Stephanie Coleman is the Coordinator of Inclusive Practices at SCOE and a part-time instructor at CSUS. With 25 years supporting students with disabilities, she leads statewide work on inclusive education, UDL, and equitable diploma access while preparing future educators to create supportive, belonging-centered learning environments.

Zach Smith is a highly experienced education professional with 20 years of expertise in various roles within the field. His focus lies in promoting equitable and inclusive teaching practices, leveraging universal design for learning (UDL), implementing multi-tiered support systems, fostering communities of practice, and leading school system transformations.

Smith works with educational partners at national, state, and local levels to institute high-quality inclusive practices in classrooms around the country. Smith has worked as a substitute teacher, paraprofessional, special education teacher, instructional specialist, school administrator, superintendent special assistant, educational consultant, and university professor.

With a strong foundation in improvement science and systems thinking, Smith strives to reimagine educational outcomes for all students, particularly those who face significant barriers to justice.

Education

• Doctor of education leadership (EdLD), Harvard Graduate School of Education

• MA in special education, California State University, Fresno

• BA in liberal studies, California State University, Fresno

Janine Marcoux is the UTK Coordinator for the 21CSLA State Center. She has over 15 years of experience as a teacher, instructional coach, and school leader in P-3 education.  Most recently, she served as Director of Early Childhood Education for a school district in Sacramento leading early learning contracts, grants, and TK expansion.  In addition to holding a M.Ed in Elementary Education, Janine received her M.A. in Educational Leadership and administrative credential from UC Berkeley’s Principal Leadership Institute. She is excited to join the UTK team and is deeply committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging to reimagine educational systems, foster accessible early childhood education, and support transformative change in our schools and communities.

Dr. Nicole Assisi is a multicultural and multilingual leader whose decades in education reflect an immense depth and breadth of experience. She has been a teacher, professor, principal, and superintendent. Her schools were named among the most innovative in the nation and received a CA Senate Commendation. As a business leader and entrepreneur, Dr. Assisi secured millions of dollars in philanthropic funding to support high quality, innovative education for thousands of students. San Diego Business Journal recognized her as a “40 under 40” leader and a finalist for CEO of the Year.

Courtney Ochi is an experienced educator and leader with a diverse background in the field of education. Over the last decade, Courtney has held many roles leading K-12 students and staff, including teacher, Dean of Students, and Principal. With a strong commitment to equity-driven initiatives and a passion for student success, Courtney has made significant contributions to the field through her leadership, instructional coaching, and implementation of innovative programs. Courtney is a doctoral student at the University of San Diego, where she is pursuing a PhD in Education for Social Justice. 

Spanning over three decades, Heather DiFede has dedicated her professional life to making a lasting difference for students with disabilities. Prior to joining the High Quality IEPs project as the Executive Director, Ms. DiFede served as a SELPA Director for over a decade, however, her influence reached far beyond a local role.

Ms. DiFede is a former Chair of the SELPA Administrators of California, and has served as co-chair of the CALPADS & Compliance Committee as well as the Forms Committee. Her work has consistently bridged the technical and the practical—balancing rigorous compliance with the compassion needed to ensure systems serve students effectively. She has also been a valued contributor on numerous state-level workgroups, including the IEP Expert Panel, lending her vision and expertise to help redefine what’s possible in special education.

Heather DiFede is more than a leader—she is a tireless advocate, a systems thinker, and a source of inspiration for those working to create inclusive, empowering educational environments where all students can thrive.

Jennifer Yales, Ed.D firmly believes that all students can learn–her passion for this belief, and a strong sense of responsibility, drive Dr. Yales in her advocacy for the development and implementation of structures and systems that facilitate learning for all students. She is a lifelong learner with over twenty years of experience as a Special Education professional. For sixteen years she worked in a large, urban school district in California, growing from a school psychologist before being promoted into an administrative leadership role within the district, ultimately advancing to the position of SELPA Director. Prior to going the HQIEP grant, Dr. Yales served as the Senior Director for the System Improvement Leads (SIL) project for five years.

