Allie is a third year doctoral student in the Special Education program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research interests revolve around writing curriculum and instruction for youth with dis/Abilities experiencing the juvenile carceral system. Prior to her doctoral study, Allie taught middle and high school English language arts in a Pennsylvania public school district. As an educator and researcher, her experiences have led to her conviction that institutions must grow and change to provide all youth with a quality, liberatory, and accessible education.

Boran is a first-year PhD student in the Learning Science and Psychological Studies program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She is passionate in bringing the research together with practice in the k-12 mathematics classroom as a researcher, a teacher, and a teacher educator. Before this, she received her MSc from the University of Edinburgh.

Louis is beginning his Ph.D. studies at the University of Kansas this fall. He will work in the Instructional Design, Technology & Innovation specialization of the Special Education program. Before moving into academia, Louis served K-12 students with exceptionalities in Michigan public schools. Louis’ research interests lie at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and special education. He hopes to help foster artificial intelligence to enhance and personalize student learning and better prepare K-12 educators to be the “human in the loop” in harnessing AI to address unique needs and challenges.

Emily is a third year doctorate student at the University of Texas at Austin in the Special Education program. She holds a Masters degree in Special Education and is a Certified Academic Language Therapist. Prior to joining the doctorate program, she was a Special Education teacher in public schools. Emily's research interest is teacher knowledge of reading. She is passionate about supporting students with reading disabilities through research and advocacy.

Dawn is a recent graduate from NC State University in the MEd Special Education program.  She currently works at Fusion Academy as a Special Education Lead, working 1:1 with students and teachers to provide individualized education to grades 6-12.  Dawn’s research interests include learning loss, specifically post COVID, and effective teaching strategies to improve student progress.

Kathyanne is K-12 practitioner and a recent doctoral graduate from the University of Houston earning an Ed.D in Professional Leadership-Special Populations. Her academic journey has been guided by a fervent commitment to addressing critical issues within education, including advocating for special populations, promoting racial equity, and championing social-emotional learning initiatives.

Katie is a second-year doctoral student in the Special Education Program at the University of Texas at Austin. She holds a Master’s of Science in Government Analytics from Johns Hopkins University. Most recently, she attended the Modern Meta-Analysis Research Institute. Katie is dedicated to prevention science, aiming to improve long-term student outcomes through mathematics and behavioral intervention research.

Kyle is a third-year Special Education doctoral candidate in the Department of Education at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research interests lie at the intersection of cognitive control, anxiety, and students with or at-risk for mathematics disabilities. He is also interested in special education policy related to teacher preparation. He previously received his M.S. in Special Education from the University of Kansas, and has worked as a special education teacher.

Megyn is a doctoral student in the department of Special Education at Mizzou. She has eight years of experience as a special educator, teaching students with significant academic and behavioral support needs. Megyn is an OSEP Scholar through a leadership grant, Leaders Investigating Math Evidence (LIME). Her current research interests are mathematics and behavioral interventions for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and low-instance disabilities.

Carolyn is originally from Chicago and received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Missouri. Currently, she is a doctoral student in the School Psychology Program with the College of Education and Human Development. She is interested in supporting K-12 teachers with their classroom and behavior management, as well as their stress and wellness.