he changed his path and has dedicated his life to helping today’s youth heal from their traumas and create the lives they desire.

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 Jennifer is a parenting coach, Expressive Arts Educator, IEP advocate, Safe and Sound Protocol Provider, and trauma-informed consultant who uses neuro-affirming and trauma-informed approaches to empower families to make the most informed decisions that support their child's unique needs.  

 Jennifer has additional training in child development, including The Mehrit Centre ECE certificate program, a Certificate in Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), and trauma-informed expressive arts approaches.  Jennifer has a Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Research Foundation with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, has completed hundreds of hours of PD in areas of DIR Floortime, attachment theory, polyvagal theory, neuroscience, inclusive education, and is a graduate of the UC Davis LEND program for Leadership in Neurodevelopmental Education. 

 Jennifer is a volunteer for the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint and is an advocate to educate on the dangers of these practices and supporting legislation to protect students. Jennifer started her own advocacy and consulting business, Crow’s Nest Advocacy & Consulting, where she provides a variety of services to support families through Expressive Arts Education, Safe and Sound Protocol therapeutic listening and individual and group parenting sessions to support the adults in the parent/child dyad.

 Jennifer has written several articles and blogs for organizations such as AASR and The Mehrit-Centre.  She is a founding member of a local organization, Yolo Neurodiverse Network (YNN), with 3 other parents with a mission to develop a culture of belonging and appreciation for neurodiversity by increasing community understanding, acceptance and engagement.  “Connecting individuals/ Connecting Caregivers / Connecting Communities” is what YNN hopes to bring.

 As an ND person herself, she is also a mom to three neurodivergent children, one of whom experienced early developmental trauma and is also autistic.  Jennifer believes in the value of lived experience and that we must learn to meet children where they are, not where we think they should be. This shift starts a new path for any family to be able to experience growth, balance, and joy as individuals and as a whole relational system.  The first step in this shift is curiosity.  Curiosity leads to the connection that all humans need.

 See a child differently, see a different child- Dr. Stuart Shanker,  PhD.

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Katie Pagnotta is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, functional success educational consultant, parent coach, and author. She is also the creator of the Brain- and Body-Aligned Responsive Systems (BBARS) of Excellence framework. She guides educators, administrators, and school staff in strengths-based approaches that leverage the human design and empower the development of the necessary mindsets and habits that lead to re-envisioned success, success balanced with wellness and goal attainment. 

Katie’s recently published book, Empowered by the Human Design: Utilizing the BBARS of Excellence Framework to Foster Student and Educator Success, includes interview segments from 18 experts within the fields of education, psychology, and neuroscience. The book is a work of collective wisdom grounded in Polyvagal Theory and synthesized in a user-friendly way to facilitate practical application for educators. Its reviewers have called it, “a powerful and practical new model for regulation and resilience”, “required reading for all educators”, “a gift to the field”, and “a game-changer”. Throughout the book, Katie combines the wisdom of her interviewees with her own research as well as her years of experience as a former K-12 NH public school counselor. 

During her time as a school counselor, Katie was witness to a pattern in which educators were working passionately, and students were doing the best they could with the skills and support they had. And yet, the educator attrition rate, as well as the youth mental health crisis, were continuing to be on the rise. Knowing that when educators and school systems as a whole are given the right tools, they can provide fertile soil to nurture the environments, relationships, and supports necessary for students to thrive, Katie left her role as a school counselor to become an educational consultant who provides these tools through the BBARS of Excellence framework.

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Cass Griffin Bennett is an autistic and ADHD self-advocate and parent of multiple young autistic children. Cass is passionate about all things equity, early access to robust high-tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and anti-behaviorism harm reduction. Her guiding goal in parenting is to raise her children to be their own best self-advocates. Cass has a career background in professional services business development and a degree in Psychology from Smith College

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Nicole Tuchinda, JD, MD, LLM is a special education attorney, Assistant Professor, and Director of the Health Law Program at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. She writes about the need to make education trauma-informed and attachment-driven, and she co-founded a medical-legal partnership clinic at Georgetown University Law Center (GULC). She has an LL.M from GULC and the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law; an M.D. from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; and a J.D. from George Washington University Law School.

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Born and raised in the heart of Washington, DC, Angie found her passion in education in 2015, serving students and caregivers in her hometown. As an elementary school teacher in a Title 1, full-inclusion classroom, Angie learned early on about the power of research-based, trauma-informed strategies, and her philosophy was forever changed. She has first-hand experience of the impact of trauma-informed education and the direct correlation to powerful relationships and increased student achievement in diverse learning communities.

Through what Angie refers to as “walking the walk”, she pioneered the vision and creation of the brand new position of Social Emotional Learning Specialist in her elementary school. Currently serving in this position, Angie provides professional development, classroom modeling, and coaching to educators on trauma-informed practices and strategies to promote awareness and relational safety for all in the classroom and school community. After accomplishing this role in its inaugural year, Angie is proud to say that it has been created across the entire local educational agency in the middle school and high school setting. This only further fuels the fire that this work must be shared widely and authentically.

Angie completed Applied Educational Neuroscience Certification from Butler University in 2021, and has had the privilege to work closely with Dr Lori Desautels. These collaborations include designing and incorporating various applications within her Applied Educational Neuroscience (AEN) Framework. These have focused on wellness practices for the educator nervous system and intentionally incorporating equity within the AEN Pillars. In addition to national presenting and working full time at her school, Angie serves as an adjunct faculty for Dr. Desautels' Applied Educational Neuroscience Certification Program and consults with the Trauma Informed Educators Network under Mathew Portell. In 2023, Angie also launched her LLC alongside her business partner, Nicole Keler, entitled "LiveWellEd". This LLC provides advocacy and education coaching to caregivers and parents of neurodiverse students to empower parents from a strength-based approach.

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 Join us for a unique event for the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) as we present a Live, in-person interview with Guy Stephens, the visionary Founder and Director of AASR, that promises to be both heartwarming and enlightening, in celebration of AASR's 5th Anniversary. 

 For years, you've followed Guy and AASR's journey, supported our initiatives, and contributed to our live interviews, making our advocacy resonate across borders. This live interview will not only highlight the achievements and challenges of our collective journey, but will also offer a unique, personal perspective on the mission that has united us all. It's an opportunity for our community, volunteers, and professionals who have been an integral part of AASR to come together, share insights, and reinforce our commitment to a cause that impacts lives every day.

We invite you to be a part of this inspiring event as we delve into discussions that will include reflections on our past, insights into our ongoing projects, and visions for the future of our advocacy. Whether you've been with Guy Stephens and AASR from the start or are just learning about our cause, your presence will make this occasion all the more meaningful. Tune in live to be moved, motivated, and reminded of the powerful difference we can make when we stand together against the use of seclusion and restraint. Don't miss out on this significant occasion that marks a new chapter in our journey towards a safer, more compassionate world.

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Marna Pacheco is the founder of CapeAble® Weighted Products and inventor of SmartWeight® Technology proudly manufactured in the USA. Marna embodies the saying: “Necessity is the mother of invention.” To help her adopted daughter with significant neurological and developmental early childhood trauma, Marna immersed herself in the latest research in neuroscience to invent SmartWeight® Technology, which offers a better approach to felt safety and effective weighted therapy, disrupting the industry, and changing lives. It all started with a Weighted Cape and continues to be fueled by her passion for helping others know they have value and deserve to reach their full capabilities. Learn more at www.CapeAble.com.

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Jamie possesses extensive years of both lived and professional expertise across diverse roles in healthcare, social care, and wellbeing. His career has encompassed positions such as Care Worker, Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Tutor, Companies Director, Departmental Directorship, Consultant, and Performance Coach. Jamie's personal values and practices have been shaped by his own life experiences, including an early memory at age 5 of his brother Garry and his peers referring to themselves as "Freedom Fighters" while detained in secure facilities. Later in Jamie's life, he found out the meaning of this.

Throughout his lifelong career, Jamie has focused on leadership, development, and systemic/organizational approaches, resulting in notable outcomes like reducing or eliminating restrictive practices and enhancing people's quality of life and well-being. His current passion revolves around positive psychology interventions and strengths-based approaches, which he applies to enhancing the well-being of others. Jamie is particularly interested in aiding those suffering from trauma and stress.

Outside of his professional pursuits, Jamie is a father to Ollie, who also works in the wellbeing field. He shares his life with his dog Hendrix, and nurtures a parcel of ancient woodland to promote biodiversity. Nature holds a special place in his heart, and he has explored mountains in both the UK and the Indian Himalayas. Jamie's culinary interests lean towards Asian cuisine, and he finds joy in cooking.

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 Connie Persike, M.S., CCC/SLP, is a highly experienced Speech-Language Pathologist and Educational Consultant. She has 20+ years of experience in educational settings and holds a certificate in instructional coaching, positive education, and applied educational neuroscience.

 She served as a member of the multi-state work group to help develop the Common Core Essential Elements for English Language Arts. Connie is a published writer for Autism Parenting Magazine and writes for Exceptional Needs Today. She created an innovative process to assess student behavior, which deviates from the traditional behaviorism approach and aligns with current relational and neuroscience while maintaining a trauma-sensitive and neurodiversity approach.

 Connie works from the guiding mission that Connection + Collaboration = Endless Possibilities.

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Courtney Hart, LCSW-C, RYT 500, RCYT, founded Healing Hart Wellness in 2018, a pediatric mental health and wellness practice, where she and her team, and their two therapy dogs, specialize in supporting anxious ADHDers and Autistic families through parent consultation, ADHD/Autism assessments, individual therapy, and interest-based social groups. In addition to her work at Healing Hart Wellness, Courtney also runs Therefore I Learn, offering children's yoga teacher training and mindfulness training for educators. When Courtney isn’t working, you can find her starting random projects at home, playing fetch with her dogs, scouring the internet to research topics of interest, reading, playing video games, or listening to music.

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Zach Morris M.Ed. is an advocate for learning and personal agency. His work aims to help individuals, families, and schools build structures that honor autonomy, celebrate strengths and interests, and prioritize a sense of safety and connection. With a focus on trauma and neurodiversity, Zach offers a lens into the psychophysiological experiences we can have as humans, and he offers support strategies for helping ourselves and our children learn, heal, and grow. 

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Join us to learn more about the 5th annual PDA North America Conference on March 6 & 7 (virtual), and March 7 & 8 (in person). The event will include some incredible experts, including keynote speaker – Linda K. Murphy, MS, CCC-SLP and author of Declarative Language Handbook and Co-Regulation Handbook. Other experts & speakers include Diane Gould, Founder of PDA North America, Ruth Fidler, Education Consultant and author; Sally Cat, author of PDA by PDAers, Brook Madera of No Pressure PDA; Zach Morris, Education Consultant for PDAers; Sandra McConnell, PDA Certified Trainer & Parent Consultant, PJ Starling – adult PDAer and PDANA Board Member, and Colleen Hanson speaking on Polyvagal Theory.

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Susan Driscoll is President of Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) and oversees the development of all products and programs, the trainers who deliver them, and for the support and care of the clients who use them. She joined CPI in 2017 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and in 2022 was named a Director of the company.

Prior to joining CPI, Susan served as President and CEO of Wolters Kluwer Health, Professional, and Education, where she transformed the business from a traditional book publisher to a subscription-based healthcare content business. She has extensive experience in both healthcare and higher education publishing and training.

Susan also has startup experience: prior to joining Wolters Kluwer, Susan was CEO of iUniverse, an internet-based provider of self-publishing services that was funded by Barnes & Noble and Warburg Pincus.