Dr. Yales is certified as a Master Practitioner in Compassionate Systems and her doctoral work focused on parent perceptions of collaboration during the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. As a parent of a son with autism, Dr. Yales is committed both professionally and personally to providing equitable education for all students.

Dr. Nadif is a distinguished educator with over 22 years of experience. Holding two master's degrees in Special Education and Administrative Leadership, as well as a doctoral degree in Transformational and Organizational Leadership, Dr. Nadif has cultivated a comprehensive career.

Beginning as a general education teacher in the Netherlands, Dr. Nadif quickly found a calling in special education. This passion led to roles as a Special Education Teacher, Assistive Technology Specialist, School Administrator, and District Administrator. Currently, Dr. Nadif contributes expertise to the East County SELPA, championing the needs of students with special needs.

Dr. Nadif's educational background, spanning North Africa and the Netherlands, along with the experience of being a child of immigrant parents, provides a unique perspective that informs a dedicated advocacy for accessible special education for diverse families. Committed to promoting inclusion, Dr. Nadif tirelessly works to ensure that students with special needs have ample opportunities to thrive.

Aubrie Fulk is the Director of Student, Family, and District Support for the Tehama County Department of Education and Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). She is also a Licensed Educational Psychologist. Aubrie oversees the SELPA’s model school-based mental health program for students with disabilities. She supported the Alternative Dispute Resolution and Prevention processes and created a continuum of support for families and districts in Tehama County.

Aubrie is part of the Statewide System of Support as a member of the Special Education Resource Lead (SERL) in Alternative Dispute Resolution. The Pathways to Partnership consortium includes Tehama and Ventura County SELPA, Tehama County Department of Education, and Ventura County Office of Education. Pathways to Partnership has established and experienced leadership in designing model programs in Dispute Prevention and Resolution.

Aubrie graduated from the Straus Institute for Dispute Prevention, Pepperdine University, School of Law. She obtained her Master of Science in School Psychology and Administrative Services Credential from National University. She loves living in beautiful Northern California and enjoying all it has to offer. Her origin in education was as a school psychologist for preschool students and an early start intervention specialist for infants with disabilities.

Jen Taylor is an Education Programs Consultant in the Expanded Learning Division for the California Department of Education (CDE) in Sacramento, California. 

She currently provides support to expanded learning programs within Sacramento County and the nine surrounding counties. In addition to coaching programs through the lens of quality, Jen leads the System of Support for Expanded Learning project. The System of Support for Expanded Learning is a statewide network of County Offices of Education, statewide contractors, and the CDE that provide support to expanded learning programs across California. 

Luke Anderson is Executive Director of the Prevention Supports and Services Department at Placer County Office of Education. Within this role, Luke oversees the department’s programs, budget, and personnel. Luke serves as the Coordinator of the California PBIS Leadership Team, as a member of the Placer County Child Abuse Prevention Counsel, and as a member of Placer County SMART Policy—a multi-agency leadership team supporting local System of Care policy coordination. Prior to joining PCOE, Luke served as a special education teacher, behavior analyst, school psychologist, and PBIS trainer/coach for one of the largest school districts in California.  He has worked as a lecturer in the School Psychology and Special Education programs at CSU, Sacramento where he taught courses on academic and cognitive assessment.

Kevin Schaefer is currently the Director of, Supporting Innovative Practices (SIP) project through the El Dorado COE. In this role, Kevin works to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities through the provision of high-impact leadership to the CDE and LEAs throughout the state. Additionally, he provides organizational support by promoting continuous improvement processes and alignment of initiatives that focus on creating environments of belonging that honor the diversity of learners. His varied background as a special education teacher, administrator, and national/state technical assistance provider has led to expertise in systems change.

Dr. Carmen Hopkins brings a powerful blend of personal and professional experience to her role as Director of Supporting Innovative Practices from the Riverside County Office of Education. A former special education teacher, parent, and system-level leader, she believes inclusion and belonging is a moral imperative,something every student deserves without having to earn it.

With 22 years of service in education, Carmen is unwavering in her commitment to student outcomes, equity, and access. Her leadership has spanned roles including Director of Pupil Services and Special Education, School Administrator, and Instructional Coach. She excels at designing systems where all students thrive, grounded in high expectations and sustainable supports.

