Meet the Thought Leaders
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Amanda Byrd began her career as an Exceptional Children Teaching Assistant with Hickory Public Schools in Hickory, NC in 1996. Upon receiving her degree in Psychology and Sociology from Lenoir Rhyne University, she worked in the assisted living field for a couple years. Later, she returned to her first love which was working with children. Amanda obtained her teaching certification from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and received a Master’s in Executive Leadership at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC. She returned to Hickory Public Schools to continue her career as an Exceptional Children Teacher, Program Specialist and the Exceptional Children Director. Amanda remained in Hickory Public Schools for 13 years before joining the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as a consultant. She currently holds the position of Section Chief in the Exceptional Children Division, Special Programs and Data Section. She has had many great experiences in the field of education and looks forward to continuing to serve the students of North Carolina.
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Heather Calomese, currently the State Director of Special Education at the California Department of Education, joined the field of Education as a career-changer. Calomese’s early experiences as a graduate student and paraprofessional within the Special Education community had a profound impact on her decision to center students with disabilities as her life-long work. Calomese began her teaching career in Iowa before moving to Chicago to teach in the Chicago Public Schools as a Special Education teacher. Calomese’s pursuit of equity and excellence in education intensified when she transitioned from teaching to administrative roles.Calomese first worked at the Illinois State Board of Education in 2008 as a Corey H. monitor, working with schools that were facing sanctions and/or closure because of persistent Special Education issues. Calomese has also worked as a Special Education Administrator within the Chicago Public Schools and was also the founding Director of Specialized Instruction at Acero Charter Schools. In 2017, Calomese returned to the Illinois State Board of Education where she was the Executive Director of Special Education. In 2019, Calomese accepted the role of Executive Director of Programs. This role focused on the alignment of systems and supports for students receiving Early Childhood, Multilingual, and Special Education services. Calomese has earned a B.A. in English from the University of Iowa, and a M.A. in Special Education from the University of Iowa.
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Edward Fergus is Associate Professor of Urban Education and Policy at Temple University. Edward is a former high school teacher, program evaluator, and community school program director. Dr. Fergus’ current work is on the intersection of educational policy and outcomes with a specific focus on Black and Latino boys’ academic and social engagement outcomes, disproportionality in special education and suspensions, and school climate conditions. He has published more than three dozen articles, book chapters, evaluation reports, and five books including Skin Color and Identity Formation: Perceptions of Opportunity and Academic Orientation among Mexican and Puerto Rican Youth (Routledge Press, 2004), co-editor of Invisible No More: Disenfranchisement of Latino Men and Boys (Routledge Press, 2011), co-author of Schooling For Resilience: Improving Trajectory of Black and Latino boys (Harvard Education Press, 2014), author of Solving Disproportionality and Achieving Equity (Corwin Press, 2016), and co-editor of forthcoming book Boyhood and Masculinity Construction in the US (Routledge Press, forthcoming). Fergus has worked with over 75 school districts since 2004 on educational equity and school reform, specifically addressing disproportionality in special education and suspension. Fergus partners with state education departments such as California (2010-2017), Maryland (2016 – present), and Texas (2012 – present) and serves on various boards such as NY State Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (2010-present), appointed in 2011 to the Yonkers Public Schools Board of Education (2011-2013 and 2019-present), National Center on Learning Disabilities (2020-present), and is an expert consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division on Educational Opportunities (2014-2016) and NAACP Legal Defense Fund (2018). Dr. Fergus received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Education from Beloit College and a doctorate in Educational Policy and Social Foundations from the University of Michigan.
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Alexandria Harvey is a Program Associate II at WestEd where she supports the National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) in topics around equity, race, and disability. She provides a supportive role in the Race X Disability Thought Leaders Conversation Series for NCSI through the facilitation of conversations centered around the intersection of race and disability. She began her career in education as a varying exceptionalities teacher in Alachua County Public Schools. She then embarked on a journey to obtain her Ph.D. in Special Education, in which she is expected to graduate in the Fall of 2020. During her Ph.D. studies at the University of Florida, Alexandria was a graduate assistant for the CEEDAR Center, providing technical assistance for the states of Tennessee, New York, and Florida. She also facilitated a Topical Action Group for Culturally Relevant Education, which aligns closely with her research agenda of culturally relevant education.