Her expertise is broad. In addition to her CEO experience, Susan has served as VP of Operations, VP Strategy, VP Marketing, and VP of Product and Technology. She has direct experience in global markets, including India and China. Susan was named one of the Top 50 Women in Publishing in 2009, and served on the Executive Board of the Association of American Publishers. Currently, she serves on the board of ISA, the Association of Learning Providers, and is a trustee of The School of the Holy Child in Rye, New York.

Susan is a graduate of The University of Notre Dame and currently serves as Chair of the Advisory Council for the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at Notre Dame.

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Karen “Dr. K” Baptiste is a visionary who can make magic and transform any space she’s in. Dr. K leads with compassionate courage and has bridged her love of supporting individuals with special needs and individuals impacted by the criminal justice system with storytelling in film. Growing up in the Bronx and becoming a special education teacher in the Bronx, seeing kids drop out of school was the norm. Dr. K founded Preschool to Prison, LLC, and is the film Director of her new documentary, Preschool to Prison. She has served on the International Board of Directors and the Education Legislative Committee at ASCD where she advocated to Congress and developed national educational policy points to address systemic barriers. She is also a co-author for The New Classroom Instruction That Works.

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 Linda, Michele, and Deanna are the co-founders of Soaring Eagle Academy, a not-for-profit ISBE-approved therapeutic day school serving students 3 to 22 years of age with autism and related disorders. 

Linda Cervenka is a licensed speech-language pathologist.  At Soaring Eagle Academy, Linda is a Trainer/Expert Clinician focusing on teaching, facilitating, and supporting children during a crisis. Linda believes in preventative and proactive practice and supporting a culture within the school environment that views a child’s actions within a developmental framework. Additionally, she has a private practice near Chicago, IL. 

Michele Ricamato is a licensed speech and language pathologist who works primarily with children diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. Michele's expertise is in developmental language models and supports curriculum adaptation to support students’ ability to make meaning through learning.  In addition, she has a private practice in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Deanna Tyrpak is a licensed speech-language pathologist and serves as the executive director and board president at Soaring Eagle Academy.  Deanna is also a parent of an adult daughter with autism and leads her individualized programming in the community.

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 Daniel Hodges, JD, is an activist dedicated to assisting others with disabilities and chronic illnesses to reach their full potential. While in law school, Daniel founded Peaces of Me Foundation; a nonprofit that promotes universal access and inclusion. Daniel’s perspective has been shaped by his experience as a blind man with chronic pain and other conditions. He has spent a lifetime surpassing the low expectations placed before him, and his personal calling is to help others do the same.

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In this episode of AASR Live, you’ll have an opportunity to meet some of our amazing AASR volunteers and hear their stories. Learn why these amazing individuals are supporting the work and mission of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint. We will also talk about our end-of-year giving campaign and hope that you might support our work.

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Connie Persike, M.S., CCC/SLP, is a highly experienced Speech-Language Pathologist and Educational Consultant. She has 20+ years of experience in educational settings and holds a certificate in instructional coaching, positive education, and applied educational neuroscience.

She served as a member of the multi-state work group to help develop the Common Core Essential Elements for English Language Arts. Connie is a published writer for Autism Parenting Magazine and writes for Exceptional Needs Today. She created an innovative process to assess student behavior, which deviates from the traditional behaviorism approach and aligns with current relational and neuroscience while maintaining a trauma-sensitive and neurodiversity approach.

Connie works from the guiding mission that Connection + Collaboration = Endless Possibilities.

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Margaret is a 24-year-old artist and activist originally from Rochester, NY. In 2020, Margaret became aware of the Troubled Teen Industry after hearing horror stories from her friends who had been trafficked to a private, for-profit religious, residential school located near her hometown (Freedom Village, USA). This led her to research and further investigate Independent Baptist Homes. Through networking, she connected with more survivors from Freedom Village and joined them in launching the We Warned Them Campaign in September 2021. She is passionate about storytelling and building genuine connections with people.

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Francisco de Paula is passionate about supporting all to reach their potential. The CALMER Approach developed out of his passion to close the gap between theory and practice while looking for ways to make a more meaningful impact in positive behavior support.

Francisco has been working in the disability sector for over 20 years, starting as a support worker in accommodation, day programs, recreation programs, and employment settings. Since 2011, he has been working as a Behaviour Support Practitioner and an Education and Training facilitator (in both TAFE and private courses). He is a certified Person Centered Active Support facilitator since 2016 (through Greystanes Disability Services, NSW). Person-centered practice, PBS, neuroscience, and trauma-informed practice strongly influence his practice and training.

Amy de Paula is an Occupational Therapist who has been working in community disability settings for over twenty years. With a passion for meaningful engagement and co-design, she loves anything that leads to people having autonomy and participation in their lives.

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Learn about the largest gathering of trauma-informed educators in the United States with Ginger Healy and Kimberly Smathers. The 7th Annual Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conference is dedicated to building trauma-reformed schools. It is being held in Dallas, Texas, on February 18-23, 2024. Registration is now OPEN.

Feb 18th Academy Day Preconference
Feb 19-20 In-Person Conference
Feb 22-23 Virtual Conference Online

https://www.attachmenttraumanetwork.org/conference/

Join us live to learn more about this amazing upcoming event.

Ginger Healy MSW, LCSW, is a clinical social worker who began her career as a non-profit case manager and child abuse investigator. She then became a hospital social worker and spent 15 years as the social service supervisor at an international adoption agency and was able to travel to provide support for orphanages all over the world. This job continues to inform her work on attachment and trauma needs in children. After serving in that capacity, she worked as a school therapist and served on the charter school board. She is currently the director of programs for the Attachment & Trauma Network. She co-anchors the podcast “Regulated and Relational” and speaks nationwide on trauma-informed schools, therapeutic parenting, and community engagement. Ginger is also the author of Regulation and Co-Regulation: Accessible Neuroscience that Brings Calm into the Classroom.
Kimberly Smathers brings over two decades of experience in strategy, research, system design, policy, and communications across the health and human service, education, and nonprofit sectors. As Principal and Owner of Flourishing Spark LLC, she collaborates with organizations striving to create supportive systems and environments for human flourishing, especially for those whose experiences are shaped by sociodemographic disparities, trauma and toxic stress, neurodiversity, complex health conditions, and functional limitations.

Kimberly serves as the Vice President of the Attachment and Trauma Network Board of Directors and as the Parent Education Programming Chair for the Family Association at Bennett Day School. She holds an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and a human-centered design certificate from Ideo U. She resides in Chicago with her husband and son.

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Sidney is an Approved EMDR Consultant and also a Certified EMDR therapist who specializes in the treatment of complex and developmental trauma with 20 years of experience working as a therapist. Sidney also is a Certified NMT(c) Level One Practitioner utilizing advanced knowledge and understanding of neurological development resulting from adverse and traumatic experiences throughout the lifespan. Sidney is client-centered and integrative, with an understanding of the consequences of trauma and developing interventions that focus on healing and recovery.

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Liora Schwartz (she/her) has over two decades of experience in the trenches of the New York City public school system and is a parent of a complicated, brilliant, neurodivergent teen. As such, she has a unique perspective that has broadened outside many traditional boxes. Liora's work with parents and professionals aims to be trauma-informed and neuro-developmentally sensitive and is informed both by current research and the lived experiences of autistic advocates.

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McAlister Greiner Huynh is an educator, also known as The Neurodivergent Teacher.

McAlister Greiner Huynh is a National Board Certified special educator, behavior support specialist, consultant, and international speaker who calls North Carolina, USA home. She has been working with and learning from Neurodivergent individuals professionally for twelve years, steadily growing in her passion for neurodiversity, disability culture, and radical acceptance. McAlister is the educator behind “The Neurodivergent Teacher” on Facebook and Instagram, where she connects with families, professionals, and neurodivergent folks worldwide to share philosophies around teaching, self-advocacy skills, accessibility, and coping strategies.

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As a Partner at Stride Policy Solutions, Laura Kaloi provides strategic policy, advocacy, partnership-building, and communications expertise to nonprofit clients and is a leader in the education, disability, and child advocacy communities. She advises clients on policy and advocacy issues impacting children and families. Laura has a deep passion for improving access to education, career training, and independent living for all individuals. She has written and spoken extensively on federal education, special education, and workforce laws. Prior to becoming a consultant, Laura led the public affairs teams for nonprofit policy and advocacy organizations, including the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the American Health Quality Association, and HealthInsight. She worked in the U.S. Congress early in her career as a legislative assistant to the late U.S. Congressman James V. Hansen. Laura holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and a master’s in public administration from Brigham Young University.

Cyrus Huncharek is the Policy and Advocacy Director for the National Down Syndrome Congress. Before joining NDSC, Cyrus was a Senior Public Policy Analyst at the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) where he oversaw several policy areas impacting people with disabilities. Prior to his work at NDRN, Cyrus worked as a Government Affairs Coordinator for the National Parent Teacher Association (National PTA), taught high school English in South Dakota through Teach For America, and served as a Learning and Development intern for the White House Office of Administration where he developed e-learning courses for executive office employees. He holds a B.A. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin. Cyrus’ experience as a classroom teacher and prior work on special education policy motivates him to now work toward an improved world for individuals with Down syndrome.

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Eliphaz Costus is the Campaign Director of The Satanic Temple's Protect Children Project, working to protect all TST members in public schools from abusive punishments that violate their religious rights. He began his work with The Satanic Temple in 2021, when he organized the Bladensburg Satanic Peace Cross Ceremony with TST co-founder Malcolm Jarry, thus establishing the first Satanic monument on public grounds. Costus is also a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who wrote the infamous Satanic children's song "My Pal Satan.”

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Meagan is a Bal-A-Vis-X practitioner/trainer, a fierce advocate for her child with a disability, and an educator with 26 years of experience as a public educator in general and special education.

Bal-A-Vis-X stands for Balance, Auditory, Vision, and eXercises. The program consists of 200+ exercises, each rooted deeply in rhythm. They range in difficulty from one hand passing/receiving a single sandbag to both hands bouncing/catching four racquetballs in a specified sequence. Partner exercises may call for six balls to be simultaneously in motion. Others combine bags or balls with feet patterns.

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Dr. Claire Cronin is a licensed mental health counselor passionate about supporting resilient communities and training front-line care professionals on trauma-informed care approaches. Her first exposure to restraint and seclusion was while embedded in a public school for children with behavioral concerns, where she witnessed firsthand the significant impact these practices had on creating trauma and stress for children. Since then, she has had a mission to support teachers and other front-line professionals in trauma-informed care through shifts in the philosophy of working with children and adolescents.

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Robert Borrelle is a Supervising Attorney at Disability Rights California, California’s federally designated Protection & Advocacy Agency. He is part of DRC’s Investigations Unit, where he specializes in abuse and neglect investigations in facilities serving youth with disabilities.

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Balaji Somasundaram and Meera Balaji – We are husband and wife and were lawyers for 20 years in India in our past lives with a focus on children’s rights and family law. Currently, we are registered teachers/specialist educators in Aotearoa New Zealand and working as Learning Support Coordinators across 12 schools and 13 Early Childhood Centres in Wellington, the capital city of Aotearoa, New Zealand in an area of significant socioeconomic deprivation.

We believe we are in a distinctive position to recognize our students and their families' perspectives, narratives, and ongoing challenges as we strive to provide appropriate support services through timely actions to heal trauma and buffer its negative effects. We are passionate advocates for social justice, inclusion, and diversity both in our personal and professional lives. As educators from a minority culture in New Zealand, we firmly believe our children need to experience relationships around them with unconditional care, compassion, and commitment which will help to re-work their internal working models of themselves and the world around them. Despite barriers in different forms, the welfare of children has always been our utmost priority. Culturally responsive pedagogies and the work of Dr. Stephen Porges, the creator of Polyvagal Theory, underpins and is the foremost of the work we continue to do with the advocacy for our vulnerable children and young people who are at high risk.

