Special Education Workgroup Members

Titles Workgroup Members
Co-Chairs

Dr. Carey Wright, State Superintendent

Liz Zogby, Maryland Down Syndrome Special Education Policy & Advocacy Project

Maryland State Legislature

The Honorable Karen Lewis Young, Senator

The Honorable Julie Palakovich-Carr, Delegate

Maryland State Board of Education Joan Mele-McCarthy, Statewide
Maryland State Department of Education

Dr. Tenette Smith, Interim Deputy State Superintendent, Office of Teaching and Learning

Dr. Antoine Hickman, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Early Intervention and  Special Education Services

Directors/Supervisors of Special Education

Diane McGowan, Anne Arundel County

Kendy Anderson, Calvert County

Sherry O’Dell, St. Mary’s County

Maryland Infants and Toddlers Program Bess Cropper, Worcester County
PreKindergarten Representation

Imani Rose, Owner/Director

Jennifer Dorsey, Owner/ Director

Related Services Provider Lisa Melody, Baltimore County
School Psychologist Erika Levy, Baltimore City
Elementary School Administrators

Thomas Garner, Washington County

Maisha Strong, Howard County

Lauren Tillman, Baltimore County

Jennifer Quirino, Anne Arundel County

Middle School Administrators

Becky Bowen, Calvert County

Katrina Foster, Baltimore County

High School Administrators

BeeJay Dothard, St. Mary’s County

Beth Morton, Calvert County

Michael Brown, Carroll County

Elementary Teacher Betsy Perry, Montgomery County
Middle School Teachers

Cheryl Fracassi, Kent County

Rhea Graham, Baltimore City

High School Teachers

Joshua Schecter, Prince George’s County

Alletha Trageser, Carroll County, MSEA

Nonpublic Special Education

David Stone, Baltimore City/Prince George’s County/St. Mary’s County

Agatha Callahan, Baltimore County

Nonpublic Special Education Case Manager Joanne Hoffman, Montgomery County
IHE/Research Professor Katharine Holman, Statewide
Higher Education – Teacher Preparation Dawn Jacobs Martin, Statewide
Multilingual Learners Advocates

Dinorah Olmos, Statewide

Susan Barrios, Statewide

Physician with Expertise in Disabilities Dr. Debbie Badawi, Statewide
Advocates

Leslie Margolis, Statewide

Rene Averitt-Sanzone, Statewide

Buzzy Hettleman, Statewide

Parents of Students with Disabilities

Dee Sapp, Charles County

Winifred Winston, Baltimore City

Angie Auldridge, Washington County

Janice Lepore, Baltimore County

Employment and Transition Specialist Jade Gingrich, Statewide
Overidentification Expert(s)

Rebecca Cruz, Johns Hopkins University

Reed Swier, NYU Metro Center

Maria Hernandez, NYU Metro Center

Accountability and Implementation Board​

Rachel Amstutz, Statewide​

Lisa Armstrong, Statewide