At SIP, Carmen collaborates with educators across California to dismantle barriers and build inclusive, future-ready systems. She leads with the belief that all students can succeed—and that we must approach this work with both urgency and unwavering conviction.

 Janelle Mercado brings a wealth of passion and experience to her role as the Assistant Director of Supporting Innovative Practices (SIP). Her work is grounded in disability justice and guided by the belief that all students deserve access to meaningful learning opportunities and thriving school communities.

 Janelle’s career began as a paraeducator and dually credentialed teacher, where she helped develop and sustain an inclusive co-teaching program that centered student strengths, collaborative planning, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). She later served as a SELPA Program Specialist and as a Program Specialist for both Supporting Innovative Practices (SIP) and the System Improvement Leads (SIL), providing coaching and facilitation to school, district, and county and SELPA teams focused on systems improvement and sustainable instructional change.

 As SIP Coordinator, Janelle played a key role in shaping SIP’s statewide technical assistance model, building internal structures, and mentoring staff. Known for leading with empathy, clarity, and integrity, Janelle brings expertise in UDL, co-teaching, social-emotional learning, behavior supports, curriculum & instruction and systems change and continuous improvement. Her approach blends data-informed decision-making with deep respect for the lived experiences of disabled students, their families, and educators. Janelle continues to foster collaboration across state, regional, and local partners to advance inclusion and equity for all students in California.

Stacey Wedin serves as Senior Advisor for the Teaching, Learning, & Leading Center at the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. In this role, Wedin serves as the main strategist for the agency around developing a statewide professional learning infrastructure focused on evidence-based accelerated learning strategies in literacy, mathematics, and language development. Wedin also works in partnership with educational leaders across state to design, implement, and evaluate statewide initiatives related to teaching and learning, including the California Mathematics and Literacy Networks.

Wedin brings extensive knowledge of California’s educational system and experience leading implementation of major statewide initiatives. Prior to joining the CCEE, Wedin served as the Administrator of the Equity Branch of the California Department of Education (CDE), supporting divisions and teams implementing programs to improve equitable outcomes for students across the state. Wedin has worked in educational policy and state level administration for nearly twenty years with direct experience assisting local educational agencies with implementing statewide school transformation, special education, and academic initiatives. This experience includes supporting local educational agencies to build an infrastructure of integrated supports in schools, including meaningful access to health and behavioral health services, leveraging resources available through the state system of support, and identifying strategies to deliver high quality instruction in inclusive settings.

Wedin also worked in CDE’s Special Education Division for ten years and served as the Administrator over the Statewide Policy and Implementation team, advising on complex statewide special education policy matters related to serving students with disabilities in California. Wedin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California at Davis and a Master of Arts degree in Social Work from California State University at Stanislaus. Trained in social work, Wedin brings a whole person.

Belinda is a Senior Specialist for CCEE’s Teaching, Learning, and Leading Center. She primarily works on the administration and project management of the Learning Acceleration System Grant and the evaluation projects associated with the grant. She also supports the center’s efforts to provide Direct Technical Assistance to districts across California.

Belinda also supports CCEE’s communication and data collection strategies to better measure the agency’s impact on California’s education systems, educators, and students.

Belinda comes to CCEE with a lifelong passion for education. Prior to joining CCEE, Belinda worked with students across all grade levels in California in various roles as an ELD assistant, tutor, and civic engagement intern. She has experience in program evaluation, data collection, and qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Belinda graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with degrees in English and Political Science. In June 2021, she received her Master of Public Policy with a focus on education policy from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Melanie Hertig received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Azusa Pacific University in California. She started her career working with young children with disabilities as an early intervention ABA home program provider in the San Gabriel Valley. This experience led her to a career as a School Psychologist where she provided district wide support for assessments in the area of autism as well as determining eligibility for preschool special education. Melanie has held positions as an elementary and preschool School Psychologist, Preschool Special Education Administrator and Special Education Director in Riverside County. After 10 years as the Executive Director-Special Education/SELPA supporting Irvine USD in Orange County, she is now the Co-Executive Director for the California Early Childhood Special Education Network (CalECSE) a California Department of Education funded technical assistance project.

