Presenters

Adelicia Brienzo is one of the Illinois Resource Center's newest Education Specialists! With over fifteen years in the field of education, Adelicia is a passionate advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse children and families. Raised in a Hispanic community by an immigrant parent, Adelicia was inspired early in her life to become involved in promoting equity in systemically disadvantaged populations.

Adelicia has earned Masters' degrees in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership and holds endorsements in English as a Second Language/Bilingual Education and Special Education. She has served as a home visitor, DEI facilitator, program supervisor/administrator, and taught in PreK, primary, dual language, and special education classrooms. Her strong background in Early Childhood gives her an informed perspective in meeting the needs of our youngest English Learners.

Brigid Finucane, writer, educator, and visual artist, has worked as an early childhood music teacher since 1995 while continuing her lifelong research into cross-cultural music, dances, and music and literacy for the early childhood classroom. Brigid also presents on integrating music into the early childhood classroom and seasonal and science songs for circle time. Her primary objective is to share the joy of singing and music making, while helping others become confident, creative musical beings.

Elizabeth Frisbie has worked with young children and their families and teachers since 1988 as a psychotherapist, early childhood mental health consultant, family support specialist, and teacher. She holds Master’s degrees in clinical child/family psychology and education and has earned the Credential in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. Elizabeth’s specialties include social emotional learning, building resiliency in at-risk children and staff, trauma-informed practice and supporting children with challenging behaviors.

Mariana Glusman, MD, has dedicated her career to decreasing health and educational disparities among low income children. She is an associate professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and an attending pediatrician at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Uptown clinic where, for the past 25 years, she has cared for a diverse, multilingual, medically complex, underserved patient population. She completed her undergraduate studies at Brown University, medical school at the University of Chicago, and her pediatric residency at Children’s Memorial, now Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She is the immediate past president of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP) and co-chairs ICAAP’s anti-bias and anti-racism taskforce. She is also a member of the executive committee of the National AAP Council on Early Childhood, as well as a member of the AAP Section on Minority Health, Equity and Inclusion. She is nationally recognized for her work with Reach Out and Read (ROR), a program that partners with pediatricians to promote early literacy development, and is currently serving as medical director of ROR Illinois, representing and supporting 130 ROR sites throughout the state, and training medical providers regionally on literacy promotion in pediatrics. She is also a founding member of Bilingualism Matters Chicago, a consortium of universities with the aims of sharing perspectives on bilingual education and the bilingual experience, and combating myths about bilingual language development.
Dr. Glusman is the author of I Love You Like Sunshine: How Everyday Play and Bedtime Stories Grow Love Connections and Brainpower, a book for newborns and their caregivers, with more than 100,000 copies in distribution in hospitals, clinics, libraries, and community programs nationwide.
 

Alina Celeste Hevia and Hamlet Meneses are both Parents’ Choice Silver Award Winners for their bilingual music. Alina has taught early childhood music and arts classes and conducted workshops for educators on Early Literacy, STEAM Integration and Classroom Management internationally since 2008.

Linda Housewright served as a prekindergarten director/teacher in the Dallas City CUSD #336 for over 25 years. Her classroom was chosen by ISBE as the only long-distance virtual learning site statewide for Western Illinois University for 4 years, during this time she served as an adjunct professor and advisor for the Early Childhood department. Linda has served on committees for ISBE Early Learning Standards, Portfolio and the Governor’s office in the area of reading. Linda has provided trainings and webinars for ISBE/Illinois Resource Center-ECC in the areas of curriculum, assessment, learning environment, self-regulation, and ECERS. She has also presented at NAEYC conventions in New York, Chicago, and California.

Linda was one of the creators of the Illinois Early Childhood model classroom, and a training site. She has also received an ISBE “Those Who Excel” 2001 award for meritorious service.

After helping develop the ISBE Curriculum Coaching project and coaching more than 50 teachers to compliance and high ECERS scores she is now working as an independent early childhood consultant.

