Speaker BiosGeorge BatscheDirector of the Institute for School Reform, University of South FloridaDr. George Batsche is a Professor and Co-Director of the Institute for School Reform at the University of South Florida. He is Co-Director of the Florida Statewide Problem-Solving/Response to Intervention Project for the Florida Department of Education. In addition, Dr. Batsche co-directs the Student Support Services, Shared Services Network and Coordinated Student Health Projects for the Florida Department of Education.

In the past 15 years, Dr. Batsche has received more than $30 million dollars in grants from the U.S. Department of Education, Florida Department of Education and private foundations. The majority of his work has focused on systems of implementing academic and behavior interventions for at-risk students.

Dr. Batsche's experience includes work as a university professor and researcher, school psychologist, district-level administrator, building principal and consultant to school districts and state agencies regarding implementation of problem-solving/response to intervention. Dr. Batsche is a co-author of the book, Response to Intervention: Policy Considerations and Implementation (2005), "Response to Intervention: Competing Views" in the journal, Assessment for Effective Intervention (2006), and "Statewide Implementation of Problem-Solving/Response to Intervention: The Florida Initiative" in the book The Handbook of Response to Intervention: The Science and Practice of Assessment and Intervention (2007).

Jason BotelActing Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of EducationJason first began his service at the Department of Education in the role of Senior White House Advisor for Education. Jason started his career teaching at Booker T. Washington Middle School in West Baltimore as a Teach For America corps member and went on to serve as founding principal and executive director of KIPP Baltimore. Most recently, he was the executive director of MarylandCAN. Botel holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in education administration and supervision from National-Louis University. Botel is now the parent of two public school students in Washington, D.C..

Geoff BrowningLegislative Aide, Rep. Clark (MA-6)Geoff is a legislative assistant for Congresswoman Katherine Clark where he handles issues related to education, arts, and humanities issues. Previously, Geoff worked for Representative Barney Frank, Representative James McGovern, Representative Anna Eshoo, and Senator Edward Kennedy. Geoff is a lifelong musician and is currently the president of the Italian American Congressional Staff Association. Geoff has a BA in Political Science from Loyola College in Maryland.

Kathy CowanDirector of Communications, National Association of School PsychologistsKathy Cowan is NASP’s Director of Communications. Kathy is responsible for coordinating general communications, crisis communications, and media relations for NASP, as well as supporting the communications needs of NASP programs, advocacy, and marketing. Prior to joining NASP in 2000, she was Director of Communications and Community Outreach for Crossway Community, a nonprofit residential program for homeless women and their children.

Christina DukesFederal Liaison, National Center for Homeless Education

Christina Dukes is the Federal Liaison for the National Center for Homeless Education, a technical assistance center of the U.S. Department of Education that is housed in the SERVE center at the University of North Carolina—Greensboro (UNCG). She has been a part of SERVE since 2000. The first several years she concentrated on migrant education, and for the past 12 years she has been a part of SERVE’s National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE). From 2003 through 2013, Christina served as a program specialist for NCHE, working out of Florida. In 2014, Christina moved to Washington, DC, to begin working on behalf of NCHE as a federal liaison. SERVE is a part of UNCG’s Office of Research and Economic Development. The NCHE works at the national level to support state- and local-level educators, service providers, and other practitioners in improving educational access and success for children and youth experiencing homelessness. In the nation’s capital, she plays a role at the federal level on the topic of families, children and youth in homeless situations – and their intersection with K-16 education. She has recently been engaging more in national inter-agency collaboration for the prevention and ending of child, youth and family homelessness. In 2015, she received the Distinguished Service and Leadership Award from the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. Christina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Tulane University and a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies from Vanderbilt University.

Peter Faustino, Ph.D.New York Delegate, National Association of School PsychologistsGovernment and Professional Relations Committee, National Association of School PsychologistsDr. Peter Faustino has been working as a school psychologist for more than 20 years. He is currently on the Board of Directors, as NY Delegate, for the National Association of School Psychologists and a Past President of the NY Association of School Psychologists. Dr. Faustino recently accepted a position at Scarsdale High School. Prior to that he was the Special Education Coordinator in the Bedford Central School District. Most of his career has been spent working in Middle Schools, where he co-founded the Student Clubs for Autism Speaks. Student Clubs for Autism Speaks (SCAS) helps further the mission of Autism Speaks; through education, awareness, and friendship. Dr. Faustino also maintains a private practice with the Developmental Assessment and Intervention Center (DAIC) in Greenwich, CT & Bedford Hills, NY where he specializes in adolescent issues, anxiety disorders and autism. He presents frequently at national conferences, schools, and parent organizations.

