Jennifer Baggett, MS, CCC-SLP
Jennifer Morgan Baggett is a Speech-Language Pathology clinical educator and instructor at The University of Alabama. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communicative Disorders and a Master’s of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Alabama. She began her career in the Tuscaloosa City School system in 2008 where she worked with elementary and middle school students. She transitioned to the University of Alabama Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic in 2014 to serve on an interdisciplinary diagnostic team and provide speech-language therapy to children with autism. In 2018, Ms. Baggett served as the interim Clinic Director of the UA ASD Clinic and began teaching for the Department of Communicative Disorders. In 2021, she transitioned into her current role as a clinical educator and instructor.
Angie Barber, PhD
Dr. Angela Barber is a Professor and Chair of the Samford Communication Science and Disorders Department. Her primary research focuses on improving accessibility to effective early identification and interventions for children with increased likelihood for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their families by building cooperative and sustainable solutions that promote health equity. As a licensed clinical Speech-Language Pathologist, she combines evidence-based practice into instructional settings and real world applications to bridge the research to service gap experienced in rural and underserved areas where accessibility to best practices is often fragmented. Her work also targets early parent-mediated social communication interventions on child and parent outcomes with an emphasis on minimally verbal children. Dr. Barber also studies the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in CSD Programs as it relates to preparing students to work with minimally verbal individuals. Dr. Barber chairs the Advancing Autism Services in Alabama Workgroup which brings together statewide leaders, caregivers, and stakeholders to examine and advance Part C Early Intervention ASD services.
David Barry
David Barry is currently the Director of Communications and External Affairs at United Ability and is responsible for all communication and marketing efforts at United Ability, including Gone for Good, United Ability’s secure document destruction program. David is also United Ability and Gone For Good’s brand manager and maintains their websites. David has over 20 years of experience in the professional and non-profit fields. He has worked for large companies such as Live Nation and Broadway Across America and ran the Public Relations department at the boutique digital marketing agency, Zeekee. David is the father of an adult son, Isaac, with Cerebral Palsy. Four years ago, David and three other fathers began the Birmingham Dads of Kids with Special Needs group that meets monthly to develop relationships, provide support and be a “safe place” for dads to be themselves.
Neeta Baughn
Neeta Baughn graduated from The University of Alabama in December 2000. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Child Development. She began her career in Alabama’s Early Intervention System in 2002 in her role as a Special Instructor at CSP of West Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Neeta and her family moved to Mobile in 2013 and she began working for AIDB at their Mobile Regional Center. She is currently still with the Mobile Regional Center in her role as a Service Coordinator/Developmental Specialist.
Sheila Bolling
Sheila Bolling is an Education Specialist with the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) Division of Instruction, Special Education Services. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Education Speech Communications Disorders and a Master’s Degree in Collaborative Special Education from Auburn University at Montgomery. She has worked as a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist for 25 years with ten years of experience in the field of assistive technology. She is the special education contact for Indicator 12 Early Intervention to Preschool Transition.
Amy Brakenhoff
Amy Brakenhoff works with the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education. She is a mentor coach who serves as the Conscious Discipline State Lead, serving children birth to eight years old, and the adults who support them. Amy also specializes in working with children with challenging behaviors. She is a member of the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education CONNECT Team. Seeing the best in others and supporting their strengths is Amy’s passion and expertise. Linking brain research with strategies that support executive function, while helping others understand the why behind it all is the goal of her work.
Brandi Brown, MS
Brandi obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Jacksonville State University in 2005 and her Master’s Degree in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University in 2017. She worked with the Alabama Department of Mental Health prior to joining Early Intervention as a Special Instructor with East Central Alabama UCP in 2008. In 2014 she began work with the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS). She has held various positions for ADRS, such as: District Early Intervention Coordinator, Early Intervention Monitor, Comprehensive System of Personnel Development/Statewide EI Training Coordinator, and she currently serves as the Rehabilitation Training Coordinator for ADRS.
Melody Brown, EdS
Melody Brown is a Psychometrist with an Educational Specialist degree from Jackson State University in Mississippi. Melody holds a Master’s Degree in Visual Disabilities from Florida State University with Orientation and Mobility (O&M) and Vision Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) concentrations. Melody has taught at UAB and received her Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) certification through their Vision Science Program. While working at the Helen Keller School for Alabama as the sole Orientation & Mobility specialist for 15 years, Melody also served as a mentor & state, national, and international board member of several professional organizations concerning sensory impairments. Melody currently works with AIDB in the Outreach Department.
Susan Bunyard, MS, CCC-SLP
Susan Bunyard is a Speech-Language Pathologist with more than 40 years of experience. She has worked in a variety of settings to include hospital (inpatient and outpatient), home health care, private practice, and public school system. She currently works for the Woolley Institute for Spoken-Language Education (WISE) as a preschool SLP, early interventionist, and with WISE School Outreach and Support (SOS). Susan has an undergraduate degree from Baylor University in Speech and Hearing Disorders and a Master’s Degree from Phillips University in Communication Disorders. She is licensed by the Alabama Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology, certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and holds a teaching certificate for PreK-12 from the Alabama State Department of Education. Susan invests in families and their children who are building communication skills and she wants to help families understand educational processes so that they can become an informed voice and confidently advocate for the highest level of success for their children.
Kameron Carden, MA, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVEd
Kameron Carden is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Listening and Spoken Language Certified Auditory-Verbal Educator who has been serving children from birth through preschool for over a decade. She has taught in oral preschool programs, served children and families through early intervention, and provided outreach services to deaf and hard of hearing students and their teachers in public school settings throughout the state of Alabama. Kameron is a third-year doctoral student at the University of Alabama in Early Childhood Special Education. Her research interests include narrative skill development and assessment practices in preschoolers who are deaf/hard of hearing.
Corinne Chapman, MSPT
Corinne is a Physical Therapist and has worked at Children’s of Alabama for the last 22 years. She specializes in children with neuromuscular challenges and coordinates the rhizotomy and intensive programs. She covers the serial casting clinic, neuromuscular clinic, and is an expert in orthotics.