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Debra Jennings, a nonprofit organization leader and equity advocate, is nationally known for organizing and supporting parent advocacy organizations committed to positively impacting general and special education issues. Serving as Executive Co-Director of Statewide Parent Advocacy Network of New Jersey (SPAN) for nearly twenty years, Debra has grown the impact and influence of the org, regionally nationally and internationally through agile leadership, innovative program expansion, collaborative partnerships and substantive grant acquisitions. Ms. Jennings is a founding member of the National Association for Family School and Community Engagement and has served on school boards and has served as an advisor for numerous state and national initiatives, including the National RTI Center, National Center for Systemic Improvement, Statewide Family Engagement Centers program, the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, and NJ’s ESSA Committee of Practitioners and Special Education Stakeholders’ Workgroup to name a few. With core commitments to cultural competency, inclusion and compassion, her efforts have ensured that the diverse voices of parents/families and communities are accurately represented in arenas where practices are discussed and policies made, impacting children and families, generationally. Accounting for her skilled-passion as influencer and advocate, Debra brings a diverse toolkit of professional expertise (commercial construction, economic development, finance, and legislative affairs); education (economics, non-profit management and urban studies) and personal experience as the mom of two adult daughters, one of whom received special education services and the other who participated in Title I Basic Skills. Both are college graduates. Debra Jennings is a native of Chicago and currently lives in New Jersey with her husband, a middle school administrator, and a continuous stream of young adult relatives and friends that she houses and mentors as they find their way into adult life and careers.
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Dr. Kathleen King Thorius is Associate Professor of Special Education and Urban Education Studies and Executive Director of the Great Lakes Equity Center and its Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center. Dr. Thorius is an internationally recognized expert in culturally responsive and sustaining education, special and inclusive education, equity considerations in multi-tiered systems of support, and race and disability equity-oriented professional development. Published extensively in practitioner and research outlets, including Harvard Educational Review, and the International Journal of Inclusive Education, Dr. Thorius was a school psychologist before earning her Ph.D. as a USDOE-funded doctoral fellow in an interdisciplinary program to prepare culturally responsive special education professors. During this time, she was a professional learning coordinator for the National Center for Culturally Responsive Education Systems and the National Center for Urban School Improvement—and co-directed the Equity Alliance at Arizona State University. Dr. Thorius presents nationally and internationally on race, language, and dis/ability equity, and multi-tiered systems of support including culturally responsive school-wide discipline approaches. Her expertise undergirds past and current work with myriad US urban, rural, and suburban school districts and state departments of education.
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David Lopez delivers technical assistance and expert consultation, develops research- and evidence-based tools and resources, and provides research and policy support to state education agencies, district leaders and school-based educators focused on creating culturally responsive and equitable systems. David is also an expert facilitator and trainer on issues related to diversity, racial equity, intersectionality (e.g., race and ability), disproportionality, and culturally responsive academic and behavioral supports. David is a co-author of the forthcoming book: When the Rubber Meets the Road: Training and Technical Assistance to Address Disproportionality Head On, under contract with Teachers College Press.
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Dr. Erica D. McCray is an Associate Professor of Special Education and Director of the School of Special Education, School Psychology, & Early Childhood Studies at the University of Florida. Currently, Dr. McCray is a Co-Director for the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center. She’s also a co-Principal Investigator on an NSF project aimed to broaden participation in engineering. Prior to becoming university faculty, Dr. McCray served as a special educator for students identified with behavioral and learning disabilities in Title I elementary and middle schools. She has been recognized on multiple levels for her teaching and research, which focus on the influence of diversity on educational practice and policy.