Maria FergusonExecutive Director, Center on Education PolicyMaria Voles Ferguson is the Executive Director of the Center on Education Policy (CEP), a national center for public education that is independently housed at the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development in Washington, DC. Through its research and analysis, CEP helps citizens better understand the role of public education in a democracy and the programs and policies that impact public schools. Maria also writes the monthly Washington View column for Kappan magazine, the monthly magazine from Phi Delta Kappa International. Before coming to the CEP, Maria served as the Vice President for Policy at the Alliance for Excellent Education, a nonprofit policy and advocacy organization in Washington, DC. In that capacity, Ms. Ferguson directed and managed the organization’s policy agenda. Before joining the Alliance, Ms. Ferguson served as Director of the National School Boards Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works in conjunction with the National School Boards Association (NSBA) to strengthen and support school board leadership in local communities. Ms. Ferguson directed the Foundation’s operations, managed the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, directed fundraising, and served as a liaison with NSBA. Ms. Ferguson also served for three years as the Director of Field Operations for New American Schools. Before joining New American Schools, Ms. Ferguson was a political appointee for the Clinton administration at the U.S. Department of Education, serving as the Director of Communication and Outreach Services for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Ms. Ferguson began her career as a journalist, working for Cox Newspapers, the Associated Press, and U.S. News & World Report magazine.

Michael Feuer, Ph.D.Dean, GSEHD, George Washington University

Michael J. Feuer holds a Ph.D in Public Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, where he also earned the MA in Public Management from the Wharton School. He has studied public administration at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and political science at the Sorbonne (Paris). Dr. Feuer grew up in New York City, where he attended public school and graduated cum laude from Queens College (CUNY) with a major in English literature and journalism. Before serving as dean of GSEHD, Dr. Feuer served as the executive director of the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education in the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies, where he had also been the founding director of the Board on Testing and Assessment and the Center for Education. Before joining the NRC in 1993, Dr. Feuer was a senior analyst and project director at the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment.

Upon earning his doctorate, Feuer remained at UPenn, teaching graduate seminars in education and working at the Higher Education Finance Research Institute. He then joined the faculty of the business school at Drexel University, teaching courses in public policy and management and continuing his research on the economics of education, labor and human capital.

Feuer was the Burton and Inglis Lecturer at Harvard University in 2004, which was the basis for his 2006 book Moderating the Debate: Rationality and the Promise of American Education, published by Harvard Education Press. Feuer is a senior adviser to education projects in Israel, and has consulted on education in France and Germany. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Education, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a fellow of the American Educational Research Association.

Sandy FloresSchool Psychologist, Chicago Public SchoolsSandy D. Flores, M.Ed., is a bilingual school psychologist in the Chicago Public Schools. Additionally, she is a fifth year doctoral candidate in the School Psychology program at Loyola University Chicago. Her dissertation examined multicultural competence and colorblind racial attitudes among school psychologists. Ms. Flores’ broad research interests include supporting culturally and linguistically diverse learners, implicit bias, and disproportionality in exclusionary discipline. She was awarded Loyola’s 2016 Civic Engagement Award in recognition of her work with programs serving at-risk youth and her commitment to social justice.

Brian Gaunt, Ph.D.Inter-Project Coordinator, Florida MTSS Project and College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South FloridaDr. Gaunt currently serves as the Inter-Project Coordinator between the Florida Positive Behavior Interventions & Support Project and the Florida Problem-Solving and Response to Intervention Project. Dr. Gaunt has served in this capacity for the past 7 years facilitating and supporting alignment between the RtI and PBIS projects for a statewide integrated Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), and he has been supporting state and district level leaders in the implementation of MTSS. Dr. Gaunt’s background experiences and knowledge are multi-disciplinary across the fields of behavior analysis, curriculum & instruction, program evaluation and school psychology. He has provided several national presentations and workshops on a variety of topics related to implementing RtI and PBIS over the past 10 years. His past professional roles have included behavior specialist, early childhood consultant, academic interventionist, school psychologist, district RtI coach, and state RtI regional coordinator.