Linda Check
Linda Check is a Special Education preschool teacher at Kate Shepard Elementary School in Mobile, Alabama. She received her Bachelor’s degree in K-6 Elementary Education and Special Education. She has volunteered at Dance Without Limits (a dance company inclusively for children and adults with varying special needs) for the past seven years and Camp SMILE (a residential summer camp for individuals with disabilities and their siblings) for the last 12 years. These experiences have had a profound impact on both her personal life and her philosophies of teaching. Linda is passionate about every aspect of inclusion and hopes to inspire her students to want to become life-long learners and kind, compassionate, and accepting human beings.
Sonia M. Cleckler, MS, CCC-SLP
For more than 20 years Sonia has served as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) in a variety of settings including public schools, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient, outpatient rehab, and hospital acute care prior to hiring on with Children’s Rehabilitation Service (CRS). Since 2013 she has served as Program Specialist for Speech-Language Pathology. Her responsibilities extend past speech-language pathology as she is responsible for coordinating and evaluating the CRS Cleft Palate Clinic, Craniofacial Clinic, and Craniofacial Orthodontia Clinic programs statewide, as well as serving as the CRS liaison to the Alabama Medicaid Agency. Sonia is the sole SLP external quality control reviewer for all Medicaid-funded augmentative communication devices, serves as the state office advocate for CRS Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, trains SLPs across the state in Medicaid report-writing requirements, and manages the CRS vendor/provider programs for durable medical equipment and non-physician (therapy) vendors. Sonia also has served as the elected Councilor for Speech-Language Pathology for the Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama since 2019.
Sandee Coker, OTD, OT/L
Dr. Sandee Coker has been working in Early Intervention in the state of Alabama for over 30 years. She currently serves as an Occupational Therapist with the Arc of Shelby County. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Alabama in Birmingham in 1981. She received her Post Professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in 2018.
Mary Collins, MS, CCC-SLP
Mary is a Speech-Language Pathologist currently with Jefferson County Schools. She has spent time in the medical setting, Early Intervention, and in the school system learning about feeding needs and goals across different environments, trying to understand the ‘why’ and the ‘what next’.
Devin Darwin, PT, DPT
Devin Darwin graduated from Samford University College of Health Sciences in 2019. Directly following graduation she worked as an Early Intervention Physical Therapist for AIDB. She then transitioned to an outpatient setting with Easterseals Pediatric Therapy serving children ages birth-21.
Denise Dasinger, EdS
Denise Dasinger has been in the field of special education for 29 years in various capacities in the states of Georgia and Alabama. She received degrees in Special Education and Educational Administration from Jacksonville State University and Lincoln Memorial University. In 2001, she was invited to participate with special educators from around the world at Oxford University at a round table to discuss the changing roles in the field of special education. In 2020, she became a member of the PreK-3 Leadership Academy for the state of Alabama. Since 2006, she has been an administrator and teacher in the field of preschool education. Recently, with great success for both students and families, she managed the development of preschool ABA classrooms in her district. Mrs. Dasinger also coordinates the district’s 11 First Class preschool classrooms. When she is not working, she is traveling and spending time with friends and family.
Mary Laura Day, MS, OTR/L, NTMTC
Mary Laura Day has been working at The Bell Center for over 13 years. She has also worked as a Kindermusik educator for 11 years and is a certified Neonatal Touch & Massage Therapist. She has been trained in both the Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding and Beckman Oral Motor. Mary Laura graduated from Auburn University in 2003 with a degree in Public Relations and received a Master’s Degree at UAB in Occupational Therapy in 2008. Her vision to encourage, support and help others align with The Bell Center’s mission to help children reach their full potential.
Rebecca Duke, PhD, BCCS
Dr. Rebecca Duke has 17 years experience working in education. She has worked in a variety learning environments serving as a teacher in the preschool, elementary, and college classroom; museum administrator and educator; director of an adult continuing education program; and inclusion consultant. She is currently the incoming head of school at the Montessori School of Huntsville. Dr. Duke is also a board certified cognitive specialist and is committed to supporting inclusive environments to accommodate all learners.
Stephanie Eger
Over the last twenty years, Stephanie Eger has been able to utilize her education and experiences in early childhood and elementary education as a team member of Childcare Enhancement With A Purpose (CCEP) of United Cerebral Palsy of Huntsville and TN Valley. CCEP, a grant program funded through Alabama DHR, offers free on-site training, consultation and technical assistance for childcare providers and parents on providing inclusive environments for children with special needs. Her passion is to help teachers be successful in their classrooms by making small modifications to ensure success for all. Prior experience includes over seven years as a Pre-K and third grade teacher.
Ashley Evans, MD
Dr. Evans works as a Pediatrician at Cahaba Medical Care in Centerville, AL. She recently retired from the College of Community Health Sciences at the University of Alabama where she was on the pediatric faculty. During her time at the University of Alabama she worked as Medical Director for the UMC High Risk Clinic and Medial Director for the UA Autism Diagnostic clinic. Currently, Dr. Evans is the Medical Director for the Tuscaloosa Children’s Rehabilitation Autism Diagnostic Clinic pilot site.
Megan Fedewa, M.A.
Megan Fedewa is a doctoral student at The University of Alabama in the department of Special Education and Multiple Abilities. Megan holds a Master’s Degree in Collaborative Special Education from The University of Alabama and a Bachelor in Fine Arts from Reinhardt University. She is a Special Education teacher in her third year of the PhD program, specializing in autism research. Megan serves as the Special Education teacher in the Play Pals classroom. Her research interests focus on supporting social skills, specifically play skills development, in children with autism. Megan has an interest in the use of Naturalistic Development Behavior Interventions and including typically developing peers in interventions to increase play skills and social/communication development. The goal of her research is to implement evidence-based interventions that support teachers’ and children’s success in inclusive environments.
David Finn, EdD
Dr. Finn has been affiliated with Alabama’s Early Intervention/Preschool effort since 1986. He holds a doctorate in Special Education with a concentration in Orthopedic and Health Impairment. Recently retired from Samford University, he is a frequent local, state and international speaker on a variety of topics including autism, school violence, educational neuroscience, dyslexia and related challenges, and the impact of COVID.