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Kent McIntosh, PhD, is the Philip H. Knight Chair of Special Education at the University of Oregon and Director of Educational and Community Supports, a research unit in the College of Education. His current research focuses on implementation and sustainability of school-based interventions, reducing racial discipline disparities, and integrated academic and behavior support. He is lead author of over 75 peer reviewed journal articles, presenter of over 50 keynote addresses, and principal or co-investigator of over $50 million in federal grant funding. He is Co-Director of the Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and lead of the Center’s Equity Workgroup, as well as a founding member of the PBIS-SCP Canada Network and a member of the Board of Directors of the Association for Positive Behavior Support. His awards received to date include Article of the Year from CEC’s Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders, the Distinguished Early Career Research Award from CEC’s Division of Research, and the Fund for Faculty Excellence Award from the University of Oregon. He has also worked as a school psychologist, teacher trainer, and teacher in both general and special education.
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Dr. Fatima Morrell holds a Master’s degree in Foreign and Second Language Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a doctorate degree in Educational Administration, Leadership, and Policy from University at Buffalo. Dr. Morrell studied Educational Leadership and school reform at Harvard University’s Principals’ Institute receiving a leadership development certification. Having studied abroad, Dr. Morrell focused on post-apartheid educational reform and national educational policies on HIV/AIDS where she conducted a comparative analysis of South African and American educational reform initiatives. Dr. Morrell is also certified as a New York State Education Department (NYSED) Outside Educational Expert allowing her to lead school improvement reviews at school and district levels. Dr. Morrell served as a Spanish and English teacher in Buffalo Public Schools and was an Assistant Principal at Emerson High School before becoming Elementary Principal of School #31 in 2002, where Dr. Morrell was granted permission by the Board of Education to rename as the Harriet Ross Tubman School in 2003. Under Dr. Morrell’s leadership, the Harriet Ross Tubman School was removed from New York State’s list of low performance schools during the 2007-2008 school year. Dr. Morrell and her team received recognition from the NY State Commissioner of Education for outstanding school turnaround. Dr. Morrell also received commendations from local district officials for significant improvement in test scores in reading and math, as well as a significantly decreased student suspension rate. Currently as an Associate Superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools, Dr. Morrell leads Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives and has led charge in training parents, community members, and over 3,500 teachers on the goals, strategies, and best practices in teaching and supporting students from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Morrell leads social justice curriculum initiatives and programs, including the infusion of the New York Times 1619 Project and the National Coalition of Black Lives Matter at School curriculums into the core curriculum. She led the charge in creating the Buffalo City School District’s newly released “Emancipation Curriculum”, providing laboratory curriculum for students, and culturally relevant pedagogical training for teachers. She serves on the State Education Department’s Advisory Panel for Culturally Responsive Sustaining Education. The NYSED has adopted the Buffalo Public Schools Culturally Responsive Teaching Principles developed under Dr. Morrell’s leadership, for implementation in all New York State schools.
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Tom Munk, Ph.D., has 37 years of experience in schools, districts, states, and research institutions with a focus on promoting equity for all students. He focuses now on the use of data to help schools, states, and districts promote equity in special education.
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Heath Peine has served as a teacher, instructional coach, building administrator, director of special education, and assistant superintendent. He has worked as a district leader in both rural and urban districts and is currently serving as the Executive Director of Student Support Services for Wichita Public Schools. Heath is dedicated to ensuring all students succeed and is experienced in the design and implementation of systems that support the success of students, teachers, and leaders. In addition to his work in public schools, Heath is an educational consultant, certified in Visible Learning+TM through Corwin. He also serves as an adjunct instructor for a local university, teaching graduate courses in the areas of instruction, assessment, and classroom management. He is the current President of the Kansas Association of Special Education Administrators and Chair of the Professional Development Committee of the Council of Administrators of Special Education
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Christine Pilgrim is an Associate Division Director in the Office of Special Education Programs’ Monitoring and State Improvement Planning Division. In her 12 year tenure at OSEP, she has had numerous roles. She served as an Education Program Specialist supporting implementation efforts of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) through her work as a program officer for a number of States, and led OSEP’s Data Implementation Team which oversees the analysis of States’ State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report submissions and the Determinations process. In addition, she facilitated the collaborative efforts between OSEP and other offices within the Department to ensure coordinated support to States as they engage in efforts to improve outcomes for all students.