Richard Gray, J.D. Director of Community Organizing and Engagement, Annenberg Institute for School Reform, Brown UniversityRichard Gray is Director of the Community Organizing and Engagement/Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University (AISR). Richard oversees a division that provides strategic support on education organizing and engagement to community-based organizations and networks across the country and helps build strategic alliances and networks between those organizations and teachers unions, reform support organizations, civil rights organizations and research/policy institutes. Before AISR, Richard was Director of National Technical Assistance at

New York University’s Institute for Education and Social Policy (IESP), where he assisted community groups in New York City and other cities to develop strategies to improve local schools and to identify and advocate for effective and equitable education policies. Richard is also a Lecturer at Law at Columbia Law School, where he co-teaches a course introducing law students to innovative and non-traditional ways to use their legal training to understand methods to help reduce structural inequality and advance authentic collaboration between educational institutions and surrounding communities. Richard received his B.A. in History from Brown University and J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley.

Paul Gorski, Ph.D.Associate Professor of Integrative Studies, George Mason University (VA)Paul C. Gorski is an Associate Research Professor in the School of Integrative Studies (SIS) at George Mason University. He is an activist, author, and educator focusing on a wide range of social justice and human rights issues. His primary interests include poverty and economic justice, racial justice, queer justice, and animal rights. He is the founder of EdChange, has served two terms on the board of directors of the International Association for Intercultural Education. He has written more than 50 articles and written, co-written, or co-edited 10 books including Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty: Strategies for Erasing the Opportunity Gap; Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education (with Seema Pothini), and Voices for Diversity and Social Justice (with Julie Landsman and Rosanna Salcedo). At Mason, Paul coordinates SIS's Social Justice Minor and Social Justice and Human Rights concentration as well as a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies concentration in Social Justice and Human Rights. He has a Ph.D. in Educational Evaluation, M.Ed. in Social Foundations of Education, and B.A. in Sociology/Rhetoric and Communications, all from the University of Virginia.

Florencia GuiterrezSenior Associate, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Policy Reform and Advocacy- KIDS COUNTFlorencia Guiterrez has worked at the Annie E. Casey Foundation for the past 8 years. She is currently a Senior Associate for KIDS COUNT. She manages and maintains the KIDS COUNT Data Center, and manages the development of the KIDS COUNT Data Book and is integral in the development of related national KIDS COUNT products. Before joining the foundation Florencia spent seven years in Texas researching issues in the area of education, wealth, and the economy. Her interests in these areas led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Education and another in Public Policy which guided her work with the legislature and the Center for Public Policy Priorities, where she worked on KIDS COUNT at the state-level.

Angela Heishman, Ph.D., NCSPSchool Psychologist, Big Spring School District, Newville, PA and GWU Adjunct FacultyAngela Heishman, PhD is a Certified School Psychologist in Pennsylvania and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. She holds a Diplomate in School Neuropsychology from the American Board of School Neuropsychology. She is currently a school psychologist and Student Assistance Coordinator at the Big Spring School District in Newville, Pennsylvania and an Adjunct Professor at George Washington University. Prior to her employment as a school psychologist, she served as a mental health liaison, program consultant, and crisis responder for Student Assistance Teams across central PA. In her employment at Teenline at Holy Spirit Hospital, she was also a lead trainer on the SAP model as endorsed by the Commonwealth Approved Training System through the PA Department of Education’s Division of Safe and Drug Free schools. In addition to her experiences as an outpatient counselor and play therapist, she has also worked extensively with adults with disabilities. Dr. Heishman also has experience in teaching ESL at the college level and has facilitated support group for youth refugees relocated in the United States. She possesses Masters’ degrees in Counseling and Education (TESOL). She also has a post-master’s certificate in school psychology and a doctorate in special education at George Washington University with a concentration in applied neuroscience.