Julie Kallenbach, Ed.D, facilitates projects in Early Childhood (Birth to Third Grade). Focus and research interests are developmentally appropriate practice, play-based learning, authentic assessment, birth to third grade continuity, and project management to support positive outcomes for children and teachers. Her work roles have included presenter for NAEYC, CSEP at ISU, Birth to Third Continuity Project, Implementation Consultant and Coach for ISBE on the KIDS project, Director of Early Learning Initiatives in Elgin School District U-46, principal, special education supervisor, diagnostician and teacher.

Nancy Kind is an Early Childhood Educational consultant. She has been involved in the field of Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education as a classroom teacher and administrator for over 33 years. Over her career, Nancy has been a presenter for many regional workshops, state and national conferences regarding key topics in Early Childhood Special Education. Nancy has participated in many state level committees including Early Childhood LRE Stakeholders and the Stakeholders Committee for Early Childhood Outcomes.

Dr. Paula Kluth is a consultant, author, advocate, and independent scholar who works with teachers and families to provide inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities and to create more responsive and engaging schooling experiences for all learners. Paula is a former special educator who has served as a classroom teacher and inclusion facilitator. Her professional interests include Universal Design for Learning, co-teaching, and inclusive schooling.

She is the author or co-author of more than 15 books including "Don't We Already Do Inclusion?": 100 Ways to Improve Schools for All, “You’re Going to Love This Kid”: Teaching Students with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms, Universal Design Daily, and "A Land We Can Share": Teaching Literacy to Students with Autism. Paula is also the director of a documentary film titled “We Thought You’d Never Ask”: Voices of People with Autism.

Ann Kremer is the Director of Early CHOICES LRE, working to increase inclusive opportunities for preschool children with disabilities. Ann came to the field of inclusive practices as a parent of a child with Down Syndrome who wanted to include her son in regular preschool. Ann started out as an elementary school teacher but completed her Masters in early childhood. She also has experience as a Developmental Therapist in Early Intervention. Through her work, Ann has done presentations for many regional and national conferences as well as facilitated districts to plan for inclusion. Ann has participated on many state level committees, leading the Early Childhood LRE Stakeholders, and participating in the Stakeholders Committee for Early Childhood Outcomes, and the ISBE/DHS Transition Guidance Committee.

Steven Kurtz, PhD, ABPP is an internationally recognized and leading clinician in the treatment of children’s behavioral problems and disorders. He is a renowned mentor and teacher of innovative and empirically-supported treatments for children with disruptive disorders such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder and has been a cutting-edge pioneer in the development and dissemination of evidence-based treatments for internalizing disorders including the social anxiety disorder Selective Mutism (SM). He is a widely respected clinical researcher and child psychologist, one of only 21 Certified Global Trainers in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy endorsed by PCIT International. Dr. Kurtz is a  tireless advocate for children with special needs.

Toni W. Linder consults and presents nationally and internationally on the role of play in assessment, intervention and curriculum. Dr. Linder is Professor Emerita at the Mortgridge College of Education at the University of Denver, Colorado. She has authored books on transdisciplinary play-based assessment (TPBA) and intervention (TPBI). Toni is currently advising a game company on how to modify games for children with special needs, is helping to develop a technology app for grandparents to play with their young grandchildren online, and is working with a team of professionals on the development of TPBA3, which will be an online version.

Caroline Maguire, M.Ed., ACCG, PCC, is a leader in social skills development. She founded a SEL training methodology for adults, parents, clinicians and academic professionals on how to develop critical social, emotional and behavioral skills. She is the author of Why Will No One Play With Me, a handbook on how to communicate social skills training. She earned her undergraduate degree from Trinity College and her Masters of Education and Early Childhood Development from Lesley University. She is the director of the only Coach Training program accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF) The Fundamentals of ADHD Coaching for Families.