Naomi Nock-Salgado serves as the Count Play Explore Program Coordinator at the Office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. In this role, Naomi collaborates with key partners to ensure the initiative’s statewide efforts reflect the strengths and meet the diverse needs of early childhood educators and young learners.

Naomi supports the initiative’s professional development opportunities for early care and education professionals and leads key projects, including Family Engagement efforts, the STEAMWORKS project, and CPE messaging strategies. She is dedicated to developing and promoting resources that foster playful, engaging, and meaningful explorations in math, science, and computer science for children.

Jon Dueck helps coordinate Count Play Explore as a part of the Fresno County Early Care & Education Team. Jon works with teachers and administrators to build programs that promote a worthwhile and optimistic view of math and science, and helps show families and the community that math and science are all around us. As a part of Count Play Explore, he leads professional learning experiences, coaches preschool and primary teachers, and supports community STEAM events. 

Jon has spoken at local, state-wide, and international conferences about building strong math and science understanding and deepening those concepts in daily lessons. He has worked in preschools, TK-12 schools and at the secondary level. Jon enjoys talking about numbers with young children.

Beverley serves as a project coordinator with the System Improvement Leads (SIL) project at the El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE). Our team partners with County Offices of Education (COEs), Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPAs) and Districts to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.

Drawing on a over a decade of experience as a Special Education Specialist, Program Specialist, and Program Coordinator in Bay Area school districts, Beverley works to build capacity through leadership coaching, continuous improvement cycles, and data-informed decision-making. With a strong belief in the power of collaboration, Beverley is committed to ensuring that all students, especially those historically underserved, have access to high-quality education and the supports they need to thrive.

Mindy Fattig serves as the Deputy Executive Director for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE).

While supporting CCEE Executive Director, Matt Navo, her primary role is leading and supporting the CCEE Center of Transformative Systems for Equitable Educational Outcomes and efforts to build capacity and improve accessibility within the CA Statewide System of Support.

Fattig brings decades of experience in education. Beginning as a paraprofessional for a student with significant needs which led to her love for teaching middle school as a general education and special education teacher. She has created co-teaching inclusive programs which received national and state-wide recognition and was an educational consultant and presenter nationwide on effective program design. Her leadership expertise includes being a site principal in Alternative Education, Director of special education for two county offices of education and SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area) Executive Director.

Fattig supported over 34 school districts in two counties as well as served on numerous statewide workgroups and advisory panels. Her expertise has led to redesigning mental health programs and services across agencies and focusing on increasing meaningful inclusive practices. She has held the role of Chair for the State SELPA Administrators Association of California, an adjunct Professor at Cal Poly Humboldt, was recognized as the Humboldt County Teacher of the Year and is a published author on differentiation and inclusive practices.

Wendy Little, PhD, serves as an Education Programs Consultant in the System of Support Office, Student Achievement and Support Division, at The California Department of Education.  She supports the CA Statewide System of Support in partnership with CCEE and SBE and works closely with the Geographic Lead Agencies and Equity Leads to support their statewide efforts. Wendy also collaborates with the County Office of Education Differentiated Assistance Teams in their improvement efforts.   Wendy has served in the field of education for over 20 years, teaching and leading students and families in preschool settings to college and career.  Wendy's background in Developmental Psychology has grounded her educational career in keeping human growth and development central to the learning process.

Anissa Sonnenburg is an Education Administrator with the California Department of Education’s (CDE) System of Support Office. Anissa was an elementary school teacher, 11 of those years with Natomas Unified School District. During her 12-year tenure in the classroom, she taught grades K, 4, 5, and 6, and believes that her relationships with her students were just as important as the curriculum she taught.

During her career at CDE, Anissa served in various leadership roles for different projects, including continuous quality improvement, the System of Support for Expanded Learning (SSEL), and now the larger California System of Support. In each of these roles, Anissa collaborates with other K-12 leaders to build more equitable systemic change through leadership, collaboration, and relationship building with school districts, county offices of education and community stakeholders.