Anastasia (Stacy) Kalamaros Skalski, Ph.D.Director, Professional Policy and Practice, National Association of School Psychologists

Anastasia (Stacy) Skalski, Ph.D. is Director of Professional Policy and Practice for the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), where she works collaboratively with national policy makers, state leaders, educational and health professionals, and elected officials to advocate for expanding school-based mental health services for children and youth. Dr. Skalski has twenty five years of experience as a school psychologist practitioner, professor, school administrator, and advocate for children’s mental health. Prior to joining the NASP staff in 2005, Dr. Skalski served as Coordinator of Mental Health Services for the Douglas County School District (DCSD), Castle Rock, Colorado; as Assistant Research Professor in School Psychology and Initial Teacher Preparation at the University of Colorado at Denver; and as a school psychologist for the Douglas County and Cherry Creek School Districts. Over the last two decades, she has written numerous articles and delivered hundreds of professional presentations, trainings, and in-services across the USA on legal issues, advocacy, assessment, behavior planning, school violence prevention, crisis intervention, response to intervention, and professional issues in school mental health. Dr. Skalski received her BA in psychology from Hanover College in Indiana (1985), her MA in educational psychology from the University of Denver (1986), and her PhD in school psychology from the University of Denver (1991).

John Kelly, Ph.D.President, National Association of School PsychologistSchool Psychologist, Commack School District (NY)John Kelly, PhD, is a school psychologist in the Commack School District and an adjunct professor at St. John’s University in the school psychology program. He earned his PhD in Clinical and School Psychology from Hofstra University. Dr. Kelly has studied, published, and presented at numerous national and international conferences on topics that include mental and behavioral health services for children, advocacy training for school psychologists, leadership development, violence and bullying prevention, and suicide awareness. Dr. Kelly is on the Executive Board of the New York Association of School Psychologists (NYASP) and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). He is the president-elect (2016–2017) of NASP and will assume the role of president of NASP in July 2017. Dr. Kelly has received numerous state and national awards, including the NYS School Practitioner of the Year in 2001 and the NASP School Psychologist of the Year in 2003.

Allie KimmelEducation Policy Advisor, Senate HELP Committee, Minority StaffAllie Kimmel is a senior education policy advisor for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee under Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), where she handles K-12, early childhood education, workforce, and child welfare issues. Previously, she was a legislative assistant for Congressman Jared Polis (CO-02) in the U.S. House of Representatives, and a research assistant for education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. She received her BA from Harvard University, where she majored in government and completed the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program (UTEP).

Carol Kochhar-Bryant, Ph.D. Professor, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, The George Washington UniversityCarol Kochhar-Bryant, PhD, is Professor, former Senior Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, and former Chair of the Department of Special Education and Disability Studies. She holds a doctorate in Special Education from the George Washington University, and graduated magna cum laude in Psychology and Pre-Med from the University of Maryland. Dr. Kochhar-Bryant was born in the UK and grew up in Pennsylvania.

For more than 30 years Dr. Kochhar-Bryant has developed and directed advanced graduate and doctoral leadership preparation programs in special education and disability studies. In collaboration with former Associate Dean Robert Ianacone and Dr. Stacy Skalski of NASP, she has directed the Federal Education Policy Institute that has served GSEHD for the past 15 years.

Dr. Kochhar-Bryant has consulted and conducted evaluation with public school districts and state departments of education, U.S. Department of Education, National Association for Public Administration, and has collaborated in

international special education research with the World Bank, Asia Technical Division. She has served on standards boards such as the NEA Great Schools Indicators Project and the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Exceptional Learners Panel. She has assisted states to develop and evaluate their State Improvement Grants authorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, including the design and evaluation of the six Regional Resources Centers and Federal Resource Center of the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Kochhar-Bryant’s practical and policy experience working with students with disabilities and leading interagency collaboration efforts have formed the basis of several books, among them: Effective Collaboration for Educating the Whole Child (2010); Pathways to Successful Transition for Youth with Disabilities: A Developmental Process (2nd Ed,2008); Collaboration and System Coordination for Students with Special Needs: From Early Childhood to the Postsecondary Years (2007); and Aligning Transition and Standards-Based Education (2002). Dr. Kochhar-Bryant is past President of the Division on Career Development and Transition of the International Council for Exceptional Children.