Jackie graduated from University of Illinois in Chicago with a bachelors in Psychology and a Masters in Speech Language Pathology from Northern Illinois University. For the past 11 years, she has worked in a number of settings including: schools, skilled nursing facilities as well as in  homes as a certified Early Intervention therapist in the city and western suburbs of Chicago. Her interest and focus has been working primarily in the school setting, ages ranging pre-school to high school aged.  Currently, she is at the Mannheim Early Childhood center having the privilege to provide speech therapy services to the bilingual blended classrooms as well as a structured classroom setting for students with more complex needs. Over the years of providing Early Intervention services as well as being in the pre-school setting, she has enjoyed working so closely with the families, building those relationships and aiding the transition from home therapy to school based therapy. 

Natalie Martin is a freelance Outdoor and Environmental Education from North Central Illinois. Her background is in Non-Formal Education and Commercial Recreation and she has spent the last 13 years facilitating education programs for children and adults. She believes that everyone's lives can be improved by establishing meaningful connections to Nature. Natalie is powered solely by carbs, caffeine, and enthusiasm and can often be found outside with her family.

Sherial McKinney, M.S. Ed., has taught and worked in the field of early childhood education for over 35 years. She has taught Early Childhood Special Education in a self-contained setting and in a blended program with Pre-K at Risk/Preschool for All students as well as teaching Kindergarten, Title I Reading and Math for grades K-8, and in a federally funded child care program. In addition, she has worked with STAR NET Regions I and III as a full-time and part-time Early Childhood Resource Specialist. From her work with Title I students on math skills, she continued taking graduate courses in Math Education at Western Illinois University and has focused on math for young children.

Alina Celeste Hevia and Hamlet Meneses are both Parents’ Choice Silver Award Winners for their bilingual music. Hamlet has provided bilingual programs through arts and music in the Chicagoland area since 2001, and was also an expert reviewer for the Illinois Early Learning Standards Kindergarten Project Team in 2006.

Gina Musielski is the Family Resource Specialist for STAR NET Region II, and has worked as a parent and family resource and support specialist since 1999. As the parent of a child with a developmental disability, Gina draws on both her personal and professional experience in all of her training presentations. She has presented at state and local conferences, for parent groups, early intervention, childcare, and education professionals on a variety of topics relating to special education and parent rights. Active on state level committees such as ISBE/DHS Transition Guidance Committee and Early Childhood LRE Stakeholders committee, Gina is involved in training and resource development for parents of young children with special needs on topics such as transition, IEPs, LRE, parent rights and advocacy.

Shannon Myers is an occupational therapy student, expecting to receive her doctorate in occupational therapy May 2021 from Midwestern University. She has a passion for working with children of various ages in the school environment and supporting both parents and teachers to help children engage in the things that are important to them. She will be working at the Aurora Public Schools in Colorado with PK-8th grade in the upcoming school year.

Tammy Notter has worked in the field of Early Childhood and School Age Care and Education for 39 years. She has worked as a lead teacher, trainer, education coordinator and an assistant director. Along with working in the Early Childhood field, Tammy has a second career as a group fitness instructor and yoga instructor. She has been teaching in the fitness area for 36 years in this field. Tammy has specialized certifications in Children’s Yoga and Yoga for Children with special needs.

Anni K. Reinking is a former professor and current education consultant located in Illinois. She specializes in early childhood education and multicultural education. She currently provides training in topics focused on poverty, trauma, multicultural education, and developmentally appropriate practice.

Emily Ropars has worked in the field of early childhood education for 20 years. She holds a developmental therapy credential and a type 04 with a special education endorsement. Emily has worked in all early childhood environments as a teacher, coach and administrator: lab preschool, child care, Head Start, and private schools. She currently is an LRE Specialist for Early CHOICES.

Ann Sam, PhD, is an advanced research scientist at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research and professional development interests are rooted in her direct experience as a public-school teacher working in preschool and kindergarten classrooms with students with autism. The primary goal of Dr. Sam's work is to increase awareness and use of evidence-based interventions and resources designed to improve outcomes for students with autism.