Prior to CDE and teaching, Anissa worked as a budget analyst for the State of California for both the Department of Finance and Student Aid Commission, and for the City of Santa Fe Springs (where she started as a recreation leader) in Los Angeles County as an Administrative Aide working in social service programs. Anissa holds a Master in Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach, a BA in Political Science from San Diego State University, and her teaching and administrative credentials. Sacramento. Anissa is married, and the proud mother of two beautiful and energetic young men.

Leah Padilla is a Coordinator of Facilitated Improvement and Support for the Open Access project. In this position, her responsibilities include developing and implementing an integrated, coherent system of resources, interventions, and support in the areas of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Continuous Improvement. She previously was Program Specialist at Placer County SELPA, supporting districts, parents, teachers and students with a range of supports. Leah has over 20 years of experience supporting students in a variety of settings as a teacher, in both general and special education. She has expertise in the area of literacy and enjoys teaching prospective teachers in best practices for literacy instruction. Leah loves to develop learner agency and support the ability it gives our learners to be successful on their own terms.

Patricia Schetter is the coordinator for social-emotional-behavioral supports and services at the Placer County Office of Education, where she assists districts in implementing PBIS, school-based mental health and wellness initiatives, and multi-tiered systems of support for students with disabilities. She previously served as executive director of the California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN) at the University of California, Davis MIND Institute, which she co-founded in 2012. Under her leadership, CAPTAIN grew to over 450 members statewide and became a nationally recognized model for effective implementation of evidence-based practices in autism education. Schetter has worked in public education since 1999 in roles including special education teacher, program specialist, behavior analyst, and instructional coach. She holds a board certification in behavior analysis and a pupil personnel services (PPS) credential in school counseling. Schetter earned her MA in education from the University of California, Davis.

Dr. Laurie Balsano Wright is the Coordinator of Facilitated Improvement and Support at PCOE. Her essential responsibilities include developing and implementing an integrated, coherent system of resources, interventions, and support in the areas of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Continuous Improvement. Prior to being a Coordinator for PCOE, Laurie was a site principal of a program improvement school within a district identified for Differentiated Assistance, International Baccalaureate Coordinator, Intervention Teacher, facilitator of professional development, and teacher. Laurie brings knowledge and experience from her work at school sites on instructional leadership, student access and engagement, and collaborative practices. She holds a Doctorate in Organizational Innovation from National University. Her impact as a change agent has resulted in sustained performance improvement by strengthening organizational culture and whole systems thinking focused on continuous improvement within the educational setting. Laurie strongly believes in educating the whole child, understanding individual student needs and development, and encouraging staff growth by supporting professional development, building capacity, and facilitating positive change.

150 words: Dr. Laurie Balsano Wright is the Coordinator of Facilitated Improvement and Support at PCOE, where she leads the development and implementation of a coherent system of resources, interventions, and supports focused on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and continuous improvement. Prior to this role, Laurie served as a site principal at a program improvement school within a district identified for Differentiated Assistance, as well as an International Baccalaureate Coordinator, intervention teacher, professional learning facilitator, and classroom teacher. Her work at school sites informs her strong expertise in instructional leadership, student access and engagement, and collaborative practices. Laurie holds a Doctorate in Organizational Innovation from National University. As a change agent, she has supported sustained performance improvement by strengthening organizational culture and applying whole-systems thinking to continuous improvement efforts. Laurie is deeply committed to educating the whole child, understanding individual learner needs, and fostering staff growth through professional development, capacity building, and intentional, positive change.

Sujie Shin serves as the Deputy Executive Director for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE). In this role, Shin works closely with Executive Director Matt Navo, oversees agency operations, spearheads specific statewide initiatives, and helps to lead Direct Technical Assistance efforts. She oversees research and evaluation initiatives within the agency, centered around the implementation of systemic practices within districts and schools aimed at equitable access, opportunity, and outcomes for students.

Prior to joining the CCEE, Shin served as the Co-Director of Research for the Standards, Assessment, and Accountability Services program at WestEd, where she managed the National Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. In this role, she provided technical assistance and research support to states and districts in the implementation and evaluation of their new standards, assessments, and accountability systems, focusing on the alignment of standards to assessments and instructional practice.

