PRESENTERS

A best selling author, inspiring speaker, and inclusion advocate, Dr. Julie Causton began her career as an educator and then 14 years as a tenured professor at Syracuse University. In 2012 she founded Inclusive Schooling, a premiere company solely devoted to delivering professional development which transforms schools and lives. She has spent the past 25 years nearly obsessed with discovering innovative practices and teaching others about inclusive education through her wildly engaging presentations.

Dr. Bettina L. Love is an award-winning author and the Athletic Association Endowed Professor at the University of Georgia. Her writing, research, teaching, and educational advocacy work meet at the intersection of education reform, anti-racism, carceral studies, abolition, and Black joy.

Elijah Armstrong is an epileptic who got his bachelors degree from Penn State in Education and Public Policy, and his Masters’ from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Education Policy and Management. He founded Equal Opportunities for Students in 2015, an organization meant to advance the rights of marginalized students in education. Elijah won AAPD’s Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award in 2021, and used the funding to partner with AAPD and The Coelho Center to start the Heumann-Armstrong Award, an award for students who have experienced and fought against ableism in education.

Otto Lana is an activist, entrepreneur, and Chief Inspiration Officer at Otto’s Mottos. He is also a high school senior and lives in San Diego. He is an award winning poet, an accomplished film maker, actor, lyricist, and has been lending his voice as a self-advocate championing the rights of those with communication challenges since 2018. He was a Youth Delegate for the Department of Rehab in 2021 and was awarded the Harry Servidio Memorial Leadership Award for his work in advocacy and inclusion. He was the recipient of the first inaugural Heumann-Armstrong Award for Excellence for overcoming ableism in academia. He is an entrepreneur, designing and selling letterboards and apparel, doing all this while taking honors classes at Fusion Academy. 

Sherrill Knezel is a  Listener, Graphic Recorder, Educator, Illustrator, Artist who creates a better world by using visuals to uplift and amplify generative, inclusive, and transformative work being done in community.

Dr. Joyce Carr has been a special education teacher, building and district administrator for over 30 years in the New York State public school system. She started her career in a self-contained secondary classroom and has witnessed firsthand the impact that inclusive education and opportunities can have for students with disabilities and their families. 

Jaylee Swanson is in her 4th year as the Director of Special Education at East Moline School District.. She has always been drawn to the field of special education and advocating for individuals with disabilities. Jaylee started off as a special education teacher at the middle school level, quickly transitioned into administration and is currently pursing a doctoral degree in education. 

Shelley Moore is a highly sought after teacher, researcher, consultant and storyteller and she has worked with school districts and community organizations throughout both Canada and the United States. Her research and work has been featured at national and international conferences and is constructed based on theory and effective practices of inclusion, special education, curriculum and teacher professional development.

Darlene Hanson is a Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist based in Southern California. She specializes in working with individuals who have complex communication needs and provide support for their team and families. Her professional experiences have included work in public schools, private practices, and as a Director of Communication Services for a Non-Profit. 

Elizabeth Vosseller has worked with individuals with complex communication and sensory-motor differences since 1995. Elizabeth developed a passion for clinical training through her work as a professor. In 2013 she began using Assistive Technology to educate and teach students the purposeful motor skills to Spell to Communicate (S2C).  Elizabeth enjoys teaching parents, educators, caregivers, and other professionals to support nonspeaking individuals through S2C.

Jackie Giammarco is the Curriculum Supervisor for Professional Learning & Special Content Areas at a large district in Pennsylvania. She has served as educator, inclusion facilitator and many other roles throughout her inclusive career.

The Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education, Inc. (MCIE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the success of all children and youth in their school communities. Our mission is to be the catalyst for the meaningful and successful inclusion of all students in their neighborhood schools. Tim Villegas is MCIE’s Director of Communications, leading MCIE communications through blogs, podcasts, social media, webinars, and product development. 

Alex T  is a rising Sophomore.  He is 16 and attends a public school in Virginia where he is fully included with accommodations in general education.  Alex is a nonspeaking, apraxic and autistic student who spells to communicate.  He and his family had to strongly advocate to have the support of a dedicated Communication Regulation Partner (CRP) and full inclusion.  In Aug 2022, Alex received the Arc of Virginia’s Catalyst for Change Award and has been included in Virginia’s I’m Determined Summit for the past three years and hopes to return next year as a Youth Leader.