Stephanie Frucci Bear, EdS, MS, CCC-SLP
Stephanie is with the Alabama State Department of Education (SDE) in Special Education Services focusing on preschool special education, speech-language impairment, English Learners with special needs, and technical assistance. Prior to joining SDE eight years ago, she served primarily as a preschool speech-language pathologist in the Elmore County Schools for thirteen years, and before that worked with students of all ages in the Marietta, Georgia school system.
Andi Gillen
Andi Gillen is the Director of the RISE Center (a nationally recognized early childhood education program that is dedicated to excellence in service, research, and teaching) located at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The RISE model is a unique inclusive environment that blends best practice in early childhood education and early childhood special education while integrating therapy into daily activities. Andi has been the director of RISE for over seven years and previously was a lead teacher and director at The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs, in Birmingham Alabama.
Kristie Hamby, IMH-E
Kristie Hamby provides and oversees the disability services for Community Action Partnership of North Alabama in the Children Services department. She has a BS-Psychology/Social Psychology, AS- Social Work, and AS- Mental Health. Kristie has over 25 years’ experience providing services to children and families who are in crisis as Director of a domestic violence shelter, facilitator of children’s abuse group meetings, Court Referral Officer, a DHR contracted child/family case manager and manager of group home for hard to place children. Her training includes preschool inclusion, early intervention and inclusion, autism, LEA special education requirements, and behavior management. She is an Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) trainer, has a certificate in Special Education Advocacy from PELE Institute at William and Mary Law School, and has an Infant Mental Health Family Associate Endorsement from First5 Alabama (Alliance for the advancement of Infant Mental Health).
Kendall Hampton
Kendall Hampton is a Developmental Specialist for United Cerebral Palsy of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley’s Building Blocks Early Intervention program. Kendall earned a BS from the College of Human Environmental Sciences at The University of Alabama in 2003 with a major in Human Development and Family Studies and a concentration in Child Life. She worked with hospitalized children and families as a Certified Child Life Specialist prior to taking some time off to be a stay-at-home mother. She returned to work as an Early Intervention Developmental Specialist for UCP and has been providing parent education and special instruction services to families in Madison County since 2014. She also serves as an Autism Mentor for the Alabama Early Intervention System, training fellow EI providers in Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions that caregivers can implement during their everyday routines with their child who is showing characteristics of ASD.
Amber Hauberg, MS
Amber is an Inclusion Consultant and Project Coordinator for the Childcare Enhancement With a Purpose program at United Cerebral Palsy of Huntsville. She holds an undergraduate degree in Education with a concentration in Child Professional Services and Special Education from Texas A&M University and a Master’s from Capella University. Amber previously worked as Registered Behavior Therapist in an ABA clinic, as well as an instructor at a therapeutic horseback riding facility in Texas for children with special needs. She is passionate about inclusion for all.
Angela Hayes, LPC, NCC, ECMH-E
Angela graduated with a MS from the University of South Alabama. She is registered as a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Nationally Certified Counselor. She has worked as a clinician in Mobile for the past 7+ years varying from outpatient clinics serving all ages, then narrowing to the child/adolescent field. She has also worked as a school-based therapist for an elementary and middle school. Currently, she is an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (IECMHC) serving state funded First Class Pre-K Classrooms to build the social emotional capacity of the adults in a child’s life.
Kimberly Hile, PhD
Kimberly Hile is an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) where she coordinates the Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special Education program. Kimberly has over 20 years of experience supporting young children, with and without disabilities, as well as their families in a variety of capacities including early care and education teacher, Part C early intervention service coordinator, and Part C developmental therapist. Her work focuses on personnel preparation, implementing family-centered practices to support effective collaborations between families caring for young children with disabilities and early childhood special education professionals, and the inclusion of young children with disabilities.
Jamie Hill, LPC, NCC, ECMH-E
Jamie Hill is an Alabama native and licensed professional counselor specializing in child mental health and child trauma. For almost 25 years, she has worked with children and adolescents in a variety of settings, including public schools, community mental health, child advocacy centers, and inpatient psychiatric care. Since January 2020, Jamie has worked as an Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant. In this role with the Alabama Department of Mental Health, Jamie provides consultation in First Class Pre-K settings and with a pilot project to provide consultation services in Early Intervention.
Tiffany Hill, MEd
Tiffany Hill provides practice based coach and individualized strategies as an Early Learning Coach for Community Action Partnership of North Alabama She has a M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from The University of West Alabama and B.S. in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Certification from the University of North Alabama. She has also received an Early Childhood Family Associate endorsement from First5 Alabama (Alliance for the advancement of Early Childhood Mental Health). She taught in a First Class Pre-K and Head Start classroom for 10 years prior to becoming an Early Learning Coach and was teacher of the year. She is the mother of two boys, both with ASD.
Jonathan Hornsby
Jonathan Hornsby and his wife Meredith live in Hoover, AL and are the parents of three beautiful children. Their youngest child, Caroline, was born at 31 weeks gestation and later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Jonathan is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also spent a number of years performing as a professional musician, most notably for TVT recording artists, Wayne. Jonathan is currently employed at Command Alkon as a Salesforce Administrator. He is very involved in his kids’ activities, including being an extremely proud “dance dad” and “percussion parent”. He is also the voice of the Hoover High School Marching Band for the 2022-2023 season.
Horace Jackson
Horace Jackson grew up in Mobile, AL and went on to receive his BS Degree in International Business from Auburn University in 2001. Horace began his career in the financial industry in the Birmingham area. He has been at Truist Bank for the past ten years. Horace and his wife, Olivia, had the opportunity to move back to the Mobile area in 2014 when Horace accepted a new position within the bank. Horace and Olivia have three children, Turner (13), Helena (11), and Allie (9) and they currently live in Fairhope, AL. Turner received Early Intervention for the first year of his life working on everything from rolling over to crawling. Turner later received another referral at the age of two and received speech therapy services. Horace is a Senior Vice President with the bank, and he currently manages the Business Banking Team for the State of AL and the panhandle of FL from his office in downtown Fairhope. He is an active member of both the Mobile and South Baldwin County Chambers of Commerce, and has served on the Board for the United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Mobile until he termed out in 2020. He was selected as the Chairman for the nomination committee in 2017, and has served on the Finance Committee for the past four years. The Jacksons are members of St Lawrence Catholic Church in Fairhope, AL.