Shin also previously worked as the Deputy Chief of Assessment and Accountability for the District of Columbia Public Schools, where she oversaw the development and administration of assessments and accountability metrics for the district. She has held educational assessment and research positions in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York. Her career in education began as a teacher at Norwood Elementary School in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Jessica Gunderson brings nearly 20 years of experience advancing social justice and strengthening governance through policy, advocacy, and strategic leadership at the state, local, and federal levels. She has served as Co-CEO since 2022, following her role as a policy and research consultant for the Partnership for Children & Youth. Prior to that, she spent seven years as the organization’s Senior Director of Policy and Communications.

Jessica's career spans leadership roles at the Vera Institute of Justice in New York City, where she was a senior planner, and at Californians for Safety and Justice, where she served as policy director. She began her public service career as a legislative staffer for former Assemblymember Karen Bass and the Select Committee on Foster Youth.

Throughout her career, Jessica has led numerous statewide legislative and budget campaigns and conducted policy and program research that has resulted in the publication of over 20 public reports. She holds a Master of Public Administration in Public Policy from NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a BA from the University of San Francisco.

Luke Anderson is Executive Director of the Prevention Supports and Services Department at Placer County Office of Education. Within this role, Luke oversees the department’s programs, budget, and personnel. Luke serves as the Coordinator of the California PBIS Leadership Team, as a member of the Placer County Child Abuse Prevention Counsel, and as a member of Placer County SMART Policy—a multi-agency leadership team supporting local System of Care policy coordination. Prior to joining PCOE, Luke served as a special education teacher, behavior analyst, school psychologist, and PBIS trainer/coach for one of the largest school districts in California.  He has worked as a lecturer in the School Psychology and Special Education programs at CSU, Sacramento where he taught courses on academic and cognitive assessment.

Steven Sterling Mitchell is the Senior Advisor, Strategic Initiatives at the CCEE. In this role, he co-leads the Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) within the CA System of Support. The CEI is focused on building the capacity of communities, school districts, and county offices of education (COEs) statewide to engage each other more meaningfully in the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) development process.

With over 20 years serving in various roles in public education settings in the United States and abroad, he is dedicated to continuing the work across various educational organizations both locally and in a global context to foster equity and access for all.

A native of Oakland, California, and a multilingual world traveler, Steven has had the opportunity to present at various conferences around the globe related to community engagement, community psychology and school improvement.

Steven completed his Bachelor of Arts in World Language and Culture at California State University, Monterey Bay and a Master of Education in Educational Administration at University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Aubrie Fulk is the Director of Student, Family, and District Support for the Tehama County Department of Education and Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). She is also a Licensed Educational Psychologist. Aubrie oversees the SELPA’s model school-based mental health program for students with disabilities. She supported the Alternative Dispute Resolution and Prevention processes and created a continuum of support for families and districts in Tehama County.

Aubrie is part of the Statewide System of Support as a member of the Special Education Resource Lead (SERL) in Alternative Dispute Resolution. The Pathways to Partnership consortium includes Tehama and Ventura County SELPA, Tehama County Department of Education, and Ventura County Office of Education. Pathways to Partnership has established and experienced leadership in designing model programs in Dispute Prevention and Resolution.

Aubrie graduated from the Straus Institute for Dispute Prevention, Pepperdine University, School of Law. She obtained her Master of Science in School Psychology and Administrative Services Credential from National University. She loves living in beautiful Northern California and enjoying all it has to offer. Her origin in education was as a school psychologist for preschool students and an early start intervention specialist for infants with disabilities.

Spanning over three decades, Heather DiFede has dedicated her professional life to making a lasting difference for students with disabilities. Prior to joining the High Quality IEPs project as the Executive Director, Ms. DiFede served as a SELPA Director for over a decade, however, her influence reached far beyond a local role.

