Different Choices 2021 Speakers

#DifferentChoicesPresenters

Special Thanks to our 2021 Presenters, Panelists and Workshop Leaders.

Alexander Morris-Wood

Dean of Admissions, Beacon College

Alexander Morris-Wood

Dean of Admissions, Beacon College

Alexander Morris-Wood designed Navigator PREP, the country’s first virtual transition-to-college program for students and parents in an effort to proactively address the executive functioning, social, and emotional regulation deficits that impede on college success. Alex has presented nationally and internationally on topics such as systemic barriers in higher education for students with learning disabilities, family systems theory, and strategies to improve transitional outcomes for at-risk students. Recently, Alex was identified among the Top 100 Educational Leaders in America by the Global Forum for Education and Learning. He holds a master’s degree in mental health counseling where he focused on adjustment disorders for students with learning differences entering college environments. Email: amorriswood@beaconcollege.edu

Sara Van Eerde

Social Justice Educator at Global Kids

Sara Van Eerde

Social Justice Educator at Global Kids

Social Justice Educator at Global Kids Sara Van Eerde is fully immersed in the field of activism, education, and social justice. In 2019, she was chosen as a scholar to teach about climate change and gender justice onboard the gap-year travel program Peace Boat. She is a passionate advocate of the gap-year experience and cultural diversity. Her wide range of global experiences have fostered a culturally inclusive perspective on how societies can work to achieve a more equitable world. She currently works for Global Kids as a social justice educator and trains youth to become human rights activists and leaders.

Syreeta Nolan

CEO, Disabled in Higher Ed, Disability Justice Advocate

Syreeta Nolan

CEO, Disabled in Higher Ed, Disability Justice Advocate

Syreeta Nolan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Disabled in Higher Ed and a disability justice advocate. She serves as co-founder of Disabled in Higher Education on Twitter (@DisInHigherEd) and is the founder of JADE (Justice, Advocacy and Disability Education) as a holistic disabled justice platform focused on empowering disabled students, faculty, staff and alumni through community and support. Her lived experience as a Black, Disabled, bisexual woman have informed her advocacy goals along with her career goals. As a board member of HealthAdvocateX, she hopes to expand the reach of health advocacy in partnership with her organization while bringing disability advocacy and health advocacy together. Syreeta graduated with her Bachelor’s in Human Health Psychology from the University of California San Diego and hopes to continue to obtain a PhD in Health Policy or Prevention Science toward her goal to transform the mental health field through comprehensive preventive systems similar to what we have in our physical health system.

Paul Stein

Executive Director, Schools for Children, Inc.

Paul Stein

Executive Director, Schools for Children, Inc.

Dr. Stein joined Schools for Children in July 2017. His career includes varied roles in teaching and educational administration. He served as the Superintendent of Schools in Wayland, MA and as the Deputy Superintendent of the Newton, MA Public Schools. He is the past principal of Day Middle School in Newton and past House Administrator of Pollard Middle School in Needham, MA. He began his career as a math teacher in alternative, special education school settings and served for a number of years as the Director of Full Circle High School in Somerville, MA. Dr. Stein earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, an M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a second master’s in special education from Lesley University, and a doctorate in educational administration from Boston University.

Email:info@schoolsforchildreninc.org

Monica McHale-Small

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Temple University

Monica McHale-Small

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Temple University

Monica McHale-Small, Ph.D., is an adjunct assistant professor at Temple University. She retired from public education after 27 years of service in Pennsylvania. Monica started her career as a school psychologist but spent the last 14 years in a variety of administrative positions including, most recently, superintendent. Dr. McHale-Small has long advocated bringing research into practice in public schools and has served as an adviser oPennsylvania’s Dyslexia Screening and Early Literacy Intervention Pilot, which supports researched-based, structured literacy instruction and intervention beginning in Kindergarten. Dr. McHale-Small is an advocate for responsible inclusion and equity for historically underserved students including racially, culturally and linguistically diverse students and students with disabilities. She cofounded the Greater Lehigh Valley Consortium for Equity and Excellence, and currently consults with the ACLU of Pa., on the School to Prison Pipeline issues. Monica has served on LDA Board of Directors, the International Dyslexia Association, and the National Association of Pupil Services Administrators. She also serves her own community as a board member and volunteer advocate for Coatesville Citizens Who Seek Educational Equality.