Bruce LesleyPresident, First FocusMr. Lesley has more than 25 years of public policy experience at all levels of government and a demonstrated commitment to making children’s lives better. Lesley directs all aspects of policy development and internal operations at First Focus.

In 12 years on Capitol Hill, Lesley worked on health care, education, human services, and immigration issues in several different capacities. Prior to his work at First Focus, he served as Senior Health Policy Advisor on the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committees for U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman. He also worked for U.S. Senator Bob Graham on the Senate Finance Committee, served as minority Chief of Staff for the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and was a legislative aide in the offices of U.S. Representatives Ronald Coleman and Diana DeGette.

In addition to public service at the federal level, Lesley worked at the state and county levels of government on health and human services policy for Texas State Representative Mary Polk, El Paso County Judge Pat F. O’Rourke, and Texas Governor Ann Richards in the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations in Washington, D.C.

Lesley has also worked in the healthcare sector as the Director of Congressional Relations for the Children's Hospitals of America (also known as the National Association of Children’s Hospitals) and as Director of Government Relations for University Medical Center, a public hospital in El Paso, Texas. Lesley holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland University College, in College Park, Maryland. He also attended the University of Texas at El Paso and University of Texas at Austin.

Jenee LittrellAdministrator, Safe and Supportive Schools, Student Services Division, San Mateo County, Office of Education, CA.Jeneé Littrell is an Administrator for the Safe and Supportive School program in San Mateo County, CA. Before moving to the San Francisco Bay area, she served as an Assistant Principal at Grossmont Union High School District’s alternative school, Chaparral High School where she oversaw the mental health and social/emotional services for the entire district. Jeneé Litrell has long been a leader in addressing social justice issues in education and has most recently focused her attention on preventing and intervening in the Commercial and Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) in San Diego County. In February 2009, Ms. Littrell coordinated the first meeting of leaders in over 40 social service agencies, law enforcement agencies, County Superintendents and Board Members. This meeting set the stage for unprecedented cooperation in addressing the needs of children placed at high risk. This event launched the first interagency information-sharing and tracking program, the Global Oversight Analysis Linking Systems Profile. The Global Oversight Analysis Linking Systems (G.O.A.L.S.) Initiative which began a new era of cooperation among several school districts, law enforcement, probation, health & human services and mental health—all coming together to share information and ideas to help the students and families of East County San Diego.

In 2011, Jeneé was appointed by the County Board of Supervisors to serve as an Executive Member of the Human Trafficking/Commercial Sexual Exploitation Advisory Council. This multidisciplinary group is charged with identifying best practices in prevention, enforcement and protection of minors involved in domestic sex trafficking. Jeneé recently authored Human Trafficking in America’s Schools with the Department of Education. This guide will serve as a resource for schools across the nation to address and prevent CSEC on school campuses.

Monica MartinAdministrator, Montgomery Country Department of Health & Human ServicesMonica Martin is an Administrator with the Montgomery County, Maryland Department of Health & Human Services (MCHHS) where she has overseen various school and community-based contract and direct service programs providing behavioral health, social services, prevention, community outreach and education services to children and families for the last 10 years. She is the lead agency administrator for Linkages to Learning (LTL), a community school initiative with an integrated focus on health, social services, community engagement and development at 29 Montgomery County public schools with high rates of poverty. LTL operates via four local non-profit agencies and MCDHHS, providing 100 supplemental staff and over 200 local school-based partnerships designed to support student learning, strong families and healthy communities.

Mrs. Martin is an established bilingual/bicultural human services administrator, clinical supervisor, mental health clinician and social worker. Prior to joining Montgomery County Government in 2007, she was the Area Director for School and Community-Based Mental Health and Social Services at GUIDE Program, Inc., a mental health, juvenile justice, substance abuse, and social service agency that served the greater Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. She has prior experience in public, private non-profit, private practice, community, hospital, school and volunteer settings dedicated prevention/early intervention, child/adolescent mental health, family therapy, wraparound systems of care, sexual assault crisis care, cancer/hospice care, teen pregnancy, HIV, migrant education and child welfare. She has presented at the local, state and national level on topics such as: The Case for School-Based Case Management: Innovative Approaches to Reaching Unreachable Youth; School-Based Integrated Care for Youth; Creating and Sustaining Community School Partnerships; Trauma-Focused Assessments and Evidence-Based Treatments for Children Exposed to Violence; Bullying in Schools; Spread, Replication and Bringing Collaborative Initiatives to Scale; Opening Barriers in Working with Parents and Caregivers; Latino Mental Health Issues; Talking with Teens about Sex and Sexuality within the Clinical Relationship. She is committed to ensuring culturally-competent, family friendly and strength-based programming; family/consumer leadership, leveraging resources, and building community potential via agency-community partnerships.