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Dr. Seena M. Skelton brings over twenty-five years of experience and extensive training in principles of learning, teaching, and assessment, and broad professional experience working in the areas of inclusive education, school improvement and educational equity. She completed both her master’s in education and a doctorate in school psychology from the University of Cincinnati. As a Black woman born with a dis/ability, and with professional experiences as a former school psychologist, an educational consultant for a special education regional resource center, project lead for three state-wide special and general education reform initiatives for the Ohio Department of Education, co-director of professional learning and technical assistance at the Equity Alliance at Arizona State University, and director of two equity assistance centers – the region V Great Lakes Equity Center and the region III Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center at Indiana University, Dr. Skelton brings into her scholarship and praxis the intersectional experiences of her own K-12 educational history, and her experiences as a practitioner in education. These experiences enable a particular perspective and a personal awareness of the experiences of minoritized students and their families in public education. In her current position as director of operations at the Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center, Dr. Skelton directs, manages, and monitors equity-focused supports and services offered to state and local education agencies throughout the center’s thirteen-state region. Dr. Skelton has worked extensively with educators and families engaged in professional learning around such issues as disproportionality, culturally responsive practices, inclusive education, multi-tiered systems of support, home – school collaboration, early intervening, and positive behavior intervention supports. Dr. Skelton has given numerous invited keynotes presented at various regional, national, and international conferences, served as adjunct education faculty at the University of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky University, the College of Mount Saint Joseph, and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, and authored several publications.
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Dr. Zelphine Smith-Dixon lives in Conyers, Georgia with her husband, Marki Dixon, and children (Myles, Megan and Mason). She has completed various educational studies to include: K-12 education in Orangeburg Consolidated School District #3; Bachelor Degree in Special Education from Columbia College (Columbia, SC); Master of Education Degree in Elementary Education from South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, SC); Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University (Fort Lauderdale, FL) and Master of Arts in Christian Studies from Luther Rice College and Seminary (Lithonia, Georgia). Dr. Smith-Dixon has a longstanding history in improving achievement for schools in SC and GA. She received the following accolades: Tri-County Special Educator of the Year, Vance-Providence Elementary Teacher of the Year and Orangeburg Consolidated School District Three Alternate District Teacher of the Year. In April 2018, Columbia College presented her with the Wil Lou Gray Outstanding Educator Award. Later, she served as the Columbia College Commencement Speaker in May 2019. Dr. Smith-Dixon relocated to join the Georgia Department of Education and is the State Director for Special Education. She serves as President for the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. Zelphine has committed her life to public service, ministry and transformation for economically disadvantaged communities and homes.
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Saroja Warner, NBCT, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized expert in educator workforce initiatives and culturally responsive teaching, leading and school cultures. She currently serves as the Director for Talent Development and Diversity at WestEd. In this role she provides strategic leadership for WestEd’s technical assistance, research and policy work with state education agencies, district leaders and school-based educators focused on developing and retaining an effective, culturally responsive, and racially and linguistically diverse educator workforce and increasing educators’ and leaders’ use of policies and practices that promote successful and equitable learning outcomes for each student. Dr. Warner has also served as co-director of two Comprehensive Centers, federally funded education services centers, run by WestEd serving states in the mid-Atlantic and northeast regions of the U.S. Prior to joining the WestEd team she was the Director of Teacher Workforce Initiatives at the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). There she led several national initiatives including the Network for Transforming Educator Preparation (NTEP) and the Diverse and Learner-Ready Teachers Initiative (DLRT). Prior to that she served as the Chief for Educator Preparation Program Approval at the Maryland State Department of Education and as Senior Director for Performance, Measurement and Research at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). Dr. Warner started her career as a high school social studies teacher, earning national board certification in 2004 and renewing that certification in 2014. She also serves as faculty in the graduate teacher preparation program at the University of Maryland, College Park since 2008, teaching in the very program that prepared her to be a teacher and where she earned her doctorate, to support the development of tomorrow’s culturally responsive teachers.