Tristan Johnson
Tristan and his wife, Meghan, are parents of two daughters, Mary-Grace (4) and Delia (2). He is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at the University of South Alabama. Tristan is excited to share his thoughts on the integral role that fathers play in child development. As a parent of a child with Down Syndrome, Tristan looks forward to discussing the joys (and challenges) of raising a child with a disability. Tristan and his family are members of Little Flower Catholic Church in Mobile, Alabama.
Beth Jones, MSW, IECMH-E
Beth has a BSW from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and an MSW from the University of Alabama. She has over 15 years of social work experience, with a decade of that focusing on young children, including those who are medically fragile and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Beth was a member of the very first cohort of mental health consultants serving in childcare settings throughout the state of Alabama. In 2021 she became the first person in the state to be endorsed in both infant and early childhood categories. Beth is one of the four trainers in the state certified to offer the Erikson Institute’s “Facilitating Attuned Interactions” curriculum. In 2022, Beth was appointed as Director and Endorsement Coordinator for First 5 Alabama, the Alabama Association for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.
Lee Ann Jung, PhD (Keynote Presenter)
Lee Ann Jung, PhD, is CEO of Lead Inclusion, Clinical Professor at San Diego State University, and a consultant to schools worldwide. She provides support to schools in the areas of universal design for learning, inclusion, intervention, and mastery-based assessment and grading. Before beginning a career in higher education she worked in special education in the roles of teacher and administrator. She is a former full professor and director of International Partnerships in the University of Kentucky’s College of Education. Lee Ann leads the International Inclusive Leadership Program, a professional learning and graduate program for educators in international schools in partnership with San Diego State University.
Candice Keller, MPA
Candice Keller serves as the Assistant Division Director of the Child Care Services Division with the Alabama Department of Human Resources managing the Office of Child Care Subsidy and Office of Early Head Start Child Care Partnership. Ms. Keller has been an employee of DHR for 21 years working in Child Welfare and Child Care Services. She has a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbus State University and Bachelor’s of Arts in History and Political Science from Jacksonville State University.
LaWana Kennedy, LPC, BC-TMH, ECMH-E
LaWana is a Professional Counselor and Board Certified Tele-Mental Health Provider licensed in the State of Alabama. She is endorsed by First 5 Alabama as an Early Childhood Mental Health Family Specialist. LaWana received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Stillman College and a Master of Science degree in Counseling/Psychology from the University of West Alabama. She has over 20 years in the Mental/Behavioral Health Field, specifically working with children and families of children who have experienced trauma from neglect, sexual, and physical abuse. She also has experience working with adult substance use population in an outpatient setting. LaWana currently works as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant collaborating with early childhood professionals, programs, and families to improve their ability to prevent, identify and respond to mental health issues and improve children’s social emotional well-being and development. LaWana is one of the four trainers in the state certified to offer the Erikson Institute’s “Facilitating Attuned Interactions” curriculum.
Mandi Kessler, MA, LPC-S, ECMH-E
Mandi has a background in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has been working in the field for 20 years. She currently works for the Alabama Department of Mental Health as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant working in First Class Pre-K and a substance use disorders pilot. Mandi is married with two teenage daughters, two dogs and a cat and lives in Madison.
Jennifer Kilgo, EdD
Dr. Jennifer L. Kilgo is a University Professor and Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Jennifer’s focus at UAB is on interdisciplinary preparation of professionals representing multiple disciplines through Project TransTeam though federally funded grants. She has published widely in this area and has presented at a variety of conferences on the state and national levels. Jennifer has served in national leadership positions through the Division of Early Childhood (DEC). She has worked with children, families, and other community stakeholders throughout her career as an early interventionist, special educator, and professor at the University of Hawaii, Virginia Commonwealth University, and UAB.
Kayla Kinzer, MCD, CCC-SLP
Kayla Kinzer is a Speech-Language Pathologist at UCP Huntsville where she currently treats a variety of delays and disorders through their outpatient clinic. She graduated from Auburn University in 2010 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders. She then continued her education at Auburn to receive a graduate degree in Communication Disorders in 2012. Kayla has served many populations as an SLP, but primarily loves the Early Intervention and outpatient settings. She loves to work with children with articulation disorders, language disorders, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), auditory processing, and fluency disorders. She has been a member of ASHA and ABESPA since 2012. Outside of work, Kayla enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She is an active member in her community and church and enjoys reading, biking, and hiking.
Johnny Lee
Johnny Lee is the Director of Peace@Work, an agency dedicated to the prevention of violence in and through the workplace. He is also the President of ePanicButton, LLC which provides a desktop software duress alarm program and the Threat Assessment Dashboard, an incident/threat assessment case management. His previous experience includes his role as the Training Director for the UNC-Chapel Hill Injury Prevention Research Center’s PREVENT program, delivering a national violence prevention training program. He was previously also the Workplace Violence Specialist for the Office of State Personnel in Raleigh, North Carolina. His responsibilities included consulting state agencies on the development and revision of their workplace violence programs. Previously, as the Victim Services Coordinator for the Asheville Police Department he delivered assistance to victims from the crime scene.
Rachel Lunsford, MS, CCC-SLP
Rachel Lunsford received her Master’s Degree from the University of South Alabama in 1999 and began working in the Mobile County Public School System the same year. Her primary focus for the past 18 years has been with the preschool population. She is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in the state of Alabama and has her Certificate of Clinical Competence from ASHA. Rachel has been married for 25 years and has one son and two daughters.