We have a Bachelors in Law, Masters in Educational Psychology, and another Masters in Specialist Teaching with a specialty in Autism Spectrum Disorder. We recently completed the one-year graduate Applied Educational Neuroscience program under Dr. Lori Desautels from Butler University, Indianapolis, and also completed Neurosequential Model in Education with Dr. Bruce Perry’s Child Trauma Academy. We are also trained in evidence-based interventions and frameworks for autism - like TEACCH from the University of North Carolina, SCERTS, Early Start Denver Model, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Hanen’s Four ‘Is’ to socialize, which are widely used in New Zealand to support the needs of children and young people with autism. We both are also qualified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Beck Institute, Philadelphia, and trained teachers in Dyslexia.

We have also been part of many advisory and research groups in New Zealand for culturally responsive pedagogies and recently were part of the advisory group for the new guidelines for minimizing physical restraints in New Zealand, which is a work in progress. Over the years, we have been working with and alongside neurodivergent learners, particularly autistic individuals, and are continuing to advocate/support their unique needs by embracing their strengths, voices, and perspectives both in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and India.

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Stephanie Izzi (she/they) is co-founder and Executive Director of Autism Included. An autistic adult herself, Stephanie uses her unique insight into neurodivergent communication and learning to support inclusion for autistic students. Stephanie works as a speech therapist, autistic inclusion specialist, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) expert. Her background as a research scientist provides a unique approach to their work, combining evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence to drive her workshops and practice. Stephanie completed their PhD in Genetics at Stony Brook University, and M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Massachusetts General Hospital IHP.

Sarah Hamel (she/her) is co-founder and Director of Strategic Initiatives at Autism Included, where she spends her time building a coalition of individuals and organizations passionate about inclusion for autistic students, particularly our youngest learners. She is always on the lookout for partnerships to expand the collective capacity for change. In addition, she continues to practice as a Speech Pathologist specializing in autistic learning and development including AAC. In her free time she enjoys making music, writing, and listening to funny podcasts

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Mary is the creator of One Rule Improv, a research-based and trauma-informed approach to learning, teaching, and applying improv. Used in a variety of settings, including classrooms, trauma-informed schools, residential treatment centers, and homes, teachers, clinicians, and parents are consistently amazed and grateful for the simplicity and benefits of the approach and how comfortable they feel participating. She co-authored groundbreaking, published research on improv's effect on the brain and is featured in the documentary, “Act Social-Using: YES AND to Save the World from Within,” Psychology Today, and Forbes. Mary is a certified academic and special needs teacher

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Dr. Lori Desautels, has been an Assistant Professor at Butler University since 2016, where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Education. She was also an Assistant Professor at Marian University in Indianapolis for 8 years, where she founded the Educational Neuroscience Symposium. Currently, the Symposium is in its 10th year and now sponsored by Butler University College of Education. Through these conferences and symposiums, educators, parents and the community learn deeply about how adversity, trauma and resiliency impact the developing nervous system, helping our students to feel a sense of autonomy and purpose along with social, emotional and cognitive well-being. Because of her work, Dr. Desautels has been able to attract the foremost experts in the fields of developmental, relational and the social neurosciences, which significantly grow the conference each year.

Dr. Desautels has created a nine-hour graduate certification at Butler University in Applied Educational Neuroscience / Brain and Trauma. This certification has grown from six graduates in its pilot year in 2016, to over 400 graduate students in its now 7th cohort. The certification is open to students around the world as it has transformed into a virtual platform and format. The Applied Educational Neuroscience Certificate, created by Dr. Desautels in 2016, is specifically designed to meet the needs of educators, counselors, and administrators who work beside children and adolescents who have, and are, experiencing adversity and trauma.

Dr. Desautels’ passion is engaging her students through the application of neuroscience as it applies to attachment, regulation, educator brain state, and teaching students and staff about their neuro-anatomy, thus integrating Mind Brain Teaching, learning principles, and strategies into her coursework at Butler. Dr. Desautels has conducted brain institutes and workshops throughout the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, and Dubai on Mind Brain Teaching and Learning. She has created webinars for educators, clinicians, and administrators illustrating how educators and students alike must understand their neuroanatomy to regulate behavior and calm the brain.

Dr. Desautels graduated with a BS in Special Education from Butler University, an MS in counseling education from Indiana University, and earned her Ph.D. in philosophy with an emphasis in early adolescence/ thought formation from Indiana University and American Institute of Holistic Theology. Dr. Desautels resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, with her husband, Michael. She has three grown children, Andrew, Sarah, and Regan, and four rescue fur babies.

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Uplifting Black Families in the Disability Community.
For Us By Us About Us

Date and time: August 11, 2023 -August 13, 2023
August 11, 12-6:00 pm
August 12, 2023, 8:30-6:00
August 13, 2023, 9:00 -12:00

Location: Virtual Event

Event Description: The Black Collective Network Advocacy Conference is a national virtual event that supports, acknowledges, and recognizes the needs of Black and Disabled students, family members, advocates, and professionals in the special education community.

We have created a space where the Black experiences, voices, and resources are shared to uplift Black families of children with disabilities.

For Us: We focus on the needs of Black children with disabilities.

By Us: We promote and uplift Black professionals in the disability & advocacy community.

About Us: We reject the current white supremacy narratives in the disability & advocacy community.

We will have nationally recognized experts such as Marie Davis-Pierre of Autism in Black; Attorney Keith Howard and the one and only Cheryl Poe

Registration Cost
Regular fee: $125.00

Link to purchase a ticket: https://whova.com/portal/registration/bcnac_202306/

About Cheryl Poe:

Cheryl Poe is the founder and Executive Director of Advocating 4 Kids, Inc a Special Education Advocacy organization that provides resources, information, and workshops to parents and professionals with a special focus on addressing the needs of Black and Brown children with disabilities.
She is the past board president of the National Allies for Parents in Special Education NAPSE, a national parent-driven organization that works hard to increase access and quality advocacy resources for special education families from underserved populations to improve educational outcomes.
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Mrs. Poe holds a Master of Arts Degree in Urban Education and Counseling. She also has completed over 15 credit hours of postgraduate hours in psychology. In June of 2004, she completed the Nation Group Psychotherapy Institute at the Washington School of Psychiatry in Washington D.C. in the study of Group Psychotherapy. Mrs. Poe completed a two-year term as the Student Outreach and Recruitment Committee Chairperson for the Mid- Atlantic Group Psychotherapy Society Board of Directors. She was awarded the Jefferson Cup for leadership in her role.

Mrs. Poe was the Chair of The National Association for the Education of African American Children with Learning Disabilities (NAEAACLD) Parent Network. Mrs. Poe also served on the board of the Council of Parents, Advocates, and Attorneys (COPAA), where she helped develop strategic goals to address the needs of black people within the organization. Mrs. Poe also served as the Co-Chair for the Social Racial Equity Committee, where is she developed, created, and implemented activities to ensure the needs of Black and Brown Children were addressed and respected within the COPAA organization.

Mrs. Poe completed the inaugural The William & Mary Law Institute of Special Education Advocacy Summer Conference and the first annual class. Eventually, Ms. Poe become a presenter for the William &

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Jennifer says:
I am a wife and a mom to three neurodivergent kids (ages 20,18, and 15), each with their own unique needs and challenges. Two of my kids are autistic and two of my kids have Tourette’s Syndrome. All three have also had medical complexities, with my two youngest needing ongoing medical care for chronic illness since birth. I have had to learn how best to advocate and support each of them within the different systems of society (esp medical and educational systems) over the years by essentially creating their own individual “playbook.”

After less than 3 months of first grade, we chose to take our son out of school as they were not appropriately meeting his complex needs and in fact, were creating more distress for him.

I “unschooled” him for 9 years and allowed him to guide me as to what he needed both for his learning and development, but more importantly, his overall well-being as a human. I just wanted my son to be happy and experience joy! He has been an excellent tour guide!

He entered back into our public school in 9th grade through an Independent Study School where he will graduate high school in June. I truly believe every child can be, successful; no matter how that looks. Our kids need the adults in their life to be present, love them unconditionally and to never give up on them.
Despite the challenges over the years, I have found it vital to enjoy the ordinary moments that are often overlooked when families face extraordinary circumstances.

Through the years, I have taken to heart what Dr. Bruce Perry says, “People, not programs, change people.” This is one reason I started a local parent support group, something that didn’t exist when I was going through the early years and seeking helpful resources. I have also joined with a few other “moms” to bring support, resources and education on a larger scale to our community called Yolo Neurodiverse Network. Our focus is on the people who work with, care for and support neurodiverse people.

It can be very hard on families, but I never lose sight that my son experienced some very serious adversity early in his development, and that this is “why” we may see him struggle in areas of life. This guides me to understanding more about relational neuroscience, Attachment Theory, how early adversity can impact the developing brain, and how this impacts everything in his life. Trauma informed, brain aligned, neuroaffirming practices need to be the framework to appropriately support our kids in all settings and especially for those who have vulnerable nervous systems and developmental delays.

In February 2023, I will be completing the Traumatic Stress Studies 7mo course with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, through the Trauma Research Foundation and in 2021 I completed Dr. Dan Siegel’s 6mo course in Interpersonal Neurobiology. I have also completed over 100 hours of professional development in trauma, special education and advocacy, behavioral health, Poly Vagal Theory, neurodevelopmental disabilities and differences, and the many therapy modalities that can help support an individual in the trauma healing process, ie, play therapy, expressive arts therapy, somatic experiencing therapies, and importantly therapies that focus on body up approaches rather than top-down cognitive approaches.

In addition to the Traumatic Stress Studies course, I am also in a 10-month LEND Trainee program (Leadership in Education of Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) through the University of California, Davis at The MIND Institute.

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Connie Persike, M.S., CCC/SLP, is a highly experienced Speech Language Pathologist and Educational Consultant. She has 20+ years of experience in educational settings and holds a certificate in instructional coaching, positive education, and applied educational neuroscience.

She served as a member of the multi-state work group to help develop the Common Core Essential Elements for English Language Arts. Connie is a published writer for Autism Parenting Magazine and writes for Exceptional Needs Today. She created an innovative process to assess student behavior, which deviates from the traditional behaviorism approach and aligns with current relational and neuroscience while maintaining a trauma-sensitive and neurodiversity approach.

Connie works from the guiding mission that Connection + Collaboration = Endless Possibilities.

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Arielle is a disabled activist and a social scientist who is passionate about improving public understanding of life with disabilities.

Professionally, she has spent fifteen years conducting research on the social psychology of disability. Personally, she has spent a lifetime learning and teaching with fellow members of the disability community.

An excerpt from Just Human:
"The most important thing I have discovered as a leader, a supervisor, an educator, and even an aunt, is that respect must be given before it can be received. When we offer respect and compassion to our children, our students, our employees, and others under our authority, we can bring out their full potential. What we get back is not just compliance and cooperation, but a real, mutual, human connection."

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Dr. Sandra L. Bloom is a Board-Certified psychiatrist, a Temple University School of Medicine graduate, and currently Associate Professor, Health Management and Policy at the Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University. For the past forty years, Dr. Bloom has done pioneering work in the field of traumatic stress studies. From 1980-2001, Dr. Bloom served as Founder and Executive Director of the Sanctuary programs, inpatient psychiatric programs for the treatment of trauma-related emotional disorders and during those years, was also President of the Alliance for Creative Development, a multidisciplinary outpatient practice group. Dr. Bloom is recognized nationally and internationally as the founder of the Sanctuary Model. Since 2012, Dr. Bloom has also served as Co-chair for the Philadelphia ACEs Task Force (http://www.philadelphiaaces.org).

