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.

CT LEND is excited to welcome guest speakers, Melissa Taylor, Anton Alerte, MD, and Rob Keder, MD, on Friday, October 24, 2025.

Melissa Taylor is a former LEND trainee and self-advocate who shares her experiences as a person with developmental disabilities. Melissa graduated from the Partners in Policymaking program in 2018 and has served on many state boards and regularly attends disability justice events.

Anton Alerte, MD, is a Professor in Pediatrics at UConn School of Medicine and the Associate Dean for Primary Care at UConn School of Medicine. Dr. Alerte’s presentation will focus on race and disability.

Rob Keder, MD, is an Associate Professor in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Dr. Keder’s presentation will focus on autism