Pam Shaw is currently the Director of Special Education in Riverside Elementary School District 96. She has been in education for 27 years starting her career as a special education teacher. For the past 14 years Pam has been a special education administrator, with eight of those years supervising early childhood programs in two large west suburban unit school districts. She serves on the Early Childhood Transition Guidance Committee, providing professional development in the state on IDEA Transition from Part C to Part B services. She attended Northern Illinois University earning a B.S. in Special Education and Elementary Education. She attended North Central College and received a M.A. in Educational Administration, later obtaining her special education director endorsement.

Dr. Shawler is a Licensed Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychologist with over a decade of experience supporting families. He founded his private practice in Illinois in 2021 following years of service at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Department of Pediatrics. He has held various clinical and leadership roles supporting families, schools, community-based mental health agencies, and other child serving agencies to improve outcomes for children. 

Dr. Shawler regularly consults and trains in areas of family and child mental health and has published numerous peer-reviewed publications. He has in-depth expertise working with parents and children who present with challenging behavior, anxiety, and learning differences using evidence-based treatments to support child adolescent well-being. 

Dr. Shawler earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology at West Virginia University and earned his Masters' and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees in Clinical Psychology at Oklahoma State University. He and his wife work and reside in Carbondale, IL.

Keena L. Sims, Project Manager for the Early Intervention Training Program at the University of Illinois in Champaign Urbana, began working in the Early Intervention Program as a Credentialed Lead Service Coordinator and Developmental Therapist in 2000. As a Project Manager for the EI Training Program, Sims oversees the Credit Request process, Interpreter and Translator Project, as well as takes on a lead role in the Child and Family Outcomes projects. Mrs. Sims leads the effort of surveying all families exiting the Illinois Early Intervention Program annually, to help improve services provided to Illinois children and their families. Mrs. Sims is a graduate of Michigan State University with a background in social services specializing in Family and Community Services. She has more than 25 years of professional experiences ranging from helping children and families facing issues of homelessness, domestic violence and providing high quality services to children with special needs. Mrs. Sims is a Grand Rapids, Michigan native, and currently lives in Illinois with her husband and their three children.

Kathy Slattery is the Project Director and a Resource Specialist for STAR NET Region II. She has been involved in the field of Special Education, Early Childhood Special Education and Early Intervention for over 25 years as a classroom teacher, Early Intervention Provider, Parent Support Coordinator and as a technical assistance provider at STAR NET. Kathy has presented at the local, state and national level on topics related to supporting young children with disabilities and their families. In addition, Kathy has been a volunteer State Coordinator for the Selective Mutism Group for nine years. Kathy participates on several state level committees including Early Childhood LRE Stakeholders and the Stakeholders Committee for Early Childhood Outcomes.

Jessica Steinbrenner is a certified speech-language pathologist and an advanced research scientist at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her research focused primarily on school-based and community-based supports and interventions for individuals on the autism spectrum. She has worked from the preschool through young adult age range and currently has a grant that is adapting a professional development model for preschool teams serving children with autism.

Katie Suchy is an Early Childhood Resource Specialist for STAR NET Region II. Katie holds a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University where she double majored in child, adult, and family services, and linguistics with an emphasis on communication disorders and a minor in psychology. Katie has worked in the field of Early Childhood in a variety of roles in the classroom and as an Administrator for Head Start where she partnered with the local school districts to support students and families in the community. She has a strong background with Head Start, is a certified CLASS observer, GOLD reliable, and CDA Professional Development Specialist.

Laycee Thigpen is an early childhood professional. She focuses her work on equity, diversity, and inclusion. She is working on her Masters degree in educational leadership with a focus on equity and diversity in school buildings. Ms. Thigpen has been a classroom teacher in Head Start, an adjunct professor at Southern Illinois University, and a early childhood educator coach in East St. Louis.

Doug Tynan has served on State of Delaware and federal HHS advisory boards on health care reform, early childhood programs and Head Start. He also helped to develop the Behavior Consultation Clinic for preschool children at AI duPont Hospital. He was a founding co-editor of Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology. His work has focused on the coordination of health, mental health, education, and social services for children.