In 2020 Dr. Bloom introduced a new online organizational and clinical approach called Creating PRESENCE (https://www.creatingpresence.net). Creating PRESENCE is for creating trauma-informed, trauma-responsive, and trauma-resilient organizations.

Dr. Bloom is a past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Dr. Bloom originated and has written a series of books on trauma-informed care: Creating Sanctuary: Toward the Evolution of Sane Societies, published in 1997, with a second edition in 2013; Destroying Sanctuary: The Crisis in Human Delivery Service Systems, published by Oxford University Press in 2010 and Restoring Sanctuary: A New Operating System for Trauma-Informed Systems of Care, published by Oxford University Press in 2013. Dr. Bloom has authored and published dozens of chapters and articles as well as S.E.L.F.: a Trauma-Informed Group Psychoeducational Curriculum. All of these can be found on her website (https://sandrabloom.com).

Dr. Bloom is a founder and currently Chair, Board of Directors for the national organization, CTIPP – The Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (https://www.ctipp.org) - whose goal is to advocate for public policies and programs at the federal, state, local, and tribal levels that incorporate up-to-date scientific findings regarding the relationship between trauma across the lifespan and many social and health problems. CTIPP was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for 2019 from the American Psychiatric Association.

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He offers a unique perspective on the School-to-Prison Pipeline as well as solutions. He spent 19 years as an adjunct professor at Potomac State College of West Virginia University and 27 years with the Federal Bureau Prisons counseling men. He has seen both ends of the pipeline. He has seen young people enter his office in prison and people with similar demographics enter his college classroom. Leonard supports criminal justice and educational reform, but he has learned that investing in young people’s “off hours”, building relationships, and supporting SEL (social-emotional learning) are pragmatic and consequential ways to end the school-to-prison pipeline.

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Polina Shkadron is a trauma-informed speech-language pathologist with specialties in the areas of autism, ADHD, language, and literacy. She earned her Master of Art degree in speech-language pathology from CUNY Queens College where she held the position of Adjunct Lecturer for the past 7 years. She also has a Master of Science degree in Nutrition Education from American University, which has transformed the feeding therapy portion of her practice. Throughout the course of her career, Polina has earned four ACE awards from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for her dedication to learning.

She coaches parents using play and brain-based research to foster understanding and deeper connections, laying foundational principles of development. Polina approaches each family dynamic from a holistic lens, acknowledging challenges, examining the environment, and focusing on promoting self-efficacy in the parent and the child.

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Now more than ever, students and staff need a comprehensive safety and wellness program that includes a pathway to anonymously connect with assigned helpers i.e. (Family Engagement Coordinators, School Counselors, Social Workers, School Nurses, and others).

The pandemic has affected millions of families and communities. Families have faced the loss of a loved one, social isolation, food insecurity, financial struggles, in-home neglect, abuse, and violence. Many are hesitant to seek help. Others don’t know where to turn to get help quickly and easily.

Introducing HELPme: A Healing-Centered Approach to School Safety
HELPme is designed to meet the needs of the school community by providing access and linkages to resources for basic needs, mental health, and family resilience while ensuring the privacy and dignity all people deserve.

Why HELPme?

We Know What Builds Child and Family Resilience

o The availability of educational funding and community resources has never been greater, but linkages and access to basic needs and other resources must be simple, discreet, and accessible to families, staff, and community members

o Linking caregivers to supports with dignity and privacy will increase trust, encourage engagement, and reduce re-traumatization

o Working with trusted solutions that emphasize positive engagement and support will yield more information, uncover more opportunities for early intervention, and help build family resilience

o If caregivers are struggling, kids must be trained, empowered, and encouraged to ask for and receive help to reduce adverse childhood experiences and developmental trauma

Delivered on our state-of-the-art platform, HELPme provides support and resources to students, families, and staff through a healing centered interfaceThe HELPme app by STOPit solutions trains all school users on the importance of asking for help. The recognition of asking for help as a critical life skill, and a safe way to practice asking for and receiving help from one’s first interaction with school.

Kerrie Ackerson is currently the VP of Government Affairs for STOPit Solutions—a very fancy way of saying “Find government money and access it to help kids.” She is the creator of the HELPme App, a mobile and computer app to aid students, staff, and families in getting support and resources while maintaining the dignity and privacy that all people deserve. Prior to joining STOPit, Kerrie worked for an education service agency in northern Wisconsin for 12 years with a focus on school safety. Kerrie’s career also includes working with mentally ill incarcerated youth and adults, running a county Division of Child and Family Services, working on juvenile justice and delinquency prevention funding and policy under three governors as the Juvenile Justice Specialist for Wisconsin, and being voted National Juvenile Justice Specialist by her peers. Kerrie is a proud foster and adoptive mother.

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Karen Bures is a special education teacher working with students who may display intense behaviors in Bend, Oregon. Karen started her career working in residential treatment care, transitioned into child welfare through the state, and then took a hiatus to be a stay-at-home parent. Once Karen’s children began school, she moved into the education field primarily to be on the same schedule as her children. Karen soon discovered that she was passionate about helping kids navigate the system. She began as an educational assistant in the behavior program before obtaining her special education licensure.
Karen continues to work to educate and coach other professionals in strategies that can effectively prevent the need for restraint or seclusions during moments of escalation. The presentation and interview will look at obstacles within the system as well as how Karen has fought to learn from her students and make change 

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We'll talk about augmented alternative communication (AAC) and how AAC impacted her life.

Jordyn Zimmerman, M.Ed., obtained her bachelor's degree in Education Policy from Ohio University and her Masters of Education at Boston College. As a nonspeaking autistic student who was denied access to effective augmentative communication until she was 18, Jordyn has personal experience challenging the educational status quo, which is featured in the 2021 documentary, This Is Not About Me. Jordyn presently serves on the board of CommunicationFIRST, works as Director of Professional Development at The Nora Project, and is a current presidential appointee.

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Brian is a special education teacher in Vermont. He holds a master’s degree in special education from Arizona State University. He has experience teaching students with emotional disabilities in kindergarten through high school. Brian began advocating for stronger and safer restraint and seclusion policies after witnessing prone restraints in his local school district where he worked, and his child attends. Brian contacted state representatives and successfully encouraged them to introduce a bill to govern the use of restraint and seclusion on a state-wide level.

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As a child, Ryan DeLena had difficulty controlling his emotions and he was placed in therapeutic schools that relied on detrimental methods of behavior modification such as physical restraint. Nothing helped from a team of doctors to heavy medication. Then in 2010, Ryan was voluntarily committed to a mental hospital for further evaluation. His parents Rob and Mary Beth were counseled to place him in a group home. They refused. Two years earlier, after an impulsive decision to take Ryan skiing, Rob discovered a different child than the version experts were so sure about. By his second day of skiing, Ryan was executing advanced runs, and with each conquest in the winters that followed, Rob began to question the path laid for his son by the professionals paid to judge him. He later convinced Mary Beth to fight the medical and educational complexes over Ryan’s care and school placement, and together they fostered the freedom Ryan needed to pursue his dream of becoming a professional ski mountaineer.

Written in two voices, Without Restraint is a joint father-son memoir told with both pain and levity, struggle and strength, adventure and heart. It is the story of a misunderstood boy, a father’s growth, and a shared love of the outdoors that formed their unbreakable bond.

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Jodi Place has served as a public educator for over 25 years. Prior to becoming a school administrator, she was a Nationally Board-Certified English teacher. As an administrator, she has experience leading in traditional high school and middle school settings as well as alternative education. She holds her Applied Educational Neuroscience certification from Butler University and is currently pursuing her Neurosequential Model in Education training led by Dr. Bruce Perry. She has published a Quick Reference Guide with ASCD, Supporting Emotional Regulation in the Classroom

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Through a turbulent past, Dr. Damiso A. Josey learned to analyze the experiences of his life and to use them as a catalyst for success rather than a reason for failure. Dr. Damiso A. Josey has used his triumph through abuse and personal shortcomings to become a successful educational leader and businessman to give his audience keys to success. He takes his audiences through a flight of emotions landing at a place of success for students, educators and industry professionals. In addition to motivational speaking and keynote addresses, Dr. Josey has worked for the television networks ESPN and ABC, is currently an Elementary Assistant Principal, Creator/Director of the non-profit organization Arts Equality Inc., Founder of The Empowerment Perspective Group (Educational Consulting and Motivational Speaking) and author of the self-retrospective book Life Music. Dr. Damiso A. Josey is a graduate of Temple University, he holds a Master of Education from University of Scranton and a doctorate for Educational Leadership with the University of New England. 

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Dr. Desautels has created a nine-hour graduate certification at Butler University in Applied Educational Neuroscience / Brain and Trauma. This certification has grown from six graduates in its pilot year in 2016, to over 400 graduate students in its now 7th cohort. The certification is open to students around the world as it has transformed into a virtual platform and format. The Applied Educational Neuroscience Certificate, created by Dr. Desautels in 2016, is specifically designed to meet the needs of educators, counselors, and administrators who work beside children and adolescents who have, and are, experiencing adversity and trauma.

Dr. Desautels’ passion is engaging her students through the application of neuroscience as it applies to attachment, regulation, educator brain state, and teaching students and staff about their neuro-anatomy thus integrating Mind Brain Teaching, learning principles and strategies into her coursework at Butler. Dr. Desautels has conducted brain institutes and workshops throughout the United States, Canada, Costa Rica and Dubai on Mind Brain Teaching and Learning. She has created webinars for educators, clinicians, and administrators illustrating how educators and students alike must understand their neuroanatomy to regulate behavior and calm the brain.

Dr. Desautels graduated with a BS in Special Education from Butler University, an MS in counseling education from Indiana University and earned her Ph.D. in philosophy with an emphasis in early adolescence/ thought formation from Indiana University and American Institute of Holistic Theology. Dr. Desautels resides in Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband, Michael. She has three grown children, Andrew, Sarah and Regan and four rescue fur babies.

Regan Desautels, an artist from Indiana, USA, and Alexis Cruz Gómez, an artist from Hidalgo, México, are a creative team that works together on illustrations, woodburnings, murals. Regan has worked as an independent artist and muralist in Chicago and Hidalgo. Alexis has worked as a graphic designer for some local organizations like Saberes Colectivas (Collective Wisdoms), and ALDIMEX - Alianza Indígena Para el Desarrollo de México (Indigenous Alliance for the Development of Mexico), as well as international organizations like Slow Food. The creative team has most recently worked on graphics for Dr Stephen Porges and Seth Porges' new book and illustrated Dr. Lori Desautels' new book, "Intentional Neuroplasticity." Their development together and separate as artists has taught them to never stop learning from their work, and has shown them the magic that comes from collaborating with their clients and breathing life and color into their words and stories. 

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Rob Beltz, ACTRP-C, has over 20 years of experience in education and leadership. He is certified in English Language Development, Trauma and Resiliency, Equity and Inclusion, and Applied Educational Neuroscience. His current work focuses on the nature of identity and on the forces that influence neurobiological systems, including identity development. Rob is committed to disrupting systems that harm our students, and has shared his work at numerous national conferences.

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Angelina is Washington, DC educator with a philosophy rooted in trauma-responsive care, inclusion, and racial and social equity. She holds her Masters in Education from Trinity Washington University and completed her Certification in Applied Educational Neuroscience at Butler in 2020. Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, Angie will hold the newly created title of Social Emotional Learning Specialist at her school. This is a brand new role within her school that Angie championed for school leaders to create. Through consistent modeling in her practice, advocacy, and shared research in trauma-responsive care, Angie is pioneering the position of SEL Specialist and trailblazing as a trauma-informed leader 

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Dr. Springer has served the children and community in the Kansas City Metro area for nearly 25 years. He has been a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and community school liaison, and is presently the principal at Gray Hawk Elementary in Basehor, Kansas. Dr. Springer holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, MS degrees in Urban Education and Educational Leadership, and certifications in Community Schools and Applied Educational Neuroscience. He is a national presenter advocating for the implementation of trauma-informed practices and implementing the AEN framework. 
 Dr. Springer is married and has three children and a menagerie of pets. He also coaches high school girls soccer and regulates himself with LIVE music. Dr. Springer is passionate about supporting children and adults while encouraging everyone to see the beauty that exists within each of us. He shares experiences that challenge us, brings us closer together, and enable all to grow both personally and professionally.