Lori Lutz, PhD
Lori Lutz, Ph.D., is the Director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Research at the Clerc Center at Gallaudet University. Her work involves oversight and monitoring of federal reporting requirements, public input processes, performance and evaluation components of the Clerc Center’s strategic plan projects, and research management and collaboration activities. In more than 20 years in this field, Lori has conducted evaluations of training and products, program implementation processes and dissemination activities designed for educators and professionals who work with families of children who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Tracy Martin, MS, CCC-SLP
After receiving her Master of Science degree from the University of South Alabama, Tracy Martin has been a Speech-Language Pathologist for 22 years. She has spent the majority of her career working with the birth-five population in Early Intervention and in the public schools. She currently works with the Special Education Preschool Department of the Mobile County Public School System. Tracy has been married for 25 years and has a son and two daughters.
Suzanne Mattox, EdS
Suzanne Mattox is the director of the Southeast Regional Early Acquisition of Language (REAL) Project. She was born deaf and attended mainstreamed schools. She graduated from Samford University with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education/Special Education/Elementary Education and Valdosta State University with a Master of Arts in Teaching in Deaf Education. She recently graduated from Gallaudet University with an Education Specialist degree in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers, and Families. She taught deaf and hard of hearing children from preschool to third grade for 13 years, as well as 3 years as a parent advisor, working with families at their homes. She recently conducted a study on hearing families’ perceptions and experiences of learning ASL through ASL Connect and REAL Programs. Her research interests are early language acquisition, bilingual education, and early literacy. She is a proud mother of two bilingual hearing children.
Caroline May, LMFT
Caroline supervises the Early Childhood Programs at East Alabama Mental Health Center in Opelika, AL where she and her team provide home visiting and in-center services for families with children ages 0-Kindergarten. EAMHC’s Early Childhood Programs is one of the only mental health centers in Alabama providing clinical and home visiting services for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers in an effort to reduce child abuse and neglect thanks to funding from ADCANP Children’s Trust Fund, United Way of Lee County, and other local contributions. EAMHC is also a site for Parents as Teachers in Lee and Russell County thanks to funding through Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education. Through EAMHC’s membership in First5 Alabama, Caroline was able to become a rostered provider of Child-Parent Psychotherapy, an evidenced-based trauma treatment for children ages 0-5 and their grown-ups. Caroline is a trained provider in Parents as Teachers, as well as FirstPlay for infant play therapy, Adlerian Play Therapy, and is in process of becoming a registered play therapist. Caroline is a vetted reflective supervisor for those seeking infant and early childhood mental health consultation endorsement and is in the process of endorsement as an infant mental health clinical mentor.
Morgan Mayfield, MA, CCC-SLP
Morgan received a Bachelor’s of Communication Disorders and Sciences from Baylor University and her Master’s in Communication Disorders and Sciences from Wichita State University. She has been a practicing Speech-Language Pathologist for 25 years working in both the school and clinical setting. Much of her experience in both schools and clinics has been with children with complex communication needs implementing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). She transitioned to a full time role as a consultant for PRC-Saltillo 4 years ago.
Kelsey McFadden
Kelsey McFadden is a lead teacher at the RISE Center located at The University of Alabama. RISE Center is a nationally recognized early childhood education program that is dedicated to excellence in service, research, and teaching. The RISE model is a unique inclusive environment that blends best practice in early childhood education and early childhood special education while integrating therapy into daily activities. Kelsey has a Masters of Arts in Early Childhood Special Education from The University of Alabama at Birmingham and has been a lead teacher in the Toddler classroom at RISE Center for 7 years.
Arturo Menefee, PhD (Keynote Presenter)
Dr. Arturo Menefee is the Director of Leadership Development for The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development. He has more than fifteen years of professional and academic experience in leadership, community, diversity, health, workforce, and economic development. As a successful community development practitioner, Dr. Menefee has led several teams of professionals that have provided leadership development, community engagement, resource development, organizational wellness and disability research services to the citizens of Alabama. Dr. Menefee is a board member of the Alabama Association of Community Development Corporations (AACDC) and the Greater Peace Community Development Corporation (GPCDC).While serving as President of GPCDC, he was instrumental in the development of the Youth Leadership Academy, the establishment of an entrepreneurship-training program to assist noncustodial fathers and led an initiative to construct 48 single-family homes in an economically distressed community in Opelika, AL. He is an award-winning author of two books, Engaged Leaders, Better Communities and The Effective Community Leader. Dr. Menefee received his Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Auburn University and he is a Global Fellow at the Manufacturing Diversity Institute (MDI) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dr. Menefee is committed and passionate about empowering people and building communities.
Mary Beth Moses, PT, MS, NTMTC
Mary Beth Moses is a Physical Therapist who has been practicing in pediatrics and early intervention for 32 years. She received her Master of Science Degree in Physical Therapy from The University of Alabama Birmingham and is a Specialist Certified in Pediatric Physical Therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists. She is certified in Neonatal Touch and Massage. She has worked in school systems, early intervention programs, outpatient physical therapy and gait analysis. She has worked with programs such as the ARC of Shelby County, Children’s Hospital, and is currently employed by The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs. Mary Beth worked as Adjunct Faculty at UAB teaching classes on walking, gait analysis and pediatric treatment from 1995-2003, and teaches as Adjunct Faculty at Samford University. She has participated in research projects related to identifying abnormal movement patterns in Very Low Birth Weight Infants, and Gait Analysis and Treatment of Children with Cerebral Palsy.
Sara Nance
Sara Nance is a lead teacher at the RISE Center located at The University of Alabama, a nationally recognized early childhood education program that is dedicated to excellence in service, research, and teaching. The RISE model is a unique inclusive environment that blends best practice in early childhood education and early childhood special education while integrating therapy into daily activities. Sara has a Masters of Arts in Early Childhood Special Education and has been a lead teacher in the Preschool classroom at RISE Center for 14 years. Before coming to the RISE program, Sara spent four years working as a Special Instructor for an Early Intervention program that provided home visits and small group instruction.