Monifa McKnight2016 Campus Principal Ambassador Fellow, U.S. Department of Education Monifa is the 2016 Principal Ambassador Fellow for the US Department of Education and also the Director of Secondary School Leadership for Montgomery County Public Schools. She was recently the principal of Ridgeview Middle School in Gaithersburg, Maryland, serving 753 students grades 6-8. In one calendar year, McKnight was able to increase access and performance of alternative assessment and Latino students in Algebra I by 33%. She is an adjunct instructor at Hood College and McDaniel College, teaching graduate-level courses in diverse educational philosophy, human development, and race and equity in school leadership. McKnight spent a year serving as a principal intern at Tilden Middle School where she implemented the first Middle School Special Education Institute and built a partnership with High Incidence Accessible Technology to provide professional development for school staff. For four years prior she was the assistant principal at Parkland Magnet Middle School for Aerospace Technology in Rockville, Maryland. Early in her career McKnight taught as an English and Reading teacher at Parkland Middle School in Rockville, while also serving as the English Department Chair and a Staff Development teacher. McKnight began as a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Newsome Park Magnet Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia.

Sam Ortiz, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology, St. John’s University (NY)Dr. Ortiz is Professor of Psychology at St. John's University, New York. He earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from USC with postdoctoral training in bilingual school psychology at SDSU. He has served as VP for Professional Affairs (APA Division 16), Chair of APA's Committee on Psychological Tests and Assessment, and member of APA’s Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education and the Presidential Task Force on Educational Disparities. Dr. Ortiz publishes and conducts research on evaluation of English learners, cross-battery assessment, and learning disabilities. His books include “Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students: A practical guide,” and “Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment, 3rd Edition.”

Kari Oyen, Ph.D., NCSPAssistant Professor of School Psychology, University of South DakotaGovernment and Professional Relations Committee, National Association of School Psychologists Dr. Oyen has been a practicing school psychologist for the last ten years. She has recently accepted an Assistant Professor position at the University of South Dakota in the School Psychology program. Dr. Oyen is a state coordinator for the Multi-tiered System of Support project in the state of South Dakota. In addition, she is the President and the Chair of Government Professional Relations for the South Dakota Association of School Psychologists. In 2014, Dr. Oyen received the University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine Distinguished Service Award from the Center for Disabilities for her contributions to the field of disabilities. She also received the School Psychologist of the Year Award by the South Dakota Association of School Psychologists in 2015. Dr. Oyen is very actively involved in the National Association of School Psychologists. She is looked to as a national advocate for the role of rural school psychologist. Dr. Oyen has authored a chapter regarding a practitioner’s perspective of rural school psychology in the book, Introduction to School Psychology: Controversies and Current Practice with Dr. Matt Burns, which is an edited book published by Oxford University Press and anticipated to be published in the fall of 2017. In addition to being the central region representative for the Government Professional Relations committee, Dr. Oyen also sits on the taskforce for the shortages of school psychologists and has recently been asked to sit on the writing team for the 2020 revision of the NASP practice model.

Eric Rossen, Ph.D., NCSPDirector, Professional Development and Standards, National Association of School Psychologists Eric Rossen, Ph.D., received his doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Florida, and is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and licensed psychologist in the state of Maryland. He has experience working in public schools as well as independent practice, and is currently the Director of Professional Development and Standards for the National Association of School Psychologists. Dr. Rossen has published several manuscripts and presented nationally on issues related to bullying, crisis response, trauma, school psychological practices, and school safety. Dr. Rossen has recently edited Supporting and Educating Traumatized Students: A Guide for School Based Professionals (Oxford University Press) and has been interviewed by various media sources, including CNN, CBS Evening News, NPR, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and the Boston Globe. He also has served as a college instructor and adjunct faculty at the University of Missouri and Prince George's Community College in Maryland.