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Michael worked for the New Jersey Department of Education in the Cape May County office of education for 17 years. In those years he served as a resource for school districts in the county as well as throughout southern New Jersey. Beyond the work of the department of education he provided training to educators, parents, community members and school leaders.

Prior to joining the department of education Michael had 24 years’ experience working in schools. He was a special education teacher for 14 years working and learning with emotionally and behaviorally troubled adolescents. Michael also was an administrator at Atlantic County Special Services School District for 10 years and was responsible for the programming for troubled students, ages 5 thru 21 years, removed from the local school district.

Michael has a passion for creating and supporting Reclaiming Environments for “at-risk” children and youth as well as the adults who serve them. He currently provides professional development to practicing educators. He also is an adjunct instructor at Stockton University where he gets to teach and learn with future educators.

His current focus is joining with schools to create school level “Resiliency Teams” with a focus on school districts working with children and youth who carry into school toxic levels of stress and trauma.

Michael along with his colleague and friend, Dr. Lori Desautels, is the coauthor of 2 books: Unwritten- The Story of A Living System about school transformation and their most recent work, Eyes Are Never Quiet- Listening Beneath the Behaviors of Our Most Troubled Students.

He views himself, not as an expert, but as a learner and a teacher who has always enjoyed building strength-based cultures with others.

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James Moffett is an elementary school principal who has created, implemented and helped others create and implement trauma-informed practices in their schools. Throughout his career, he has taught various demographic groups, observing the differences and similarities in effective instructional and behavioral strategies. Ultimately, James realized what we all know, meaningful relationships enhance behavior and academic success. He often threw around the words “grit” and “perseverance”, but after viewing Paper Tigers, it came full circle. James started his trauma-informed work as the principal of Derby Hills Elementary School in Derby, Kansas, which became a fully functioning trauma-informed school. During his time at Derby Hills Elementary, he implemented a number of different SEL and trauma-informed practices such as safe spots, mindfulness, self-regulation and teaching an explicit SEL curriculum. This James is serving as principal at Faris Elementary in Hutchinson, KS, where he has already put his trauma-informed practices into place to better serve the needs of students.

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Rachel Hull joined Brook Lane Behavioral Services as Director of Education in August 2020. She oversees two Type 1 Special Education Schools in the state of Maryland. Rachel received her Bachelor of Science from Marshall University, where she spent time and played Division 1 volleyball. Rachel received the 2012 Honors College Award for Outstanding Service in Psychology from Clinical Research conducted at Mildred Mitchel-Bateman Psychiatric Hospital. Rachel then earned a Master’s Degree in School emphasized Psychology.

Rachel began her education journey working in education as a teacher for self-contained students with the primary disability of Autism. She then spent six years at the Berkeley County Board of Education Special Education Office, where she provided intervention services, programming, and eligibility involvement for students in the specific category of Autism and Behavior Disorders. Rachel worked with therapeutic intervention practices and was a CPI trainer. She also trained specifically in CPI intervention for students with Autism. She assisted teachers in developing student-specific interventions and classroom therapeutic environments. Rachel also coordinated and developed district-wide 504 plans as local Title IX oversight.

Rachel is currently set to graduate from Harvard University with her certificate in Advanced Educational Leadership in Spring 2023.

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Jim Sporleder retired in 2014 as Principal of Lincoln High School in Walla Walla, WA. Under Jim’s leadership, Lincoln High School became a “Trauma Informed” school, gaining national attention due to a dramatic drop in out of school suspensions, increased graduation rates and the number of students going on to post-secondary education. These dramatic changes at Lincoln caught the attention of Jamie Redford, who spent a year filming the documentary, Paper Tigers, which tells the Lincoln story. The documentary was released at the May 2015 Seattle International Film Festival and received positive reviews.

Jim is currently working as a trauma-informed coach / consultant and is based in Walla Walla, WA. His travels as consultant, keynote speaker, presenter and trainer have taken him all over the United States. Jim is married, has three daughters and seven granddaughters. In his spare time, Jim enjoys fishing, hunting, but most of all…spending time with family.

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We'll be discussing Classroom180: A Framework for Creating, Sustaining, and Assessing the Trauma-Informed Classroom, by Heather T. Forbes, LCSW. Classroom 180 is a comprehensive roadmap of what it means to fully create, implement, and sustain a trauma-informed classroom from kindergarten through the twelfth grade. Additionally, Classroom180 includes an assessment tool, the Classroom180 Rubric, that can be used by administrators and others specialists who support teachers on the journey of becoming trauma-informed.

Heather T. Forbes, LCSW, is the owner of the Beyond Consequences Institute and author of numerous books on the topic of working with children impacted by trauma. Coming from a family of educators, Heather has a passion for helping children in the classroom. Trauma robs children of their curiosity, and Heather’s passion is to help these students return back to their innate love for learning. She consults and lectures extensively with both general and special education schools around the nation and the world.

Her signature style is to bridge the gap between academic research and “when the rubber hits the road” classroom situations, giving teachers and school personnel the understanding and tools they need for even the most challenging of students. Heather has worked in schools with trauma-impacted students and knows firsthand how challenging it can be on a daily basis with these students.

Much of her insight on understanding trauma, disruptive behaviors, and developmental delays, comes from her own experience of raising two internationally adopted children and mentoring a severely trauma-impacted young adult. 

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Chelsea Maldonado is an Atlanta-based activist and investigative researcher with a focus on youth rights and criminal justice reform. She is a survivor of the so-called "Troubled Teen Industry," having attended the notorious WWASPS' program, Tranquility Bay, in 2001. Chelsea has used her lived experience to inform her activism while participating in a variety of anti-TTI organizations and initiatives. Her research has been utilized by Salon, HuffPo, Business Insider, The New York Times, Reason, NBC, Warner Brothers, I Heart Media and a variety of independent outlets. She is currently working on Season 2 of Trapped in Treatment podcast.

Robert Bucklin is an Agape Boarding School Survivor who is working tirelessly to shut down the facility. Robert is a healthcare worker and a campaign member with We Warned Them. The We Warned Them Campaign is a progressive grassroots movement that's calling on local, state, and federal officials to take immediate action to end the "troubled" teen industry's (TTI) habitual malpractices and unsafe treatment on at-risk youth in residential care.

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Dr. Kevin Ann Huckshorn is the Executive Vice President-Northeast Region, for Recovery Innovations International. She is responsible for RI onsite operations in DE, VA, OH, and MD; , engaging in consultation work for the organization; progressing new program implementation efforts; participating in contract negotiations; and operating within a state or regional leadership role when needed.

Dr. Huckshorn’ s most recent past position was as the Director of Evidence-based Practices and Programs for WellPath Recovery Solutions, Inc. She was the past hospital director for Bridgewater State Hospital in MA where she and that team transitioned a prison for adult men with serious mental illnesses to a state hospital directed by trauma-informed care and recovery-based practices, under the direction of Governor Baker, MA DOC and Wellpath (2017-2019). Dr. Huckshorn was also the past State Director of Delaware’s Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (2009-2015) and led the successful resolution of the USDOJ Olmstead settlement agreement with the state. From 2001 to 2009, Huckshorn was the Director of the National Technical Assistance Center for State Mental Health Planning for NASMHPD. 

Kevin is a licensed and certified mental health nurse and substance abuse clinician with practical knowledge from 42 years of professional frontline experience working in a variety of public and private mental health organizations and substance abuse programs. She has extensive experience in both inpatient and outpatient program development including peer-run projects; psychiatric rehabilitation treatment programs for persons with serious mental illness; and recovery-based mental health and substance abuse services. She is published on topics including violence, treatment adherence, and workforce development; serves on the editorial board of a U.S. peer reviewed nursing mental health journal; authored a number of textbook chapters on violence reduction and co-authored a book with William Anthony, PhD titled “Principled Leadership in Mental Health Systems and Programs" (2008). Dr. Huckshorn was the past Director of the Office of Technical Assistance for the National Association for State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and the National Coordinating Center for Seclusion and Restraint Reduction where she led the development of an evidence-based model to prevent violence and the use of seclusion and restraint (2001-2021). This EBP has been adopted in over 35 states and six countries to date. 

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Cheryl Poe is the founder and owner of Advocating 4 Kids, Inc. a Special Education Advocacy organization that provides resources, information, and workshops to parents and professionals with a special focus on addressing needs of Black and Brown children and those from lower-socio economic status.

Cheryl holds a Master of Arts Degree in Urban Education and Counseling. She also has completed over 15 credit hours of post graduates hours in psychology. In June of 2004, she completed the Nation Group Psychotherapy Institute at the Washington School of Psychiatry in Washington D.C. in the study of Group Psychotherapy. Mrs. Poe completed a two-year term as the Student Outreach and Recruitment Committee Chair person for the Mid-Atlantic Group Psychotherapy Society Board of Directors and was awarded with the Jefferson Cup for leadership in her role. 

Cheryl is the mother two boys with learning disabilities. Ms. Poe prides herself on understanding the struggles that parents face when dealing with special education issues. Ms. Poe is diagnosed with ADHD and learning disabilities and received special education services in as a child! Mrs. Poe is a passionate advocate who has walked the walk as a parent of a Black American child with a disability and understands the fears, trauma and struggles that parents face. Her oldest child was a victim of a school system that failed to believe he deserved the services needed to be successful and who used his race as a factor to treat him less than.

Guy Stephens is a lifelong resident of Maryland, a father, a husband, and an advocate for children’s rights. His journey in advocacy began as a parent, advocating for appropriate accommodations and supports for his neurodivergent son. In 2018 Guy completed the Parents’ Place of Maryland’s LEADers training, a parent leader program to develop leadership skills among parents of children with disabilities and special health care needs. In 2019 Guy completed the Maryland Coalition of Families Family Leadership Institute (FLI) a 60-hour intensive training program for parents and caregivers of school-age children with mental health needs. Guy is currently a member of the Board of Directors for The Arc of Maryland. Guy is a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and presented at their 2020 annual conference. Guy is actively working to change policies and practices around the use of restraint and seclusion at the local, state, and federal level.

Guy is the Founder and Executive Director for the ​Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR). Restraint and seclusion are outdated crisis management techniques used in schools across the nation. These interventions disproportionately impact disabled, Black, and Brown children. The practices are dangerous and can lead to significant trauma and injuries to students, teachers, and staff. AASR’s mission is to educate the public and connect people who are dedicated to changing minds, laws, policies, and practices so that restraint and seclusion are reduced and eliminated from schools across the nation. AASR believes that our schools should be moving towards neurodevelopmentally informed, trauma-sensitive, biologically respectful, relationship-based ways of understanding, and supporting all students.

Guy believes that we can do better for all children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and if we can we must. He understands that we need to embrace neurodiversity and neuroscience to create safe and inclusive environments to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all.

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Lynda Knight-de Blois is principal of Glenview School in Wellington and Co-lead of the Porirua East Kahui Ako ( network of schools). She has a Master of Education, specializing in Special Needs and Pacific learners, and has trained with Dr. Bruce Perry in the Neurosequential Network, completing the Neurosequential Model in Education Trainers’ Certificate in 2021. She is beginning the NME Advanced Trainer program this year. She is passionate about sharing what she has learned about neuroscience, learning, behavior, and wellbeing and has led neuroscience workshops in Porirua and Wellington.