Susanne Napp, MEd
Susanne Napp is a preschool Special Education teacher at Griggs Elementary in Mobile, Alabama. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education from Auburn University and her Master’s degree in the same field from the University of South Alabama. Susanne has taught in a variety of special education settings over the past 20 years. She is passionate about Early Childhood Education and meeting the needs of each individual student. She desires for all of her students, regardless of their disability, to reach their full potential and become independent individuals.
Rebecca Osborne, MS, OTR/L, NTMTC
Rebecca graduated from The University of Alabama with her undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Studies in 2010. She went on the The University of Alabama at Birmingham to receive her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2013. Rebecca has worked in various settings over her nine years of practice including pediatric inpatient, home health, school system, and early intervention. Rebecca became Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapist Certified in 2022.
Deborah Owens (Keynote Presenter)
Deborah Martin Owens is a parent, teacher, trainer, and speaker. Currently she is the WeeCats Preschool teacher in Enterprise, Alabama. Ms. Owens has also served as a behavior consultant, developmental specialist, and teacher trainer for the Enterprise City School System. Deborah is a graduate of Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education. Her greatest accomplishment is being Mama to two children, one of whom received services from birth to 22 years of age due to an intraventricular hemorrhage at birth. Ms. Owens has attended the Early Intervention and Preschool Conference as far back as 1998, as a parent, teacher, and speaker.
Angela Parham, PT
Angela Parham, PT serves as a Physical Therapist for the RISE Center located at the University of Alabama, a nationally recognized early childhood education program that is dedicated to excellence in service, research, and teaching. The RISE model is a unique inclusive environment that blends best practice in early childhood education and early childhood special education while integrating therapy into daily activities. Angela has provided physical therapy services at the RISE Center for 16 years. Angela earned a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from the University of Alabama and went on to earn a Master of Science in Physical Therapy from University of Alabama at Birmingham. Angela began her clinical career serving clients from age 0 to 21 years and has continued with experience in outpatient treatment, Early Intervention services, and school-based physical therapy. Angela has had the opportunity to educate, promote independence, increase participation, facilitate motor development, improve strength, enhance learning opportunities, and promote health and wellness within a child’s natural environment including home, school, and community.
Monya Peppers, MS, CCC-SLP
Monya Peppers is a Speech-Language Pathologist with more than two decades of experience working with students to improve educational outcomes by building communication, academic, and social skills. She currently works for Woolley Institute for Spoken-Language Education (WISE) as a preschool SLP and an early interventionist with students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and seeking listening and spoken language outcomes. She also has experience in private and public school settings. Monya received an undergraduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Montevallo and a Master of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Alabama A&M University. She currently holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a state license from the Alabama Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and a teaching certificate in Speech-Language Impairment from the Alabama State Department of Education. Monya is passionate about building strong communication skills in all students, as an investment in our students’ futures, as well as in our community’s future.
Tabitha Perry, M.Ed.
Tabitha Perry obtained her Bachelor’s Degree of Social Work from the University of Montevallo. She began her working in Early Intervention in 2013 at as a Service Coordinator and Special Instructor at EIEIO in Prattville, AL. In 2015, she left became a District EI Coordinator in Birmingham and obtained her Master’s Degree of Education from American InterContinental University. In 2020, she began her work as an Early Intervention Program Monitor, a position that enables her to continue providing training and a support early interventionist across the state. Early Intervention is not just a profession, it’s ministry!
Anna Peters, M.Ed., NBCT
Anna Peters serves as Outreach Coordinator, as well as Provider for the Blind & Visually Impaired for AIDB. She is National Board Certified as an Exceptional Needs Specialist and is certified as a School Psychometrist. Anna holds a Bachelor of Science in both Psychology and Elementary Education from Faulkner University, and a Master of Science in Visual Disabilities from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has also earned certification as a Braille transcriptionist from the National Library of Congress. Prior to becoming an outreach provider, Anna taught at the Alabama School for the Blind. With 23 years of service at AIDB, she looks forward to continuing to meet and serve students across the state of Alabama.
Wendy Pittard
Wendy Pittard is a District Early Intervention Coordinator (DEIC) with AEIS in Huntsville. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and was a teacher for seven years in Tennessee and North Carolina prior to starting her career in Early Intervention in 2007. She was a service coordinator and special instructor for many years before transitioning to the role of DEIC. She has 14 years of experience in Early Intervention in the states of Alabama and Texas. She enjoys being a mentor and trainer to others in Early Intervention.
Melissa Pouncey, MS, CCC-SLP
Melissa Pouncey graduated in 2010 from The University of Alabama with her Master of Science in Communicative Disorders. Since the day after graduation, she has been joyfully serving children in natural environments, inclusive preschool, and the outpatient program with United Ability. In 2016 and 2018, she travelled to China to train caregivers in a foster center and several orphanages in low-tech AAC and feeding for children with multiple disabilities. Her specialties include serving in natural environments, family and caregiver training, Autism, AAC for children with multiple needs, and oral placement therapy for speech and feeding. LAMP has been a part of Melissa’s practice from the beginning, and she has been teaching in her community for many years. Melissa is state board certified and American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) certified.
Dallas Rabig, LPC, IMH-E
Dallas Rabig has been a Licensed Professional Counselor for over a decade. She holds a MA in Professional Counseling from Liberty University and is currently a PhD candidate in University of the Cumberlands Counselor Education and Supervision Program. Dallas has a wealth of information and experience with infant and early childhood mental health. She is endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Clinical Mentor and she serves as the State Coordinator of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health for the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education. Dallas is one of the four trainers in the state certified to offer the Erikson Institute’s “Facilitating Attuned Interactions” curriculum.
Audrey Rhoades
Audrey Rhoades has been a paraprofessional in a preschool inclusive classroom and has now been the lead teacher for two years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Tennessee at Martin. During completion of this degree, she completed a four month internship in an ABA clinic. Mrs. Rhoades also holds a degree in Collaborative Special Education from the University of West Alabama. Mrs. Rhoades is also Registered Behavior Technician and has continued her work in both the classroom and local ABA clinic.
