My hope in preparing future special educators is that they will continue to provide inclusive learning and social experiences for students with disabilities in today’s schools.
Clinical Professor & Associate Department Head
I have a Masters and PhD in Special Education from UGA and I am now Clinical Professor and Department Head, designing, implementing, and evaluating quality teacher preparation in special education in a variety of instructional settings.
My career began as a classroom Special Educator in Clarke County at Cleveland Road Elementary School almost twenty years ago. My current focus is on effective teacher preparation through the use of high leverage practices in Special Education while employing innovative teaching methods in the higher education classroom. I instruct undergraduate and graduate courses on instructional methods for students with high incidence disabilities, collaboration among school professionals and families, positive behavior supports, and inclusive practices for the elementary setting in addition to providing clinical instruction and supervision to teacher candidates in the field.
I’ve lived in the Athens area for the past 18 years of my life with a brief stint in Rhode Island along the way. I appreciate the vibrant and eclectic community in the Athens area. The University of Georgia has been a seminal piece of my life in Athens and continues to provide me with incredible opportunities to broaden my thinking and learning. I love the food, art and music scene in our small city. My areas of expertise include collaboration and co-teaching, positive behavior supports, inclusive practices for students with disabilities and reading interventions. Recently, I have begun investigating instructional technology and teacher preparation. I focus on expanding opportunities for learning and social experiences for students with disabilities by guiding future special educators in effective and responsive practices.