2026 Keynotes
Michael F. Giangreco, Ph.D., is a University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Special Education in the Department of Education (Graduate Special Education Program) at the University of Vermont (UVM) and is also affiliated with UVM's Center on Disability & Community Inclusion. Prior to joining the faculty at UVM in 1988 he served in a variety of capacities (e.g., community residence counselor with adults with developmental disabilities, special education teacher, special education administrator). His work focuses on various aspects of education for students with developmental disabilities within general education classrooms such as curriculum planning and adaptation, related services decision-making and coordination, alternatives to overreliance on paraprofessionals, and inclusive special education service delivery. Dr. Giangreco has directed several externally-funded projects, has authored over 200 professional publications on a variety of special education topics, and presented extensively both across the United States and internationally. To some folks he is known for his cartoons, lampooning the absurdities and realities of special education.
University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Special Education
University of Vermont, Center on Disability & Community Inclusion
Dr. Michael Giangreco
Dr. Hal Abraham
Superintendent of Schools
Adjunct Professor, Educational Leadership
Dr. Hal Abraham is a distinguished superintendent of schools whose leadership is shaped by his personal experience as a former special education student. Inspired by his own journey, he has dedicated his career to advocating for students with special needs and supporting their families and educators, frequently sharing his story to build disability awareness and reinforce the belief that, when properly supported, students with special needs can achieve extraordinary success. Dr. Abraham holds a Doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction, a Master’s in Special Education, a second Master’s in Educational Leadership, and a Bachelor of Science degree, providing him with deep expertise across all levels of education. He is committed to differentiated instruction and innovative programming that ensures success for every learner, and his impact extends beyond the district level through his 2022 appointment by the New Jersey Commissioner of Education to the State Special Education Advisory Council, where he helped advance special education services statewide.
2026 Speakers
Jeanette Capritti
Middle School English Language Arts Teacher & 2025 Milken Award Winner
Lawrence Township Public Schools
Jeanette Capritti is a 2025 Milken Educator and a proud seventh-grade English language arts teacher at Lawrence Middle School in Mercer County, NJ. Her teaching philosophy centers on three core pillars: creating a safe and accessible space for all students, engaging her classes with lessons that are relevant and joyous, and teaching transferable skills to empower students with increased confidence and agency. Beyond the classroom, Jeanette leads professional development for her colleagues and partners with local colleges to mentor and inspire the next generation of preservice teachers.
Jennifer Cimaglia
Principal, Hardyston Elementary School
Hardyston Township Schools
Jennifer Cimaglia is an elementary principal and Director of Curriculum (PK–8) in Hardyston Township Public Schools, where she leads district-wide work focused on curriculum coherence, inclusive practice, and data-informed instructional improvement. Her leadership includes implementing evidence-based literacy and mathematics programs, strengthening Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, and expanding access to high-quality preschool education. Ms. Cimaglia’s work emphasizes developmentally responsive practice, family–school partnership, and equitable systems that support student regulation, belonging, and academic growth.
Chelsea Collins
2016 New Jersey Teacher of the Year
Founding Partner, ConnectED Workforce
Chelsea Collins is the 2016 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year who works at the intersection of teaching, leadership, and education policy. She is a founding partner of ConnectED Workforce, an education consulting firm, and Knowtion, a virtual professional learning community that provides educators with trusted resources and opportunities to collaborate. Chelsea also serves as a Senior Consultant at Learning Forward, where she manages the Leadership Team Institute, coaches leadership teams nationwide, and supports district leaders in designing and delivering high-quality professional learning. In New Jersey, Chelsea leads the Related Technical Instruction Fellowship for the New Jersey Tutoring Corps’ Tutor Apprenticeship Program and directs JerseyCAN’s education advocacy fellowships for teachers, parents, and students. She additionally co-chairs the New Jersey Council of State Teachers of the Year and serves on the board of trustees for Rekindle Education, a nonprofit focused on improving student math outcomes across the state. Her work is grounded in practical experience, collaborative leadership, and a commitment to strengthening systems so educators and students can thrive.
Michele Gardner, M.Ed.
