Authors & Presenters

Mandy Barrett, EdD, currently serves as an elementary school principal in northwest Arkansas. She has over 20 years of experience working in high-poverty schools and schools with large ESL populations.

Kristen Bordonaro is the director of programs and services for the Exceptional Learners Collaborative in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Her work focuses on supporting special education teams of member districts.

Megan Clarke is the executive director of a special education collaborative serving four school districts in Illinois. In addition to supporting the collaborative, her work focuses on building partnerships with parents, community agencies, and other districts.

Angie Freese is an author and speaker with expertise in assessment, leadership, system improvement, and strategic planning. With over two decades in education, Angie brings a unique blend of experiences that include classroom teacher, building administrator, curriculum specialist, and district leader.

Heather Friziellie is currently superintendent of schools for Fox Lake Grade School District 114, located in the suburbs northwest of Chicago. She previously served as both an elementary principal and a middle school principal.

Amy Gluck is director of educational services at Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96 in Illinois. Her work focuses on ensuring all students achieve at high levels of learning.

Karen Johnson is the coordinator of Language Acquisition for the Pleasanton Unified School District Pleasanton, California. She is passionate about the topics of equity, inclusion, and ensuring high levels of learning for all students.

Brandon Jones, an author and consultant, works with educators to implement the Professional Learning Communities at Work® and RTI at Work™ processes. As a practitioner, he has served as a high school teacher and assistant principal, as well as a principal at the elementary, middle, and secondary level.

Ann-Bailey Lipsett is a special education specialist and DIR/Floortime practitioner with twenty years of experience working with children, families, and schools.

Mary McCorvey has worked in public education for over 20 years. As an instructional specialist, she works with K–12 teachers and administrators to support students receiving special education services in inclusive settings.