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Dr. Ablon received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of California at Berkeley and completed his training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. One of the world’s top-rated thought-leaders and keynote speakers, Dr. Ablon teaches educators, parents, clinicians, managers, and leaders a very different approach to understanding and addressing challenging behavior of all types and in all people. Dr. Ablon has helped hundreds of organizations throughout the world implement the Collaborative Problem Solving approach. 

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Charles Bell is a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences at Illinois State University and the author of Suspended: Punishment, Violence, and the Failure of School Safety. His research explores students', parents', and teachers’ perceptions of out-of-school suspension, seclusion, restraint, and school safety measures. Professor Bell works with local and state politicians to improve school discipline transparency and establish laws that protect families from harmful disciplinary practices.

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Diane is a dyslexic mother of two neurodiverse children and a lifelong advocate for those in need. Diane has a passion for supporting individuals with disabilities and their families. She believes that it is critical that all people are empowered to reach their full potential.

Diane's disability advocacy began in 2013 when she founded an online support group for caregivers of people with disabilities. What began as a small group of 12 individuals has since grown to over 250 members across
the United States and Europe. Soon, Diane began to realize that though our specific circumstances might vary, we all faced similar challenges navigating the special education system and disability services. In 2015 Diane and another Fairfax County Parent decided to join forces to start an organization that could advocate for systemic change and improvements for students with disabilities and their families. This labor of love became Fairfax County Special Education PTA, which launched in April 2017. Diane has been on the Board of Fairfax County SEPTA since its inception, served two years as the Inaugural President, and currently serves as Advocacy Chair. Our advocacy is on behalf of the over 30 thousand students in Fairfax County Public schools who have a disability and are served by either 504 Plans or IEPs as well as their families and the professionals who work with them. 

Initiatives of particular focus for our SEPTA led are changing the FCPS policies on restraint and seclusion, advocating for special education students and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementing best-practice literacy instruction based on the science of reading for all students regardless of ability, the implementation of programs with fidelity and accountability, and accessibility in resources and programming for all students.

Additionally, Diane has created or co-created, and taught numerous courses related to special education advocacy for a variety of organizations including, VA Parent Education Advocacy Training Center (PEATC), Virginia PTA, NoVA District PTA, and Fairfax County SEPTA. Course topics have included: Navigating Special Education - 504s and IEPs, Building a Community of Support, Organizing your IEP records, Working Collaboratively with an IEP Team, Social/Emotional needs of Dyslexic Students, Tips for 2e Parents, Successfully Leading a Support Group, Supporting Special Education Students in Inclusive Classrooms, and Travelling Tips for Families of Students with Disabilities.

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Sara Jo is a Ph.D. student studying Inclusive Special Education at Syracuse University. Sara Jo is a trained 1-12 inclusive special educator. Her work centers students with “complex” support needs in inclusive settings, inclusive higher education, education policy, decentering whiteness within education, breaking down hierarchies with disability, and pre-service inclusive educator training. 

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Mona Delahooke, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of experience caring for children and their families. She is a senior faculty member of the Profectum Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting families of neurodiverse children, adolescents and adults.Dr. Delahooke holds the highest level of endorsement in the field of infant and toddler mental health in California, as a Reflective Practice Mentor (RPM). She is a frequent speaker, trainer, and consultant to parents, organizations, schools, and public agencies. Dr. Delahooke has dedicated her career to promoting compassionate, relationship-based neurodevelopmental interventions for children with developmental, behavioral, emotional, and learning differences. She is the author of Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges (PESI, 2019), and Social and Emotional Development in Early Intervention: A Skills Guide for Working with Children (PESI, 2017). Her popular blog, at www.monadelahooke.com covers a range of topics useful for caregivers and childhood providers.

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Dr. Alex Klein, PsyD is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in child and family therapy, neurodevelopmental differences such as autism spectrum conditions and ADHD, and parenting. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. He has training in child, adolescent, and adult psychotherapy and assessment with clients who present with a range of diagnoses. He works at the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center and also has a private practice. His primary interests include neurodiversity-informed care, couples and family therapy, parenting challenging children, pathological demand avoidance (PDA), social justice, trauma, education, and the supervision and training of graduate students. A former teacher and school-based therapist, Dr. Klein consults with school districts to help develop more appropriate learning environments for challenging students. Dr. Klein's greatest joys are spending time with his family and friends, music, and exploring the outdoors with his wife and twin daughters in the Bay Area.

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Lee Collyer serves as Director, School Health and Student Safety at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in Olympia, WA. Lee has 15-plus years’ experience leading and designing programs for students and families in various educational and residential environments. He has presented and trained professionals nationally on topics such as positive behavior support, youth readiness, special education, poverty, classroom management, crisis management, seclusion and restraint elimination/reduction, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support.

At my core, I work from the firm belief that all students, means all students. Raised by a public school teacher in rural New England, with a 10 year pit stop in Oakland, CA, my entire career has been spent partnering with and advocating for historically marginalized students and families in public, private and institutional settings--I have extensive experience helping non-profit, district and building teams develop and sustain systems and strategies to effectively support all students across all three tiers of intervention.

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"Breaking the Rules: A Minor Spatial Inconvenience" doubles as an architectural maze and an immersive mixed-media installation. By recreating seclusion and restraint using architecture, the installation expresses a personal issue of the artist and speaks to an undiscussed social issue: is seclusion the solution or is there a solution to seclusion, amongst our nation’s schools? 

Immersing the audience via sculpture, collage, 16mm film, and audio, the artist hopes to impart education around the lack of existing policy. Through education, she hopes to foster empathy regarding the application and motivate federal and/or state governments to implement policies regarding seclusion and restraint. 

In relation with the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR), Breaking the Rules seeks to advocate for the civil rights of students with learning disabilities and begs for a revision to the artist’s story.

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Behavioral approaches to feeding intervention attempt to increase children’s variety and volume of food intake while also claiming to eliminate or diminish challenging mealtime behaviors. Behavioral approaches to feeding do not develop intrinsic motivation for eating, honor children’s mealtime cues, or teach children to honor and interpret vital biological cues such as hunger and satiety. 

Instead, behavioral interventions for feeding rely upon the use of external rewards to “get” children to eat while also frequently incorporating the use of highly aversive procedures such as force-feeding and restraint to ensure compliance. 

We know that restraint has a devastating effect on children’s emotional and psychological well-being. We know that fear and stress actively suppress our appetites and the desire to eat. So why would we intentionally subject children to stressful events like restraint and then expect them to want to eat? 

Caroline Braun is an Autistic speech-language pathologist specializing in the treatment of complex motor speech, language, and feeding needs. She is the owner of a neurodiversity-affirming private practice and a therapy advisor for the Therapist Neurodiversity Collective. She is passionate about raising awareness of traumatizing feeding practices and advocating for responsive approaches to feeding therapy.

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In this session we will talk to Joe about his new book, below is a description of the book.

Covering both theory and practice, this book will teach educators everything they need to know about developing restorative practices in their educational settings, in a way that is also trauma-informed.

The first part of the book addresses the theory and philosophy of restorative approaches, and of trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive schools. The second part outlines the five restorative skills (mindfulness, honest expression, empathy, the art of asking questions, and the art of requests), what they look like in practice (including using circles, respect agreements and restorative dialogue), and how to implement them. Every strategy is clearly explained and adapted to be appropriate for children and adults who have experienced trauma.

Everything the book discusses has been specially designed to be adapted for different school settings and their particular challenges.

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Olivia is a licensed occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience supporting kids and their families in the private school sectors. She is also a licensed marriage and family therapist, supporting clients experiencing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, sexual identity questions, life/career transitions, and aging. Olivia is also a mother of three, two with neuro-differences, and uniquely integrates her professional expertise and lived experiences with her clients. She is the co-division leader of the OT department at The Center for Connection in Pasadena, CA. She is also the co-director of The Center for Connection and Neurodiversity in Duarte, Ca, which is part of the flagship center in Pasadena. Olivia specializes in providing support to children, adults, and their families through a neurodevelopmental, relational, sensory integrative, anti-behavioral, playful approach. She, along with her colleagues, provides one-to-one therapy, parent consultations, paraprofessional training, in-services, and assessments. She is a regular speaker at professional conferences and universities integrating occupational therapy, marriage and family therapy, and the parent perspective.

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Our nervous systems and physiological states create and produce the behaviors in school we observe, question, discuss, punish, suspend, seclude, and attend to in all moments throughout the day! As educators who sit with 30 to 180 plus nervous systems every day, we have traditionally paid attention to observable behaviors, assessing them as appropriate, disrespectful, inappropriate, oppositional, aggressive, manipulative, and a variety of other labels and classifications. Polyvagal Theory and the social and affective neuroscience research now share; that education requires “state regulation” so we are able to access and integrate the cognitive and mental tasks we need to succeed in school and positively navigate life experiences. In this webinar, Dr. Desautels will share the practices that address the nervous system states of our children and adolescents in the classroom preparing the brain and body to learn deeply, mitigating negative behaviors and meeting students in their brain and body state. 

Dr. Lori Desautels has been an Assistant Professor at Butler University since 2016 where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Education. Lori was also an Assistant Professor at Marian University in Indianapolis for eight years where she founded the Educational Neuroscience Symposium. Currently, the Symposium is in its eighth year, and now sponsored by Butler University College of Education. Through these conferences and symposiums, educators, parents, and the community learn to implement the tools to help our students be successful and feel a sense of purpose and connection as they walk into their classrooms. Because of her work, Lori has been able to attract the foremost experts in the fields of educational neuroscience, trauma and adversity, which significantly grow the conference each year.

Lori has created a nine-hour graduate certification at Butler University in Applied Educational Neuroscience/Brain and Trauma. This certification has grown from 6 graduates in its pilot year in 2016 to 70 graduate students in its third cohort and continues to expand. The certification is open to students around the world as it has transformed into a distance learning, hybrid format. The Applied Educational Neuroscience Certificate, created by Lori in 2016, is specifically designed to meet the needs of educators, counselors, and administrators who work beside children and adolescents who have, and are, experiencing adversity and trauma.

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Dr. Erin Hambrick is the Director of Research for the ChildTrauma Academy, an Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri - Kansas City, and an Associate Editor for the Journal of Child and Family Studies. She works with children and families who have faced adversities and studies treatment options that best fit their strengths and needs. 

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Jesse Kohler is Executive Director of the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy & Practice (CTIPP). Jesse is a passionate advocate and leader in the trauma-informed space who works on systems change to provide comprehensive support for individuals, families, and communities so that, someday, all people have the opportunity and support necessary to reach their full potential. After graduating with his Master’s, Jesse became the Director of Development for North Light Community Center. In addition to development activities for the organization, Jesse helped to create and fund three programs/initiatives. While working for North Light, Jesse became a member of the National Trauma Campaign core team and went through an 18-month training program at Lakeside Global Institute and received trauma-competent professional certification. At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Jesse got a new job as an associate at Council for a Strong America on the Fight Crime: Invest in Kids team and serving as the Florida state lead. Jesse continued serving in his volunteer roles for CTIPP and the National Trauma Campaign during this time and joined the steering committee of the Child Trauma and ACEs Policy (CTAP) working group. Jesse Kohler considers himself a passionate advocate who believes that trauma-informed, resilience-focused, and healing-centered policies and practices would improve society drastically.

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Restraint and seclusion can lead to trauma, injury and death. In this live session we will talk about the impact of these crisis management approach, and alternatives to better support students, teachers, and staff.

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These programs may label themselves as wilderness, therapeutic, boot camp, or religious programs, and are collectively known as the “troubled teen industry” (tti). The TTI operates out of sight and out of mind, typically in remote locations away from public scrutiny. It is a multi-billion dollar industry that exploits vulnerable youth & their families for profit. 

