Keynote Speaker
Brandi Simonsen
Dr. Simonsen is a professor of Special Education with tenure in the Department of Educational Psychology at the Neag School of Education and the Co-Director of the Center for Behavioral Education and Research (CBER; www.cber.org) at the University of Connecticut. She is also the Co-Director of the National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS; www.pbis.org), Co-Principal Investigator of the National Multi-Tiered System of Supports Research Network (MTSS-RN; www.mtss.org), a Senior Advisor to the National Center on Intensive Interventions (NCII), and an editorial board member for the Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Currently, Dr. Simonsen conducts research, publishes, teaches, and provides training/technical assistance in the areas of (a) school- and class-wide PBIS, (b) positive and proactive professional development supports for teachers, and (c) applications of PBIS in alternative education settings.

Featured SCT Network speaker
Yanaiza Gallant
Yanaiza is the Director of Multilingual Learners for East Providence School District. She is honored to be working for a population of students that resemble her education journey. Her goal is to ensure a shift of thinking to an asset-based model and to use herself as an example of what is possible. Yanaiza believes that, with a positive culture, where educators are encouraged and supported to step out of their comfort zones, and a true belief for ALL KIDS, we can create an educational system that we would all be proud of. A daughter of refugees and a refugee herself coming to the United States at the age of 5 from Havana Cuba during the Mariel Movement, Yanaiza Gallant learned at an early age the meaning of perseverance, grit, and determination. She has served students, families, educators and communities for the last 19 years.