Phone:None
Email:none

Alex Tsonas

Director, Seaport Academy in Chelsea MA

Alex Tsonas

Director, Seaport Academy in Chelsea MA

Alex Tsonas joined Seaport Academy, part of Schools for Children, as school counselor in 1998 and two years later became the school’s director. Alex oversaw Seaport’s evolution from a small, 12-student program into a successful, all-boys, state-approved alternative high school for 28 students from Grades 8–12. Under his direction, the program has developed a focus on experiential and project-based learning and includes a variety of maritime experiences. Alex’s has a background in counseling and has served as assistant director in a residential program, a therapist for a home-based individual and family treatment agency, and as a counselor running substance abuse and anger management groups in Lynn, Mass.

Phone:None
Email:none

Lisa Graf

Senior Advisor, Chandler Admissions Advisors

Lisa Graf

Senior Advisor, Chandler Admissions Advisors

Lisa Graf is a senior college coach with over seven years of experience and the Chandler Admissions Advisors’ first employee. Before joining the Chandler dream team, Lisa was a senior marketing and advertising executive with over 16 years of in-depth branding, positioning, and consulting experience. Lisa has a passion for storytelling. Her goal is to help every student create human connections and share their unique experiences through their essays and college applications.

Alexandra Ullrich

College Navigator Program Manager, Easter Seals

Alexandra Ullrich

College Navigator Program Manager, Easter Seals

Alexandra Ullrich, manages the College Navigator for, Easter Seals. She received her bachelor of social work with a minor in understanding autism from Wheelock College and began her career at Easter Seals Massachusetts as an intern in the youth department. She then became a job developer before helping to start Easter Seals’ College Navigator Program as the program manager of the Employment and Transition Services (ETS) Department. The ETS department includes transition assessments, vocational evaluations, soft skills training, job development & placement, Pre-ETS, and the College Navigator program.

Lynne DaSilva

Director of Arch Learning Community, Dean College

Lynne DaSilva

Director of Arch Learning Community, Dean College

Lynn DaSilva is the Assistant Director of Dean College’s Arch Learning Community. This widely regarded program provides comprehensive support to students with diagnosed learning disabilities and/or other learning differences who would benefit from additional academic support while taking part in a traditional college curriculum. Skilled in teaching, advising, public speaking, program development, and leadership, Lynn also serves as an adjunct professor for both Arch-specific and non-Arch courses and was honored with the Dean College Excellence in Teaching Award in 2015 for her exceptional work in the classroom.

Rob Franek

Editor-in-Chief, The Princeton Review and NBC college expert

Rob Franek

Editor-in-Chief, The Princeton Review and NBC college expert

Rob Franek is a nationally sourced expert on higher education and editor- in-chief of the widely acclaimed and indispensable The K & W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences — now in its 15th Edition. Over his 28-year career, Rob has been a college admissions administrator, publisher, editor, author, and lecturer. In his tenure with The Princeton Review, he has visited hundreds of high schools, colleges, and universities. He says the interactions he has with students, parents, educators, and administrators are among his most rewarding professional experiences. Rob is the author of several books, including The Best 387 Colleges, and College Admissions During COVID (October 2020). Contact Rob: @RobFranek

Tom Alessi

President, The Moody Street Group (Waltham, MA)

Tom Alessi

President, The Moody Street Group (Waltham, MA)

Tom Alessi has 22+ years in financial services working with individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations to try and help people have a better relationship with their money and their finances.

Michelle Ward

Assistant Dir. of Community Education & Training, NAMI-MA

Michelle Ward

Assistant Dir. of Community Education & Training, NAMI-MA

Michelle Ward, EdM is the Assistant Director of Community Education & Training at the National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI)- Massachusetts. Michelle Ward manages presentation schedules for the In Our Own Voice and Allies for Student Mental Health programs, communicates with venues, speakers, and other stakeholders to ensure effective delivery of presentations, coordinated schedules for speakers and delivery of presentation materials, and conducts outreach efforts for both programs.