Thousands of cases of abuse and neglect have been reported in the media over the last 40 years. During this time, young people in the TTI have experienced human rights violations, abuse and injustices. These include but are not limited to:

• Seclusion & Restraint: Including seclusion, restraint, isolation, solitary confinement & strict restriction of communication with the outside world including contact with family, mandated reporters, lawyers and advocates.

• Unethical & abusive force of Transporting ( kidnaping) young people. 

• Abuse of Religious Exemptions: Including physical abuse, emotional abuse, racist verbal abuse, neglect, medical neglect, and death

• Conversion therapy harmful therapeutic to change another individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

• Human Rights Violations: Including sleep deprivation, food deprivation, forced feeding, restrictions on marriage based on race, lack of freedom of religion, exploitation of labor and exploitation of traumatic experiences.

During this event we will talk to several survivors of the trouble teen industry and learn why change is necessary to protect our children and youth. 

Our guests included:

Kayla is a resilient foster care survivor of institutional abuse. They hope to use their insight of the child welfare system to spread awareness of the civil rights violations happening day in and day out, especially within the Troubled Teen Industry. She has written articles for The Hill, Ms. Magazine, and Children's Rights. They are currently attending Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas. They have been a certified dog trainer since 2016 and found healing through working with dogs of all breeds. They currently work with a pit bull service dog.

Robert bucklin is a 27 year old Patient CareAssociate studying to be an ICU Nusre who is also heavily involved in bringing awareness to the abuses within the Agape Boarding School for boys, a private school located in Missouri- a school that he attended his whole teenage life. 

Josh Cook is a survivor of the “Troubled Teen Industry” who began his anti-TTI advocacy by helping to facilitate the closure of Freedom Village USA, a religious TTI program. He also works on prisoner rights issues, where he has been involved in several campaigns. He is based in Alabama, where he lives with his grandson.

Gabriel Joseph Gonzáles is a survivor that educates and advocates for young people’s rights in The Troubled Teen Industry. In 2019, he worked with the Freedom Village Experience survivors group on awareness projects that involved New York and South Carolina. In 2020, Gabriel co-facilitated a collaborative campaign with the National Youth Rights Association to ask congress to regulate controversial care practices and challenges in "Troubled Teen" Residential care facilitation. He currently resides in New York City and is an active member of his community.

Chelsea Maldonado is an Atlanta-based activist and investigative researcher with a focus on youth rights and criminal justice reform. She is a survivor of the so-called "Troubled Teen Industry," having attende

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Why does therapy need to change? (Whole body listening, social communication expectations, compliance-based therapies, and outcomes, pathologizing natural autistic ways of interacting and communicating, tolerance, or the 'extinguishing' of sensory issues.)

In what ways are the majority of therapists "behind" in contemporary Autism research knowledge? (Autism research that is done in conjunction with and by autistic researchers, Monotropism, Autistic Masking, and Camouflage, The Double Empathy Problem, Diversity in Social Intelligence)

How do neurodivergence-affirming therapies reduce situations that lead to restraint and seclusion? (Therapy becomes about reaching the person where they are, goals become less about compliance and more about increasing personal agency and self-determination.)

Julie Roberts is a licensed, ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist and the Founder of Therapist Neurodiversity Collective who has been practicing for over 20 years. She is a frequent presenter on overviews of Autism and Neurodiversity, and why Social Skills Training is an ableist therapy model (based on contemporary research and autistic lived experiences). A frequent blogger who writes articles on disability rights, empathetic therapy practices, and advocacy efforts, Julie is a passionate and tireless patient/client/student rights advocate and activist.

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In this presentation I will share my successes and challenges of implementation in various school settings as well as sharing how it can be successfully used with all students, including those from a trauma background, ADHD and ASD.

I will also provide some practical tips that can be used in all classrooms and schools.

I have been an educator for 35 years, working in a multitude of roles including teacher, Behaviour support consultant, Head of Special Needs and Principal. My Principal role has been in low socioeconomic areas and Northern Territory in the remote end of Australia working with our indigenous communities.

I am passionate about shaping our schools to ensure that EVERY student is understood, safe and able to succeed no matter what their need.

I am a Doctorate Candidate with QUT researching the intersection between Complex Trauma and Developmental Disabilities in school settings.

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Robin Roscigno is a scholar/practicioner specializing in education for Neurodivergent children. She is a PhD candidate at Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Education and consults with school districts and parents on a range of topics. Most recently, Robin was awarded the Irving K. Zola Award for Emerging Scholar in Disabiliy Studies from the Society for Disability Studies for her article “Semiotic Stalemate: Resisting Restraint and Seclusion through Guattari’s Micropolitics of Desire” which combined her scholarly interests with her anti-restraint and seclusion activism.

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Mona Delahooke, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of experience caring for children and their families. She is a senior faculty member of the Profectum Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting families of neurodiverse children, adolescents and adults.Dr. Delahooke holds the highest level of endorsement in the field of infant and toddler mental health in California, as a Reflective Practice Mentor (RPM). She is a frequent speaker, trainer, and consultant to parents, organizations, schools, and public agencies. Dr. Delahooke has dedicated her career to promoting compassionate, relationship-based neurodevelopmental interventions for children with developmental, behavioral, emotional, and learning differences. She is the author of Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges (PESI, 2019), and Social and Emotional Development in Early Intervention: A Skills Guide for Working with Children (PESI, 2017). Her popular blog, at www.monadelahooke.com covers a range of topics useful for caregivers and childhood providers.

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Robbyn Peters Bennett, LPC, CMHS is a psychotherapist and activist for children, specializing in the treatment of mental health issues due to child maltreatment. She has directed inpatient and residential treatment programs, worked with families in child protective services, foster care and post adoption. Robbyn is Phase II certified with ChildTrauma Academy in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT). 

A national speaker, Robbyn’s TED talk frames spanking as domestic violence. She founded StopSpanking.org, an online parenting resource for parents and clinicians to better understand the harm of hitting children. She is a board member of the U.S. Alliance to End the Hitting of Children leading the movement to end spanking in the USA. https://stopspanking.org/robbynpetersbennett/

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In this session we will be talking with several individuals that experienced restraint and seclusion firsthand. 

Guest include:

Julie Weiner is a graduate student, writer, and disability rights activist and advocate from suburban Philadelphia. She lives with a chronic pain and fatigue condition and uses a wheelchair part-time. She survived restraint and seclusion at an affluent public school in both fourth and sixth grade as a response to her nonviolent dysregulated episodes. In 2019, Julie joined the Alliance Against Restraint and Seclusion’s efforts in fighting restraint and seclusion in the hopes that the next generation of students will not experience the trauma she experienced. She is a 2020 graduate of Muhlenberg College with a B.A. in English and is pursuing an M.A. in student affairs and higher education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. 

Mina (real name: Jennifer) Han is an aspiring creative. During her childhood, she experienced the trauma of restraint and seclusion in school. With her passion for creative writing and art, Mina hopes to encourage self-care in a way to cope with the trauma and heal. As an advocate, she also supports the ban on the use of both restraint and seclusion in schools.

Sam is a self-advocate who is against the use of restraint and seclusion and a supporter of the Keeping All Students Safe Act. Sam was diagnosed with autism at age three. Sam was restrained when he was just five years old until he was fourteen. Sam runs his own photography business. Sam also works to shift the way people think about autism: from “awareness” to “acceptance.”

At forty eight years old Tom was diagnosed with PTSD. He has had trouble finding treatment since. As Tom would say "I'm still alive, so I guess that I’m a survivor, but I definitely don’t feel like one." Tom's experience with seclusion in special education in the nineteen eighties left him unable to maintain personal and professional relationships, or finish his education. Currently in therapy, Tom finds himself starting his life over at a time when other people his age are sending their kids off to college. 

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For more information about infusing collaborative and proactive solutions into PBIS contact Rachel and Kelly at rachelandkellycps@gmail.com

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In 2012 Dr. Shanker founded The MEHRIT Centre as a Self-Reg learning and information centre. Stuart commits considerable time to bringing the research and science of Self-Reg to parents, early childhood educators, teachers, educational leaders, health practitioners and communities through his writings, presentations, online courses, webinars, social media and a blog entitled, “The Self-Reg View”

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We'll discuss:

What is Conscious Communication/Parenting?

Who benefits most from conscious parenting and communication (everyone but kids with trauma/neurodivergent thinkers/giftedness etc demand it).

How does conscious communication reduce situations that lead to restraint and seclusion.

How do we learn to speak in new ways?

Lori Petro is the founder of Teach Through Love and creator of the Conscious Communication Cards. She holds a Bachelors in Elementary & Early Childhood Education and a certification in trauma-informed parent education. She founded Teach Through Love after her own self-healing journey as a vehicle to provide parents with a new framework for communicating with kids.

Lori is passionate about promoting social reform through education, community-building, and storytelling. A champion of conscious parenting and non-punitive justice, she's a board member of the nonprofit Stop Spanking and happiest when creating informative and entertaining content to help others heal their inner child and build authentic family relationships.

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Each day we began class with a brain-aligned morning meeting or afternoon gathering where the students learned about their nervous systems, parts of the brain, and how experiences impact how they feel, learn, behave and trust others. Through a variety of practices, we met the students in their brain and body development, addressing behaviors as a form of dysregulation. The students took this framework into their own lives as we shared ways to calm our nervous systems through breath, movement, rhythms, and a variety of sensory practices. The students began addressing and talking about brain and body states with the characters in books, throughout academic content, and experiences during the day! Join us for a live panel discussion where we will hear from the staff and students about how this framework has impacted their lives. We will also have an opportunity to learn how students, teachers, and staff apply the practices and strategies of educational neuroscience.

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Greg Santucci is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist and the Founding Director of Power Play Pediatric Therapy. He has been an OT for over 20 years, and currently is a Supervisor of Occupational Therapy at Children’s Specialized Hospital in NJ. Greg has been lecturing national for over a decade on topics related to sensory processing, challenging behaviors and best practice in the public schools. Greg is the father of two kids and is married to a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, so he shares his toys with all three of them.

Contact information:
https://gregsantucci.com
Facebook: Greg Santucci, Occupational Therapist
Instagram: @gregsantucci

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Teresa has been blessed with two amazing sons that have raised her to be a fierce advocate when she would have enjoyed simply being “mom”. She is currently concluding her master’s in nursing administration and management and hopes to expand her learning on the neurobiology of trauma. Newer to advocacy, she is passionate about empowering families and creating positive impact on educational, health care and political systems through shared knowledge. 

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Lori Kirkland is a 3rd grade teacher and Advisor Lead in MSD of Lawrence Township in Indianapolis, Indiana. She has held numerous positions in her 25+ years of teaching but her heart and passion are working directly with and advocating for children.

Educational Neuroscience is not a program, but a framework and discipline that combines neuroscience, pedagogy, and developmental and cognitive psychology bringing the current research from how the brain feels, learns, behaves, and relates to instructional engagement and behavioral practices in the classroom. Every class, assignment, relationship, behavior and experience shapes the human brain. Understanding how the brain processes information into learning and knowing more about what it takes for students’ brains to be engaged, responsive, and alert are fundamental to the teaching and learning process. The neuroscience of how the brain learns and what influences the most successful brain acquisition and application of learning should be included in all teacher education programs. (Lori Desautels PhD) 

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In the fall of 2020, a Facebook post Karen made about the benefits of inclusive educational practices for neurotypical learners went viral, propelling her into the public eye and allowing her to connect with a vast and varied community of educators, parents, mental health professionals and advocates working toward the shared goal of inclusivity in education.

www.karenhopeblacher.wordpress.com

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Families United for Self-Empowerment is a nonprofit organization that provides network support services for vulnerable families with children,young adults and youth throughout the State of North Dakota.We help connect families with other agencies, services and organizations. 