Billy Ronilo, MS, PT
Billy has worked as pediatric Physical Therapist since 2002 providing services in Early Intervention, school, inpatient, and outpatient settings. He has worked at Children’s Rehabilitation Service (CRS) for 17 years as a staff therapist, district supervisor, PT/OT Program Specialist, and Clinical Program Specialist. In his current role as PT/OT and Clinical Program Specialist, he works with community partners to grow CRS multidisciplinary clinics across the state.
Tiffany Simon, MA
Tiffany Simon is an early childhood specialist from Birmingham, AL. Over the past 16 years, Tiffany has taught every age group from birth to 14 years of age and every ability from typically developing to severe and profound disabilities. During this time, Tiffany fell in love with the early childhood field and learning about how crucial early intervention was for early brain development. This piqued interest pushed her to obtain a Master’s Degree at the University of Arizona in Special Education. After a decade teaching, Tiffany left the classroom to broaden her knowledge on infant toddler development and took a job as a professional development facilitator for the state of Arizona, which gave her the opportunity to get fully certified in the Program for Infant Toddler Care. Now a resident of Madison, AL, Tiffany is currently working as an Early Intervention Development Specialist at UCP of Huntsville.
Johence Smith, MS, Eds, LPC, NCC, IMH-E
Johnece Smith is native and resident of Birmingham, Alabama. She works as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant with the Alabama Department of Mental Health. In this role, she develops and implements new programs for families. Smith also collaborates with caregivers to share social-emotional activities that promote positive mental health and relationships. Her long-term aspirations include building her skills and tools for families, children, and adults that support holistic counseling and healthier communities.
Lisa Steed, PT
Lisa Steed graduated from UAB with her Physical Therapy degree in 1980 and has treated in patients from the NICU to early adults in a variety of settings including acute care, outpatient, preschools and school systems. She currently works at Children’s of Alabama with a focus on neuromuscular, orthotics and motion analysis clinic. She covers specialty clinics such as neuromuscular, spasticity, and movement disorder at Children’s.
Holley Steele, PT, MS, NTMTC
Holley Steele has been a practicing pediatric Physical Therapist for 24 years, and this will mark her 17th year at The Bell Center for Early Intervention Services. Prior to joining the Bell Center staff, Holley’s professional experiences included time at Children’s Hospital, UAB, and the Shelby County School System. She has received specific training in multiple pediatric assessment and treatment tools, including the TIMP and AIMS assessment tools, as well as the General Movement Assessment. Holley has her Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapy Certification. She has participated in research including rhizotomy outcomes and constraint-induced therapy. She has a strong passion for teaming within the transdisciplinary model and loves working closely with the families of the children at The Bell Center. Holley received her MS in Physical Therapy from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, and she received her BA in Biology from Covenant College on Lookout Mountain, GA. She has been married to Danny for 28 years, and they have three children: DJ (22), Will (20), and Elizabeth (16).
Sarah Ellen S. Thompson, MS
Sarah-Ellen Thompson serves as the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services Coordinator for the Alabama Department of Mental Health. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Counseling Psychology from Lesley College and a Master of Science in Counseling and Human Development from Troy University. Sarah-Ellen is one of the four trainers in the state certified to offer the Erikson Institute’s “Facilitating Attuned Interactions” curriculum.
Debra Trapani, EdS
Debbie Trapani, the Director of National Programs and Outreach-Early Intervention at the Clerc Center and is currently, leading the Regional Early Acquisition of Language (REAL) Project in Collaboration with AIDB worked as a Parent-Child Educator, Teacher of students from Preschool through Secondary, Literacy Specialist and administrator of the Delaware School for the Deaf and Statewide Programs in Delaware before coming to the Clerc Center. Growing up deaf, Debbie was a student in several deaf education settings in California before graduating from a school for the Deaf. Debbie is the proud parent of two beautiful girls, one Deaf and one hearing.
Kristie Tullis, MA, BCBA, LBA
Kristie Tullis is a Board Certified and Licensed Behavior Analyst. Before becoming a Behavior Analyst with the Mobile County Public School System, Mrs. Tullis taught for nine years at both a nonprofit organization that provides services to individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, as well as in the public school system in a unit designed for students who exhibit challenging behaviors. She lives in Satsuma, Alabama with her husband and eight-year-old daughter. She enjoys the warm weather and spending time with friends and family.
Mary Beth Vick, MA
Mary Beth has worked in Early Intervention for over 25 years as a monitor, trainer, and supervisor, but recently retired to move back to her home town of Tuscaloosa. She continues to be involved with Alabama’s Part C Autism Initiatives.
Laci Watkins, PhD, LBA, BCBA
Dr. Laci Watkins is an assistant professor and coordinator of the autism graduate program in the Department of Special Education at the University of Alabama. She received her Ph.D. in Special Education with a concentration in autism and developmental disabilities from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Watkins is a former special education teacher who has worked with students with autism across settings and grade levels. Her primary research interests include developing focused intervention strategies to support peer social interaction between students with and without autism in inclusive classrooms and supporting practitioner implementation of evidence-based practices in authentic educational settings.
Jenna Weinrich, MS, CCC-SLP
Jenna Weinrich is a Speech-Language Pathologist at UCP Huntsville where she currently treats children ages birth-3 through the Building Blocks Early Intervention program. She graduated from The University of Alabama in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communicative Disorders. She received her Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from UA in 2017. Jenna has worked in Early Intervention, school, and outpatient settings, but particularly loves working with the birth-3 population. Her primary interests include early language, AAC, and treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech. She has been a member of ASHA and ABESPA since 2017. Outside of work, Jenna enjoys spending time with her husband and baby boy.
Melissa White, PT, MS
Melissa has worked as a Physical Therapist Alabama’s Early Intervention (EI) system for 28 years after graduating from UAB’s PT program. She has been with the Arc of Shelby County for the past four years. Melissa serves on state committees and task force groups within our EI system, and has been a state mentor for Developmental Specialists. She most enjoys being an EI PT, going into a family’s home, and helping them navigate their journey with their child.