Cindy Cipoletti, Esq

Executive Director, Learning Disabilities Association-America

Cindy Cipoletti, Esq

Executive Director, Learning Disabilities Association-America

Cindy Cipoletti, Esq. is the executive director of LDA. An attorney by trade, she practiced law and served as a judicial law clerk in the Pittsburgh area until moving into the nonprofit sector in 2012. As executive director of LDA, Cindy actively pursues opportunities to provide essential education, training and advocacy resources to parents, children and adults with learning disabilities. Cindy has helped LDA create new educational opportunities and resources for the learning disabilities community in response to COVID-19 and remote learning, and is working with LDA state affiliates to offer additional programming to help students and adults with LD be successful. Cindy also founded a support group for parents of children on the autism spectrum and has been actively involved in the public school system as her son struggled with a learning disability and ADHD. Cindy is passionate about helping adults and children reach their full potential and working to remove barriers that prevent disadvantaged people them from being the best version of themselves.

Phone:None
Email:none

Lauriann Elise Kormylo

Outreach Coordinator, Lime Connect

Lauriann Elise Kormylo

Outreach Coordinator, Lime Connect

Lauriann Elise Kormylo is the Outreach Coordinator at Lime Connect. Lauriann is passionate about mental health, disability and LGBTQIA+ rights, and has been educating and advocating for over 5 years. Lauriann is also certified through NCBH’s Mental Health First Aid program. She previously worked in student affairs at both Fordham and New York Universities, and earned both a B.S. in psychology from Fordham and an M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from NYU.

Phone:None
Email:none

Kasey Johnson

Apprenticeship Program Coordinator at Building Futures

Kasey Johnson

Apprenticeship Program Coordinator at Building Futures

In her position as Apprenticeship Program Coordinator at Building Futures, Kasey Johnson promotes and supports the expansion of Registered Apprenticeship by coordinating program development, quality improvement, and providing technical assistance to employer partners. Kasey connects schools, employers, and community partners to develop a pipeline for youth into apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship; in both the building trades and non-trade occupations.

Kevin Lopez

Assistant Principal, CTE Program, HS of Art & Design, NYC

Kevin Lopez

Assistant Principal, CTE Program, HS of Art & Design, NYC

Kevin A. Lopez is the Assistant Principal of Art & CTE at the High School of Art & Design in New York City. He is also a film director and producer known for his work on The Smithsonian “American Experience” award-winning short documentary film ‘“Mind Up” (2016), the feature films “The Inquisition of Camilo Sanz” (2014), “The Hudson Tribes” (2016), and ‘Paradise City’ (2020), as well as the feature length documentary film titled ‘PRIMERA’ (2021), about the 2020 social uprising in Chile. Kevin founded the very first film and media arts program at Soundview Academy for Culture and Scholarship in the Bronx. He has worked closely with the NYC Department of Education and the Tribeca Film Institute creating professional development workshops for public school teachers integrating film and media arts curricula in their classrooms.

Ziven Drake

Training Coordinator, NA Carpenters Training Fund

Ziven Drake

Training Coordinator, NA Carpenters Training Fund

Ziven Drake is the Technical Coordinator in Charge of Recruitment and Retention by the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund. She focuses on the recruiting and retention efforts within NASCTF by delivering informational sessions, as well as conducting interviews for potential apprenticeship candidates. A member of Pile Drivers and Divers Local 56, Drake has been a member of Local 56’s Executive Board, as well as serving as a delegate to the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.

Carol Kinlan

Educational Consultant, Carol Kinlan Consulting

Carol Kinlan

Educational Consultant, Carol Kinlan Consulting

Carol Kinlan is a highly regarded Boston-based educational consultant with over 14 years of experience helping students with their school and college placement. Prior to consulting, she worked as director of learning resources at the Shady Hill School in Cambridge, MA, and learning coordinator at the Dedham Country Day School. Carol has also worked at The Institute for Learning and Development (ILD) in Lexington, MA, where she conducted neuropsychological assessments and tutored students. Carol holds an M.Ed. from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education’s Mind, Brain and Education Dept., an M.B.A. from Boston University, and an undergraduate degree in journalism from UMass Amherst. Carol serves on the Board of Visitors for The Fenn School in Concord, MA, and the Board of Trustees at The Learning Prep School in Newton. She is a professional member of IECA.

Craig Richardson

Vice President, The Moody Street Group

Craig Richardson

Vice President, The Moody Street Group

Craig Richardson has 17+ years as a financial services representative working with families to help them first define their financial goals and then put a plan in place to help them achieve their dreams.