Victoria currently serve on the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction Special Education Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Advisory Committee and Cass County Juvenile justice Racial and Ethnic disparity committee. Her passion to help mentor families and youth is what led me to starting Families United for Self-Empowerment.

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In 1994 Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. proposed the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that links the evolution of the mammalian autonomic nervous system to social behavior and emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders. The theory is leading to innovative treatments based on insights into the mechanisms mediating symptoms observed in several behavioral, psychiatric, and physical disorders. 

Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation (Norton, 2011), The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe, (Norton, 2017) and co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies (Norton, 2018). He is the creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™ , which currently is used by more than 1400 therapists to improve spontaneous social engagement, to reduce hearing sensitivities, and to improve language processing, state regulation, and spontaneous social engagement.

Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium and is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina. He is the originator of the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that emphasizes the importance of physiological state in mental and physical health.

https://www.stephenporges.com

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Children who carry chronic behavioral challenges are often met with reactive and punitive practices that can potentially reactivate the developing stress response systems. 

This book deeply addresses the need for co-regulatory and relational touch point practices, shifting student-focused behavior management protocols to adult regulated brain and body states which are brain aligned, preventive, and relational discipline protocols. This new lens for discipline benefits all students by reaching for sustainable behavioral changes through brain state awareness rather than compliance and obedience.

Lori is an Assistant Professor in the College of Education at Butler University College of Education / Former special education teacher and school counselor and currently teaching applied educational neuroscience / brain and trauma to undergraduates and graduate candidates in the certification program. For the past six years, I have returned to the classroom co-teaching in multiple grade levels two mornings a week bringing these strategies and practices into the classroom preparing the brain to learn while dampening down our stress responses systems and attuning to the developing brain states of our children and youth. Author of several publications and writer for Edutopia.

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Cheryl Poe is the Director of Diversity Issues at the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint.

Cheryl Poe is the founder and owner of Advocating 4 Kids, Inc a Special Education Advocacy organization that provides resources, information, and workshops to parents and professionals with a special focus on addressing needs of Black and Brown children and those from lower-socio economic status. Cheryl is the mother two boys with learning disabilities ages 23 and 21.

We will also be joined by Maria Davis-Pierre of Autism in Black Inc.

Maria graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelors of Science in Sociology and went on to obtain a Masters of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. As a licensed mental health therapist, Maria primarily works with parents to provide support through education and advocacy training. Her passion for working in the field stems from her personal journey with ASD when her daughter received the diagnosis at a very early age.

In addition to therapy, Maria dons many other titles including coach, speaker, advocate, and author. Her first published work, a Self-Care Affirmation Journal, is currently available for purchase on Amazon. Maria’s unique approach to coaching and counseling exemplifies her drive and motivation toward greater acceptance and overcoming the barriers and personal struggles associated with raising a child on the spectrum. 

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Beyond alternative dispute resolution and due process complaints, litigation proceedings against school district officials can become an injunctive alternative when harmful restrictive forms of restraint and seclusion are used against students. Employing the tool of civil litigation, injured parties use discovery and the rule of law to uncover harmful policies and practices that might not be possible through other means. However, litigation is often a lengthy, difficult and costly process. In this streaming event by an expert witness in school safety, learn how litigation can become a path to eradicate harmful aversive practices in your school.

Ron Garrison, M.A., M.S., is a former public school teacher, school safety consultant and expert witness in civil litigation. As an expert witness, he has participated in eighty-five court proceedings; many involving special education students. Because Mr. Garrison is not an attorney, he cannot comment on individual cases but he can explain his courtroom experiences and assist participants with their understanding of civil litigation.

During Ron’s diverse professional career, he taught public high school, was director of student services for a school district, trained teachers and school administrators in safety, classroom supervision, conflict resolution and violence prevention in thirty-eight states and Canada, worked with the United States Departments of Justice and Education as a school safety advisor, trained police and school security, consulted with jail and prison medical staff in seven states, testified as an expert witness in eighty-five litigation matters, introduced teachers and school administrators to resilient-based student interventions, created a law academy and advocated restorative justice programs. 

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Professor Andrew McDonnell’s new practitioner guide really is a reflective journey. A strong theme throughout all of the chapters is that we must look at our own behaviour first in order to manage highly stressful situations. We spoke to him about what to expect from the upcoming publication, and the meaning behind the book’s title.

Andrew McDonnell BSc., MSc., PhD. Consultant Clinical Psychologist to and Director of Studio III Clinical Services; Director, clinical consultant and Team Leader to Studio III Training; formerly Clinical Psychologist to Monyhull Hospital Birmingham. Andrew has particular interest in the design of community settings for people who challenge. He has extensive experience of working with service users with a learning disability and/or an ASD who self harm. 

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Mathew Portell has dedicated a decade and a half to education in his role as a teacher, instructional coach, teacher mentor, and school administrator. It is through the collaborative team approach and building positive relationships that Portell is leading his school into success. He is currently in his fifth year as principal of Fall-Hamilton Elementary, an internationally recognized innovative model school for trauma-informed practices in Metro Nashville Public Schools. The school’s work has been featured on National Public Radio, the local documentary Enough, PBS, and Edutopia, one of the world’s top educational practices website funded by the George Lucas Foundation which resulted in over 7,000,000 views. Principal Portell has had the honor of presenting Fall-Hamilton’s work to both the Tennessee State Legislative, Senate Education Committees, as well as the National Conference for State Legislators. He has also spoke to some the U.S. most influential educators who serve on the National Commission of Social Emotional and Academic
Development. In 2018, his work was featured in a monthly blog in Education Week tilted "Learning is Social and Emotional" where he documented the journey of sustaining a trauma-informed school. He is the founder of the Trauma Informed Educators Network Group on Facebook which has connected nearly 25,000 educators in over 100 different countries! In July 2019 he launched the first annual Trauma Informed Educators Network conference which was attended by 150 people from around the world! In September of 2019 he launched the Trauma Informed Educators Network Podcast. Through this podcast he is viewing educators and practitioners from around the globe in which they are sharing their own trauma-informed journeys.

Portell has presented at a variety of conferences internationally including Healthy Nashville Summit, Tennessee State Behavioral Conference, Conditions for Learning, LEAD Conference, National Music City SEL Conference, SCORE and many more. He was featured as the keynote speaker of the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents, New Teacher Academy, and multiple Leader in Me National Symposiums around the country. In January 2019, he was the keynote speaker at the Towards Trauma Informed Practices in Northampton, England and returned to England in October of 2019 as a featured speaker at the Hertfordshire Virtual School Conference. He provided a CAD Talk at the 2019 Tennessee Children's Advocacy day which inspired children advocates from around the state! He also recently served on an expert panel as a part of community event in Fort Worth, TX called Raising of Fort Worth, NOAH Resilience Screening, and various others. He has served as a facilitator of professional learning at David Lipscomb University, Murfreesboro City Schools, Coffee County Schools, Lawrence County Schools, Roane County Schools, Charvelvoix ISD in Michigan, Milton Hershey Public Schools in Pennsylvania amongst other organizations. He has participated in multiple webinars including Ukeru Systems, Trauma-Informed Positive Behavior Support, Love in a Big World, Tennessee Department of Children Services /Tennessee Commission Children and Youth, and Small Act Big Impact. The highlight of his speaking opportunities occurred in February 2020, where was a featured speaker at the National Education Foundation Association's Teacher Gala in Washington D.C. The gala is designed to honor and inspire the countries top educators. from each of the 50 states.

Mathew’s work extends past his educational experience. As a classroom teacher in 2008, he combined his passion for literacy and cycling and founded the double award winning national non-profit Ride for Reading. 

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Diane has a private practice outside of Chicago. Before that she had worked in schools and for private agencies for 30 years. She is a social worker with an interest and certification in behavior change.

https://www.dianegouldtherapy.com

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The ISBE acted fast after the investigation was published in an article titled Quiet Rooms, and emergency rules were put into place banning the use of isolated seclusion and prone-restraint.

Jonathan Carroll is serving his second term as the state representative for Illinois’ 57th House District. He decided to serve because the Representative cares about his community. Jonathan wants to ensure that his children see the better side of politics and learn to love the state as much as he does. In addition to his work as a state representative, Jonathan helps individuals with various cognitive challenges like ADHD meet personal, professional and educational goals. As a certified Special Education teacher, Jonathan has been helping individuals his whole career. The Representative is a lifelong resident of Illinois. Jonathan’s passions reflect the community: creating jobs, reducing Illinois’ massive property tax burden, ensuring great schools, sensible gun control, consolidating redundant layers of government and protecting a woman’s right to choose. Jonathan received a B.A. in Communications from DePaul University in Chicago and a M.A. in Learning Disabilities from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. Jonathan lives with his wife Katrina and two children in Northbrook, Illinois.

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Leslie Seid Margolis is a managing attorney at Disability Rights Maryland, Maryland’s protection and advocacy agency, where she has worked since 1985. In her practice at DRM, she handles individual special education cases and engages in special education policy work at the local, state and national levels, and she has extensive experience with systemic urban school reform litigation, having co-counseled the 28 year Baltimore City Vaughn G. case for many years. Ms. Margolis is a frequent presenter at local, state and national trainings and conferences, and has published technical assistance documents, manuals, and articles. She has been a member of several national boards, including TASH, the Epilepsy Foundation and COPAA, and currently sits on several Maryland-based boards. In 2014, Ms. Margolis was the co-recipient of COPAA’s Diane Lipton Award for Outstanding Advocacy. She received the Outstanding Advocate of the Year award from The Arc Maryland in 2017.

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Donna Shea, Founder of The Peter Pan Center for Social & Emotional Growth, is a social-emotional learning specialist. Since opening her center in 2002, she has worked to address the needs of families whose children are struggling with behavior and social challenges. Donna brings 33 years of life experience to her work as a parent of two sons with ADHD, Anxiety, and Sensory Integration Challenges.

Donna is a consultant to schools, parent groups, and human service agencies. She is also a seasoned public speaker and travels to bring workshops and seminars to groups and venues outside the local area. She has certifications in Cognitive Behavioral Coaching, Pathological Demand Avoidance, Positive Psychology, and Bullying Prevention. Donna is also the co-writer of the How to Make & Keep Friends book series.

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Over the past 30 years, Emma (with her husband and partner Norman Kunc) has travelled extensively throughout North America and abroad providing in-service and training in the areas of inclusive education, employment equity, conflict resolution, and other disability rights issues. Emma has recently published, Talk To Me: What Educators (and Others) Can Learn About De-Escalation From Hostage Negotiators.

Emma Van der Klift is a neurodivergent speaker, author and activist. Diagnosed as Autistic as an adult, she has embraced the diagnosis with a sense of relief, recognition and confirmation. Like many other autistic girls and women, she did not recognize her experience as represented in the common societal narratives. Emma believes that her experiences as a so-called “disruptive student” gives her a unique perspective on the issue. Emma holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Roads University and is certified as a mediator and negotiator through the Justice Institute in Vancouver.

Emma can be reached at www.broadreachtraining.com

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Sam Maloney is a 20 year photographer from Rochester, NY. Sam started his photography journey at 10 years old.

Sam is a restraint and seclusion survivor from the age of 5 to 14 years old.

Sam is continuing his photography education through his person centered plan through New York State.

Sam is also working to support autism acceptance. Autism on US Routes 11 and 20 is a a journey to inspire others to see the best in themselves.

Sam will be traveling the country to spread his campaign to change Autism Awareness to Autism Acceptance.

Learn more about Sam: https://endseclusion.org/2020/02/04/making-positive-change-through-negative-experiences/ 

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Support the show