Alyssa SandersPartner Agencies CoordinatorAlyssa Sanders has been employed by EveryMind (formerly the Mental Health Association) for over 15 years. When she first started at MHA, she worked for the Mothers Offering Maternal Support (MOMS) Program, a mentoring program for pregnant and parenting teens. For the past eight years, she has been the Partner Agencies Administrator for the Linkages to Learning Program, a collaboration between the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Montgomery County Public Schools and local public and nonprofit organizations. This program provides integrated school-based mental health, social, educational support and health services to at-risk children and families in high poverty schools.

Alyssa is also a trainer instructor in Mental Health First Aid and is a licensed clinical social worker with interest areas including women’s issues, domestic violence issues and social welfare policy. In the past, she had a private practice where she focused on adolescent issues, self-esteem, eating disorders, self-injury, anxiety and depression. She was an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University’s Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Alyssa is also a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin where she received a Graduate degree on Government with a specialization in feminist theory.

David Shriberg, Ph.D.Professor of Education, Loyola University Chicago David Shriberg, Ph.D., is a Professor of Education at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Shriberg is a co-editor of School Psychology and Social Justice: Conceptual Foundations and Implications for Practice (Shriberg, Song, Miranda, & Radliff, 2013), a member and committee chair of NASP’s Social Justice Task Force, the founder and former co-chair of NASP’s social justice interest group, a Contributing Editor of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)’s Communiqué, and the Editor of Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation. His scholarly work focuses on topics related to social justice, consultation, and ways in which families, schools, and communities can collaborate to support the academic and social-emotional development of students.

Matt SternStaff, Chairman Alexander of the Senate HELP CommitteeMatt Stern is the lead k-12 education staffer for Chairman Lamar Alexander of the Senate HELP Committee. Prior to joining the Senate, Matt served as an Education Program Specialist in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Previously, Matt was a middle school teacher in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Jarred SolomonLegislative Assistant, Sen. Bob Casey (PA)Jared Solomon is a legislative assistant in the office of Senator Casey handling education policy on the HELP Committee as well as a portfolio of other issues. Prior to working for Senator Casey, Jared was the Vice President of Budget Policy for First Focus, a national kid’s policy organization, where he worked on issues in the federal budget and appropriations that affect children and families. Jared has previously worked for the DC Public Schools doing community affairs and government relations. He began his career as a high school history teacher in Baltimore, where he still spends a great deal of his time mentoring students.

Brittany Sovran Greiert, Ph.D., NCSPSchool Psychologist, Aurora Public Schools (CO)Government and Professional Relations Committee, National Association of School PsychologistsBrittany is a NASP GPR committee member for the Western region, a school psychologist for Aurora Public Schools in Aurora, Colorado, and an Adjunct Professor for the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver. Additionally, Brittany serves as the Legislative Chair for the Colorado Society of School Psychologists.

Brad ThomasSenior Education Policy Advisor, House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Majority Staff

Brad Thomas is a Senior Education Policy Advisor for Chairman Virginia Foxx with the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. He recently returned to the Committee to lead the K-12 education policy team. He previously worked with the Committee from 2004-2008, working on a variety of elementary and secondary, higher education, and disability policy issues. Prior to returning to the Hill, Brad was Senior Vice President for Government Relations for Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic. Brad graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Education from the University of Georgia.

Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach, Ph.D., NCSPDirector of Government Relations, National Association of School Psychologists

Kelly Vaillancourt, Ph.D. is the Director of Government Relations for the National Association of School Psychologists, where she works collaboratively with public policy makers, educational and health professionals, and elected officials to advocate for the importance and value of school psychology, school psychologists and school psychological services. She also represents NASP on a number of coalitions working to advocate for public policies and practices that support NASP’s mission. Prior to joining the NASP staff in 2011, Kelly spent seven years practicing as a school psychologist in Loudoun County Public Schools (VA). Dr. Strobach has developed, authored, and coauthored numerous articles and resources, including NASP's Framework for Safe and Successful Schools and has presented nationally on issues related to school safety, school mental health, effective discipline policies, and the relationship between education policy and school practices. Kelly earned her BA in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her MA and Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in School Psychology from Appalachian State University, and her PhD in Education Policy at George Mason University, where she is currently an adjunct professor in the College of Education and Human Development.