Katelyn Reinke

Assoc. Dir. of College Transition Programs, Beacon College

Katelyn Reinke

Assoc. Dir. of College Transition Programs, Beacon College

Katelyn Reinke is the Associate Director of College Transition Programs at Beacon College. Katelyn serves as coordinator for Beacon’s first-of-its-kind virtual nine-month transition-to-college program for high school seniors. During her master’s degree program, she engaged in research focused on creating an effective learning environment at colleges across the nation for students with learning differences. Since joining Beacon in 2019, Katy has worked with more than 200 students & families on their personal transition to college.

Eileen Brody Burke

Counselor-Coach Mass Rehab (MRC)

Eileen Brody Burke

Counselor-Coach Mass Rehab (MRC)

Eileen Brody Burke, MS/MFA counselor-coach Mass Rehab (MRC) Eileen Brody Burke has worked as a coach and counselor, as a facilitator in the healing arts, and has provided consultation on Young Adulthood Transition Teams. Eileen has worked in psychiatric hospitals; day treatment centers; shelters; and with the Hyannis, West Concord and Boston MRC’s, serving as liaison with schools. Her passion is to help others find meaning in their lives and meaningful connections and purpose with the world around them.

Phone:None
Email:none

Beth McGaw

Founder, "Kids-Enabled" (Atlanta, GA)

Beth McGaw

Founder, "Kids-Enabled" (Atlanta, GA)

Beth McGaw is an outspoken advocate for children with learning disabilities and has been an active member in LDA for over 10 years. Elected to the LDA Board of Directors in 2012, she currently serves on the Executive Committee as past president. She cofounded the Atlanta-based, award-winning magazine Kids Enabled and currently works as an independent educational consultant at Launch Pad Consulting Group in Dallas, which assists families and their students with learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and/or autism spectrum disorders locate postsecondary options, including college, job search and residential living options. Beth also volunteers for LaunchAbility, a nonprofit that offers supportive employment services for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Beth and her husband have three adult sons, one diagnosed with learning disabilities as a young child. They enjoy adventurous vacations with their family to stay connected.

Phone:None
Email:none

Kevin McCarthy

Team Lead, Bridges from School to Work, Boston

Kevin McCarthy

Team Lead, Bridges from School to Work, Boston

Kevin McCarthy has been with Bridges from School to Work for 7 years. After serving young adults in Baltimore for 4 years, Kevin took on the challenge of building Bridges’ New York City office. The NYC programs now serve almost 50 schools and hundreds of young adults across each of the city’s Boroughs. In February 2021, Kevin moved into his newest role as the Team Lead for the organization’s Boston office, where they help young adults throughout the city find meaningful, life-changing job opportunities.

TD Bank

Education & Financial Literacy Division

TD Bank

Education & Financial Literacy Division

TD BANK’s Education & Financial Literacy Division believes basic financial literacy is a foundation for personal and national prosperity, and that TDBank has a responsibility and the unique ability through their financial skills and expertise to make a strong contribution. They provide financial literacy curriculum online and to schools and hold numerous financial literacy workshops for various ages in communities all around the US, UK, and Canada. Presented by TD BANK.

Dr. Suzanne Jones

CUNY LEADS Job Developer, Queensborough CC

Dr. Suzanne Jones

CUNY LEADS Job Developer, Queensborough CC

Dr. Suzanne Jones's career in higher education includes Mercy College, Nassau Community College, Lehman College and LaGuardia Community College where she is an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate Business School and Communications / Humanities Department. She has received many accolades for her work in the field of workforce development. Her latest publication was entitled, "Leadership and the Perception of Women in Higher Education" and is an abridgement to the work she is currently producing. Prior to joining Queensborough Community College, Jones worked at LaGuardia Community College where she provided leadership and support to the Young Adult Internship Program and the Summer Youth Employment Program. Email: SSD@qcc.cuny.edu

Niloo Kamkar

Student Advocate, National Center for Learning Disabilities

Niloo Kamkar

Student Advocate, National Center for Learning Disabilities

Niloo Kamkar graduated from the University of California of Santa Barbara with a bachelors in Economics and is currently a paralegal student and intern at the Santa Clara County Office of the Public Defender. She is applying to law school for Fall 2022, with the ultimate goal to advocate, defend, and enforce the rights of people from marginalized communities within the judicial system.