Kathy Wilkins, MEd
Kathy is with the Alabama State Department of Education (SDE) in Special Education Services. She is the Regional Specialist for Region 6 and focuses on preschool special education, monitoring, and instructional support. Prior to joining SDE in June 2020, she served as a preschool special education teacher in the Elmore County School System for fifteen years, and before that she taught special education in Montgomery County for 10 years.
Jennifer Williams, MS, BCBA, LBA
Jennifer Williams is a Board Certified and Licensed Behavior Analyst with 16 years of experience working with individuals with Autism and other Intellectual Disabilities in a residential, educational, and home setting. Currently, Mrs. Williams serves as the Behavior Analyst Manager for Mobile County Public School System, training teachers and paraprofessionals to implement behavior analytic strategies in the classroom. Prior to working for Mobile County Public School System, Mrs. Williams worked as a Behavior Analyst, Coordinator of Behavioral Services, and Regional Director of the Mobile campus of The Learning Tree, Inc. Mrs. Williams lives in Mobile, Alabama with her husband and eleven-year-old son. She enjoys spending time at the beach and relaxing with family and friends.
Joy Winchester
Joy Winchester is the Director of the Office of Early Childhood Development and Professional Support with the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education. Her position involves supporting the Alabama Voluntary Pre-K classrooms statewide with challenging behaviors and coaching teachers through tough situations. Having spent twenty-four years in the field of early childhood education, Joy has served in every position from assistant teacher to director in all classrooms from birth to 5. She is currently supporting teachers with strategies in challenging behaviors, building a strong resilient classroom, dual language learner support and works with other state departments to advocate and promote the importance of high-quality early childhood education.
Candace Wood, MA
Candace Wood is an enthusiastic preschool teacher with over sixteen years of classroom teaching experience in the field of inclusive special education. She is from Alabama where she earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from The University of Alabama and a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education Collaboration from The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Candace is a certified Registered Behavior Technician. She utilizes these techniques in the classroom to guide behavioral practices. Candace’s passion is to inspire you with play-based activities, themed centers, and supports that nurture and challenge little learners in a caring classroom community.
Stephanie Wright, RN
Stephanie Wright, RN has a BS in Nursing from Tennessee Technological University. She currently serves as the Director of Family Services at United Cerebral Palsy in Huntsville, providing leadership for UCP’s outpatient therapy program, Children’s Therapy Services, and managing the HEARTS and Family Connections programs. With a passion for supporting and strengthening families, she has had over 20 years of experience coordinating prevention and support programs for families of children with disabilities.
Sheree York, PT, DPT, PCS
Sheree Chapman York, PT, DPT, PCS is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at UAB. She retired from Children’s of Alabama in 2019 with over 20 years as Director for the Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Department and Early Intervention Services. She received BS and MS degrees in Physical Therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and her DPT from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. She is an American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties pediatric clinical specialist. Dr. York has worked in pediatric physical therapy since 1979, including schools, preschools, clinics for a variety of diagnoses, and for the State Department of Education as a specialist in PT and OT services and preschool and early intervention programs. Her most recent clinical work includes Newborn Follow-up Clinic, early intervention, and neonatal intensive care units. In her Assistant Professor role, she is teaching courses in Pediatrics, Management and Professional Practice. She continues to work in the UAB Newborn Follow-up Clinic. Her research interests include outcomes for premature infants, effective interventions for children and adults with cerebral palsy, and constraint-induced therapy for both children and adults.
Presenter relevant financial and non-financial disclosures:
All presenter registration fees were waived by UCP Alabama.
The following presenters disclosed these relevant financial relationships:
Jennifer Baggett, MS, CCC-SLP: Presenter is a paid employee of The University of Alabama and will be mentioning her place of employment in her presentation.
Angie Barber, PhD: Presenter’s summer salary as a contracted researcher and presenter is paid through an AL Dept. of Rehabilitative Services/AL Early Intervention System grant.
Kameron Carden, MA, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVEd: Presenter is a paid employee of the Woolley Institute for Spoken Language Development at the University of Alabama and as such receives a tuition waiver and stipend from the university.
Stephanie Frucci Bear, EdS, MS, CCC-SLP: Presenter is a paid employee of Alabama State Department of Education, Special Education Services and will be mentioning her place of employment in her presentation.
Lee Ann Jung, PhD: Presenter is receiving an honorarium and travel support for this presentation from conference host UCP of AL.
Johnny Lee: Presenter is receiving an honorarium and travel support for this presentation from conference host UCP of AL.
Suzanne Mattox, EdS: Presenter is a paid employee of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind and will be mentioning her place of employment in her presentation.
Morgan Mayfield, MA, CCC-SLP: Presenter is a paid employee of PRC-Saltillo and will be mentioning her place of employment in her presentation.
Arturo Menefee, PhD: Presenter is receiving an honorarium for this presentation from conference host UCP of AL.
Deborah Owens: Presenter is receiving free hotel accommodations for this presentation from conference host UCP of AL.
Wendy Pittard: Presenter is an employee of the AL Department of Rehabilitation Services, Early Intervention Division and will be mentioning her place of employment in her presentation.
Debra Trapani, EdS: Presenter is an employee of Gallaudet University’s Clerc Center and will be mentioning her place of employment in her presentation.
The following presenters disclosed these relevant non-financial relationships:
Susan Bunyard, MS, CCC-SLP: Presenter is a non-compensated Founding Board Member of the Center for Advancement of NEXTGEN Deaf and a non-compensated member of the American Speech Language Hearing Association.
Kameron Carden, MA, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVEd: Presenter is a graduate student at the University of Alabama Department of Special Education and Multiple Abilities pursuing a doctoral degree in special education.
Sonia M. Cleckler, MS, CCC-SLP: Presenter is a non-compensated board member of the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and elected Councilor for SLP on the Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama (SHAA) Board. She is also the external quality control reviewer for all Medicaid funded ACDs.
Monya Peppers, MS, CCC-SLP: Presenter is a non-compensated member of the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama (SHAA).
All other presenters did not disclose any relevant financial or non-financial relationships.