• The core principles of early childhood special education
• The significance of the Endrew F. Supreme Court decision
• SRBI/RTI frameworks and national trends
• Inclusive preschool options for children with disabilities in Connecticut
• The current status and key challenges in special education today

On Friday, January 6th, CT LEND is pleased to welcome Jennifer Vendetti, Maureen Greer, and Nicole Cossette for a day centered on system supports for infants and young children.

Jennifer Vendetti, LMSW, CEIM, PMH-C

Topic: Transitions After Birth: The Role of Home Visiting in Family Support
Jennifer Vendetti will explore how home visiting programs support families during the perinatal period and early infancy. Her session will address prenatal and perinatal factors that may pose risks to child development, examine key components of home visiting programs, and highlight how these services connect families to early childhood systems and coordinated supports following birth.

Maureen Greer

Topic: Part C of IDEA: National Perspective
Maureen Greer will provide a national overview of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), focusing on the structure and purpose of early intervention systems across states. Her presentation will address the role of service coordinators, define key concepts such as learning opportunities, activity settings, and natural environments, and examine how Part C supports infants, toddlers, and families nationwide.

Nicole Cossette

Topic: Part C of IDEA: State Perspective
Nicole Cossette will present Connecticut’s implementation of IDEA Part C, highlighting how national policy is translated into state-level practice. Her session will explore how early intervention services are coordinated locally, clarify differences between the IFSP and IEP, and discuss how family-centered, natural-environment-based practices are carried out to support young children with developmental delays and disabilities.

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Tawara Goode, M.A. — nationally recognized leader, researcher, and practitioner in cultural and linguistic competence!

Tawara is the Director of the National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) and Director of the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the Georgetown University Center for Child & Human Development. She has served on the GUCCHD faculty for over 30 years, leading efforts to advance culturally and linguistically competent practices in health, education, disability services, and human services systems. Tawara is acknowledged as a thought leader in cultural and linguistic competence, building the NCCC into a nationally and internationally recognized center for research, training, and resources.

We look forward to an inspiring and insightful session with Tawara — empowering us to lead with cultural responsiveness and equity at the center of our work!

CT Lend is thrilled to kick off our spring semester with Jacqueline Lorange, Michael Champlin, and Rose Haefs from Oak Hill School! Oak Hill School is an approved private special education school, offering a 12-month, community-based education program for day and residential students. The team will share an overview of the school and practices, including application of the transdisciplinary model.

On Decmeber 5th,  CT LEND is excited to welcome several distinguished presenters!

We’ll hear from Jason Fogler, PhD (Harvard Medical School), who will discuss trauma and disability, including how to recognize signs of trauma and support individuals with disabilities through informed, compassionate strategies.

Michael Gamel McCormick, PhD, Policy Specialist with the U.S. Senate, will provide an important update on federal developments.

Jeff Hines, MD, UConn’s Vice President for Inclusion and Civil Rights, will join us to share leadership insights on navigating challenging times and promoting equity across systems.

We are also honored to welcome Brenda and Sean Stenglein, who will share their family’s story and their experiences.

We look forward to an inspiring and meaningful week of learning with these outstanding guests!

On Friday, November 21st, CT LEND is thrilled to welcome presenters Dr. Melissa Bray, Dr. Sara Renzulli, and Denzel Closs.

Dr. Bray and Dr. Renzulli will share with trainees the characteristics and goals of school psychology, looking in depth at the roles played by both school psychologists and school counselors. Trainees will also learn about the IEP/IFSP and 504 process, specifically looking at how each of these practices plays a part in the team.

Denzel Closs, self-advocate, will share his personal story.

To learn more about each presenter, check out the short interviews they took part in during the 2024-25 LEND program.

Melissa Bray LEND Interview

Sara Renzulli LEND Interview

This Friday, November 14, Mimi Snyder, PhD, MSN, RN, Steven M. Lepowsky, DDS will present their discipline perspectives to CT LEND trainees. Chris Blake will share his personal story.

Dr. Snyder, a nursing professor with 38 years of experience in acute care, community, and public health, will share insights on nursing care for children and adults with disabilities.

Dr. Lepowsky, Dean of the UConn School of Dental Medicine, will discuss the importance of oral health care and how tactile sensitivities, pain awareness, and communication challenges impact dental treatment for children with ASD.

Chris Blake, CT LEND Self-Advocate Faculty, will share his personal story with trainees.

On November 7th, CT LEND is honored to welcome Tammie Spaulding, PhD, Kathy Cienkowski, PhD, and Paula DeMichiel as our guest presenters.

Tammie Spaulding, PhD, studies the nature, identification, and outcomes of young children, adolescents, and adults with Specific Language Impairment. Dr. Spaulding’s research program is designed to enhance the evidence base behind our clinical decision-making. In her presentation, Discipline Perspective: Characteristics and Goals of Speech and Hearing, Dr. Spaulding will bring her expertise in assessment and executive functioning in children with language impairment.

Kathy Cienkowski, PhD, studies speech perception for hearing-impaired listeners with an emphasis on aging adults and their use of hearing aids to improve speech understanding. She is currently investigating the benefits of AR among adults with acquired hearing loss and will share her knowledge on early hearing detection and deafness.

Paula DeMichiel, our own LEND Administrative Program Manager, will share her family story with our trainees.

CT LEND is thrilled to welcome Laurie Cantwell; Brandi Simonsen, PhD; Vaishnavi Shahane, PT, MS; and Sudha Srinivasan, PT, PhD on Friday, October 31, 2025.

Laurie Cantwell is the LEND Family Faculty Discipline Coordinator. She was a 2016-2017 LEND trainee. Laurie’s advocacy is inspired by her amazing son, who has Down syndrome and autism, and her husband, who has a physical disability. On Friday, Laurie will be sharing her family story with trainees.

Brandi Simonsen, PhD, is a Professor of Special Education in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Simonsen will be sharing a discipline perspective focused on the characteristics and goals of special education.

Vaishnavi Shahane, PT, MS, is the LEND Faculty Teaching Assistant and a Research Assistant at the UConn UCEDD. Vaishnavi will be discussing motor development and the characteristics and goals of physical therapy with LEND trainees.

Sudha Srinivasan, PT, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Physical Therapy program in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Srinivasan will be sharing information about motor development and disabilities research.