Nathaniel P. von der Embse, Ph.D., NCSPAssistant Professor of School Psychology, University of South Florida (FL)Co-Chair Government and Professional Relations Committee, National Association of School PsychologistsDr. Nathaniel P. von der Embse is an assistant professor of school psychology at the University of South Florida and co-chair of the Government and Professional Relations Workgroup of the National Association of School Psychologists. Dr. von der Embse examines the intersection of education policy and school mental health. His research is focused in three primary areas including: (1) an examination of teacher stress and student test anxiety surrounding high-stakes exams, (2) the creation and validation of internalizing behavior and socio-emotional wellness screening assessments, and (3) training of teachers and schools in population-based mental and behavioral health services. Dr. von der Embse has authored 33 peer-reviewed publications and has presented nationally and internationally on high-stakes testing and internalizing disorders. Dr. von der Embse has served as principal investigator, senior study personnel, co-principal investigator, and project evaluator on funded research from the Institute for Education Sciences, Scattergood Foundation, National Science Foundation, and the Society for the Study of School Psychology. He is on the editorial boards of School Psychology Review, Journal of School Psychology, and serves as an Associate Editor for School Psychology International.

Michael Yudin, J.D.Principal, Raben Group and Former Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, US Department of EducationMichael K. Yudin brings the expertise of a career spent advocating for equitable opportunities for educationally disadvantaged children and youth to his role as Principal at The Raben Group. Prior to joining the firm, Michael worked on behalf of the Obama Administration at the U.S. Department of Education for six years, serving the Secretary in a number of capacities, including Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.

In his capacity as Assistant Secretary, Michael led the Department’s efforts to effectively administer twenty-two federal disability grant programs, totaling approximately $15 billion, designed to improve the educational and employment outcomes of infants, toddlers, children, youth, and adults with disabilities. Working with the Secretary and other senior leaders across the Department of Education, Members of Congress, the White House, and other federal agencies, he helped guide the formulation, development, and implementation of policy designed to ensure equal opportunity and access to, and excellence in, education and employment for individuals with disabilities.

In particular, Michael worked to ensure students with disabilities were held to the highest standards and expectations, improve postsecondary education and employment opportunities, and address issues of racial and ethnic disparities in special education. He also helped the Department with implementation of the newly reauthorized ESEA. Michael

also took a leadership role in the Department’s efforts to Rethink Discipline, promoting alternatives to exclusionary discipline policies that disproportionately exclude students of color and students with disabilities from the classroom.

Additionally, Michael served on a number of interagency boards and committees, including as a member of the Early Childhood Interagency Policy Board, co-chair of the Federal Partners in Transition, and as chair of the U.S. Access Board. As Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, he oversaw a number of the Secretary’s critical priorities, including ESEA flexibility and initiatives to turn around low- performing schools and improve teacher and leader effectiveness.Prior to joining the Department, Michael served nine years as a U.S. Senate staffer, serving as the legislative director for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, senior counsel to Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, and HELP Committee counsel to Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont.

Working for senior members of the HELP Committee, Michael helped draft, negotiate, and pass various pieces of legislation, including the No Child Left Behind Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004, the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, and reauthorization of the Head Start Act.Before joining the Senate, Michael served as an attorney at the Social Security Administration and at the U.S. Department of Labor for nearly 10 years.

June Lucas ZillichSupervisor, Office of Student and Family Support and Engagement, Montgomery County Public Schools and MCPS Administrator, Linkages to LearningJune Lucas Zillich is the Supervisor of the Office of Student and Family Support and Engagement in the Montgomery County Public Schools. She is the lead administrator for the Linkages and Learning Program. She has more than 20 years of experience including serving as an ESOL teacher, bilingual teacher, bilingual testing coordinator and bilingual school psychologist. She has taught classes for Towson University in RTI and ELL. Ms. Zillich serves as an expert on Response to Intervention for her district and is on the Disproportionality Steering committee that addresses disproportionate data and action items that address Maryland’s Tiered Service Delivery Model. She has offered national trainings and workshops on a variety of topics including RTI, bilingual assessment, and programs monitoring.