Meet the Leadership Academy Cohort 10

Rachel E. Donegan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special and Early Education at Northern Illinois University. Rachel’s research focuses on reading interventions, methods for intensifying instruction, and the role of teacher knowledge in student reading outcomes.

Anna S. Gibbs is a special education doctoral candidate in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Iowa and a Program Coordinator at the Iowa Reading Research Center. Her research interest includes effective reading instruction and interventions for students with learning disabilities.

Rachel Juergensen is a doctoral candidate at the University of Missouri in the Department of Special Education. She has over 17 years’ experience in education as an elementary teacher, administrator, and statewide positive behavior support coach. Rachel’s research focuses on equitable and inclusive practices for students with disabilities and students experiencing difficulty in science.

Anna Macedonia will be graduating from the School of Education at George Mason University in December 2021with a Primary Specialization in Special Education and a Secondary Emphasis in Education Leadership and Policy. Her research interests include studying the connection between special education teacher education across local, state, and federal levels connected to teacher retention issues, specifically administrative support.

Cynthia Massey is an Assistant Professor in special education at Georgia Southern University. Her research interests include the effective uses of instructional technology with students with disabilities, as well as the continued development of effective educator prep programs including Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in which she was awarded a university fellowship award in 2020.

Jennifer Smith is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Special Education in the Department of Educational Studies at Purdue University. Her current areas of research interest include teacher preparation, creativity, and assistive technology.

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