Our Staff
Center Leadership Team
Abigail Foley, M.Ed.
AIR
Center Director
David Bateman, Ph.D
AIR
Co-Principal Investigator
Mary Beth Bruder, Ph.D
UCONN
Co-Principal Investigator
Lynn Holdheide, M.S.
AIR
Co-Principal Investigator
Shelby Cosner, Ph.D
UIC
Knowledge Development Team Lead
Sara Evans, M.Ed.
AIR
Direct TA Lead
Jenni Fipaza, B.A.
AIR
Dissemination Lead
Dena Slanda, Ph.D
AIR
Direct TA Lead
Judy Lee, Ph.D
True North Evaluation
Evaluation Lead
Nicholas Coukoulis, M.P.P.
AIR
Evaluation Liaison
Daniel Daponte, B.A.
AIR
Project Manager
Senior Advisors
Lead IDEA utilizes the knowledge of eight highly distinguished senior advisors to enhance the work of the center. Each advisor brings a diverse wealth of knowledge, expertise, and experience in the field on topics such as inclusive leadership, special education, early childhood intervention, multi-systems of support (MTSS), learning disabilities, school improvement, reading intervention, and more.
Kate Ascetta, Ph.D
University of South Carolina
Tessie Bailey, Ph.D
AIR
Mary Lynn Boscardin, Ph.D
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Susan Connor, M.Ed.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
David DeMatthews, Ph.D
University of Texas at Austin
Maureen Greer, Ph.D
Emerald Consulting
Stephanie Jackson, Ph.D
AIR
Sharon Vaughn, Ph.D
University of Texas at Austin
Our Partners
AIR and its partners bring extensive expertise in evidence-based practices, special education law and policy, and engagement with educators, families, and leaders to strengthen individual and organizational capacities to support leadership development and success for administrators supporting children and youth with disabilities.