Joseph Letteri

Student Advocate, National Center for Learning Disabilities

Joseph Letteri

Student Advocate, National Center for Learning Disabilities

Joseph Letteri is currently an associate specialist at AstraZeneca, interested in continuing his career in the pharmaceutical industry. He graduated with a BS in chemical engineering from the University of Virginia in 2021. His side interests inlclude ADHD empowerment, learning disability advocacy, and education.

Courtney Joly-Lowdermilk

Program Director, College Mental Health Programs, BU

Courtney Joly-Lowdermilk

Program Director, College Mental Health Programs, BU

Courtney Joly-Lowdermilk, M.S. Ed. manages NITEO at the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University, a wellness and academic skills-building program assisting college students to successfully re-enter college and complete higher education. She has worked in disability services in higher education for over nine years providing direct support to students with disabilities and developing and implementing programs promoting academic self-efficacy and mental health well-being.

Angelique McGrue

Special Ed. Coordinator, YouthBuild Charter School, CA

Angelique McGrue

Special Ed. Coordinator, YouthBuild Charter School, CA

Angelique McGrue is a Special Education Coordinator at YouthBuild Charter School of California. Angelique McGrue hails from Pasadena, California. Through her educational journey, she found a passion for working with and serving others. While receiving her masters, Angelique began working at College Bridge Academy – Compton and in this position she learned what it meant to foster youth with disabilities and be a supportive educator. Since graduating, she decided to further her education in Special Education and is receiving a second Master of Education in teaching, option in Education Specialist with Mild/Moderate Disabilities.

Phone:None
Email:none

Sheila Faulkner-Loser

Beacon College Transition Counselor

Sheila Faulkner-Loser

Beacon College Transition Counselor

Sheila Faulkner-Loser is the Beacon College Transition Counselor for the Pacific West. Sheila has been working with young people encouraging them to pursue their education for more than seventeen years, including at-risk and foster youth, special programs, dual enrollment and adult education. Her work with students has been featured in various trade publications, newspaper articles, and television shows. Sheila now brings her passion and dedication for students to Beacon College where she continues to “serve as many students as she can, one student at a time.”

JoAnna Barnes

Representative, Nat. Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities

JoAnna Barnes

Representative, Nat. Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities

JoAnna J. Barnes, Esq. is the parent of two young adults with learning disabilities. She has been involved with LDA since 2002 when her older child, then in 2nd grade, was struggling in school. She credits LDA for her daughter finally being identified as learning disabled in 3rd grade. JoAnna lives in Chapel Hill, N.C., and is active with LDA of North Carolina serving on its Board of Directors and now as president. She is chair of the LDA Advocacy Committee, and one of two LDA representatives to the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities. In 2015 she chaired an LDA task force on accessibility of testing accommodations for adults with LD who apply to take the high school equivalency exam.

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Resources to help you make a successful transition from high school to higher education or fulfilling work.

#DifferentChoicesPresenters

Special Thanks to our 2021 Presenters, Panelists and Workshop Leaders.

Alexander Morris-Wood

Sara Van Eerde

Syreeta Nolan

Paul Stein

Monica McHale-Small

Alex Tsonas

Lisa Graf

Alexandra Ullrich

Lynne DaSilva

Rob Franek

Tom Alessi

Michelle Ward

Cindy Cipoletti, Esq

Lauriann Elise Kormylo

Kasey Johnson

Kevin Lopez

Ziven Drake

Carol Kinlan

Craig Richardson

Katelyn Reinke

Eileen Brody Burke

Beth McGaw

Kevin McCarthy

TD Bank

Dr. Suzanne Jones

Niloo Kamkar

Joseph Letteri

Courtney Joly-Lowdermilk

Angelique McGrue

Sheila Faulkner-Loser

JoAnna Barnes

View the Fall 2021 Program Schedule

Follow us on social media

The latest from our blog

Presented by Schools for Children

Support for Different Choices

Resources to help you make a successful transition from high school to higher education or fulfilling work.

Different Choices 2021 Speakers

#DifferentChoicesPresenters

Special Thanks to our 2021 Presenters, Panelists and Workshop Leaders.

Follow us on social media

The latest from our blog

Presented by Schools for Children

Support for Different Choices

Welcome!