Diana Saenz is a Special and Bilingual Education professional with over 20 years of experience at the campus, district, and regional levels. Before transitioning to special education, she was a bilingual dual language teacher. In addition to teaching, she worked with curriculum by adapting the general education writing curriculum for students with disabilities. She then pursued a Masters in Bilingual Education with a specialty in Leadership.

Dr. Sheera Hefter is a Certified School Psychologist and Licensed Psychologist in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, currently working in the Boston Public Schools (BPS). With a background as a former classroom teacher, Dr. Hefter specializes in systems work and the implementation of multi-tiered systems of support at the elementary and middle school levels, alongside the traditional responsibilities of intervention, assessment, and special education service delivery.

Roni Jackson is a math and learning specialist at Prince of Peace Christian School in Carrollton, TX. She has over 30 years of experience in education as an administrator, classroom teacher, intervention teacher, tutor, and coach. She earned her BS in Special Education from Baylor University and MS in Curriculum and Instruction also from Baylor University. Her interests are supporting the underdog, working with neurodivergent students and helping students develop a love of learning.

Robyn Magnussen is the District Administrator for Marietta City Schools' Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Her role affords her the opportunity for collaboration across multiple departments to ensure student needs are met. Robyn has over 35 years of experience in education including classroom teaching and student support and coaching. She earned her B.S. in Elementary Education and K-12 Reading Specialist from East Carolina University and her M.S.  and Ed.S. from Nova University.

Chundra Steele-Woods lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but is from Mississippi. Chundra holds a bachelor’s in English and Modern Foreign Language from Jackson State University and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Concordia University in Portland. She also received her Alternative Certification in Special Education from Southern University in Baton Rouge. She has been in education for 18 years and loved every minute. Chundra is a Certified Autism Specialist and the Autism Program Facilitator for her Baton Rouge, LA school district.

ara has been serving students with disabilities for 29 years providing special education program services to students ages 3 – 21. Primarily serving as a generalist in the resource room setting, Sara transitioned to IDEA program support and administrative management in 2014. After many years in traditional public schools Sara decided to move to the State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA) where she currently coordinates special education program services for over 80 public charter school campuses.

Dawn De Lorenzo has been a special education teacher for 22 years. Dawn has served as both an in-class support teacher and out-of-class replacement teacher. Dawn also teaches Gifted and Talented for fourth and fifth grades. Dawn has a M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction and her Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Management, and Policy from Seton Hall University. She teaches at Union Township Middle School in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, teaching out-of-class replacement math and language arts. Dawn is currently serving as a Teacher Leader in her district.

Erin Rupe has worked in the field of special education for the past 26 years serving in a variety of roles including teacher for the blind and visually impaired, early childhood special education teacher, inclusion specialist, mild to moderate disabilities teacher, and teacher mentor.  Erin has a particular interest in twice exceptionality, autism spectrum disorder, universal design within schools, and the intersectionalities of those with disabilities. She earned her B.S. in Child Development and Family Studies from the University of Texas-Austin and her M.A.

Maggie Hefner has over 25 years of experience teaching people with disabilities in a variety of settings and ages. She has been an instructional coach for teachers of students with disabilities for 8 years. Maggie graduated from University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in child psychology and a Master’s degree in Special Education. Maggie is Nationally Board Certified in Special Education and holds NC state certification in Special Education General Curriculum as well as Adapted Curriculum and English Language Arts for Middle School.

Dr. Vicki L Mingin began her special education career in Tampa, Florida, at the University of South Florida, where she had the unique experience of building playgrounds for students with disabilities as part of a Federal grant. After obtaining her master's and educational specialist degrees, Dr. Mingin began working with students with emotional disabilities at a residential treatment center. She returned to New York, where she taught 7th and 8th-grade students who were placed in a special education (self-contained) class in a public middle school.