Ms. DiFede is a former Chair of the SELPA Administrators of California, and has served as co-chair of the CALPADS & Compliance Committee as well as the Forms Committee. Her work has consistently bridged the technical and the practical—balancing rigorous compliance with the compassion needed to ensure systems serve students effectively. She has also been a valued contributor on numerous state-level workgroups, including the IEP Expert Panel, lending her vision and expertise to help redefine what’s possible in special education.

Heather DiFede is more than a leader—she is a tireless advocate, a systems thinker, and a source of inspiration for those working to create inclusive, empowering educational environments where all students can thrive.

Stacy Alvey is the Director of Family and School Collaboration for the Ventura County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). She oversees the SELPA’s Dispute Prevention & Resolution program, developing a continuum of supports for families and districts in Ventura County. Stacy is part of the Statewide System of Support as a member of the Special Education Resource Lead (SERL) in Alternative Dispute Resolution. Pathways to Partnership consortium includes Ventura and Tehama County SELPAs, Ventura County Office of Education and Tehama County Department of Education. Pathways to Partnership has established and experienced leadership in designing model programs in Dispute Prevention and Resolution. Stacy is a licensed clinical social worker and credentialed school psychologist.

Aubrie Fulk is the Director of Student, Family, and District Support for the Tehama County Department of Education and Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). She is also a Licensed Educational Psychologist. Aubrie oversees the SELPA’s model school-based mental health program for students with disabilities. She supported the Alternative Dispute Resolution and Prevention processes and created a continuum of support for families and districts in Tehama County.

Aubrie is part of the Statewide System of Support as a member of the Special Education Resource Lead (SERL) in Alternative Dispute Resolution. The Pathways to Partnership consortium includes Tehama and Ventura County SELPA, Tehama County Department of Education, and Ventura County Office of Education. Pathways to Partnership has established and experienced leadership in designing model programs in Dispute Prevention and Resolution.

Aubrie graduated from the Straus Institute for Dispute Prevention, Pepperdine University, School of Law. She obtained her Master of Science in School Psychology and Administrative Services Credential from National University. She loves living in beautiful Northern California and enjoying all it has to offer. Her origin in education was as a school psychologist for preschool students and an early start intervention specialist for infants with disabilities.

Dr. Bonnie Garcia leads statewide efforts to improve literacy outcomes for California’s students. As the Statewide Literacy Co-Director with over 20 years of experience, she leads strategic initiatives to improve literacy outcomes, including the “Move the Needle” and “Reading by Third Grade and Beyond” initiative. Her work integrates curriculum development, legislative advocacy, and stakeholder engagement, with a strong emphasis on equity and evidence-based practices.

Dr. Garcia is a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist through the Academy of Orton Gillingham Practitioners and Educators and has extensive experience in instructional coaching, professional development, and special education. She has served as an adjunct professor at California State University, San Bernardino, where she teaches graduate-level courses in special education and instruction.

Her career includes leadership roles where she has developed literacy improvement networks, designed professional development pathways, and supported districts in implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). She has presented at numerous state and regional conferences on topics such as dyslexia interventions, Structured Literacy, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and literacy legislation.

Dr. Garcia holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California, a Master of Arts in Special Education from Azusa Pacific University, and multiple teaching and administrative credentials. Fluent in Spanish, she is also a passionate advocate for culturally responsive education and family engagement.

As the Director of Specialized Student Support for the Shasta County Office of Education, Jeremy focuses his efforts on Improvement Science and human-centered systems design. He applies this expertise to provide training, consultation, and coaching, guiding leaders and teams through the complexities of organizational innovation and effective implementation throughout California. Informed by a variety of leadership capacities locally and statewide, Jeremy brings a comprehensive perspective to creating sustainable systems.

Nick Syrrist serves as a Director for District and School Support for the Shasta County Office of Education where he supports district compliance response and continuous improvement efforts, including those through Differentiated Assistance (DA) and Compliance and Improvement Monitoring (CIM). He started as a special education teacher, working in Resource and SDC classrooms. He then spent five years working as a program specialist for the Shasta County SELPA, before transitioning to the County Office of Education. 

Nick believes the next challenge, the next performance gap, the next decision to make is always coming, and a system-based framework by which we can improve our response to make sustainable, socially significant impact is the only way forward.