Interim CEO
ALL IN for Inclusive Education
Michele Gardner, M.Ed. is the Interim CEO at All In for Inclusive Education (formerly NJCIE). She joined the team in 2023 as Executive Director, with 26 years of experience in the New Jersey public schools. Michele served a variety of roles prior to her public school retirement, including paraprofessional, special education teacher, Learning Consultant, Supervisor, Assistant Principal and Director of Special Services. She has also been an adjunct instructor with The College of New Jersey for 18 years for the Department of Special Education, Language & Literacy. Michele dedicated her administrative career to making public schools inclusive spaces for students with a wide range of learning abilities. She is also the recipient of the 2020 NJCIE Inclusion Honors award and the 2020 NJASA Special Education Administrator of the Year.
Christine Girtai
New Jersey State Teacher of the Year; Director of Authentic Science Research
Toms River Regional Schools
Christine Girtain is the Director of Authentic Science Research at Toms River High School North and Toms River High School South, where she has been a science educator for 31 years. She holds a BS in Biology from The College of NJ and an MA in Earth Science Instruction & Curriculum from Kean University. Christine is a recognized leader in STEM education, the 2023 NJ State Teacher of the Year and the 2022 National Association of Biology Teachers Genetics Educator of the Year. She is an advocate for hands-on research and has built a K-12 STEM pipeline in Toms River, securing over $285,000 in grants to fund student projects and was a STEM Expert panelist at the Rayburn House in Washington DC for STEMx on the Hill. Her students engage in global research, including work with DNA Barcoding and colony collapse of bees. She is also the Co-Founder of the Jersey Shore STEM Ecosystem and a Voya National STEM Fellow.
Dr. Denise Lombardi
Director of Student Services
Henry Hudson Regional School District
Denise Lombardi, Psy.D., is an educational leader and school psychologist with over 15 years of experience specializing in special education compliance and instructional innovation. Currently serving as the Director of Student Services for Henry Hudson Regional Public Schools, she oversees child study teams and district-wide special services with a focus on systemic equity and ethical practice. Dr. Lombardi’s extensive background as a clinician and administrator informs her approach to leveraging technology in schools, ensuring that new tools serve to enhance, rather than replace, professional clinical judgment. She is dedicated to developing workflows that reduce administrative burnout while maintaining the high standards of precision required for individualized student support.
Dr. Gulay Maffia, LDTC, NCED
Director of Special Education; Adjunct Professor
Hardyston Township Schools
Dr. Gulay Maffia is the Director of Special Education at Hardyston Township Schools, a PK–8 district in Sussex County, New Jersey, and an adjunct professor at Centenary University. She holds a doctorate in Educational Administration from Centenary University. Gulay is a Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDT-C) and a Nationally Certified Educational Diagnostician (NCED), with over 20 years of experience in education. She is deeply committed to improving student outcomes through inclusive practice and early intervention. Gulay has completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training with a focus on trauma-informed practice and is currently working toward certification in restorative yoga, integrating mindfulness and social-emotional learning to support regulation and learning within school communities.
Dr. JoAnn Negrin
Partner
LLAMAME, LLC
JoAnne Negrin, Ed.D. is currently a Partner at LLAMAME, LLC, a company that specializes in professional development for Multilingual Learners and all struggling learners. Prior to assuming this role in July, she was the Supervisor of ESL, Bilingual Education, World Languages, and Performing Arts for the Vineland Public Schools. She was also Chair of the NJPSA ML Committee and the 2019 Visionary Supervisor of the Year Award winner. She is a Past President of NJTESOL/NJBE, and earned the Fred Carrigg Leadership Award from that organization in 2020. She has developed and improved on many innovative programs for MLs, and her programs in Vineland held NJDOE Model Program status for innovation and excellence from 2016 until the suspension of the program in 2022. She believes that all students should be afforded the opportunity to become bilingual and biliterate, and that multilingualism and multiculturalism are critical components of personal and economic fulfillment.
Julie Ochoa
Partner
LLAMAME, LLC
Ms. Julie Ochoa joined LLAMAME, LLC, a company that specializes in professional development for Multilingual Learners, upon her retirement from Franklin Township schools and Rutgers University in July of 2024. At Rutgers, she and a team developed a course titled "Teaching Emerging Bilinguals" which she taught for 7 years. In Franklin, Julie was the Supervisor of ESL and Bilingual Programs where she supervised an NJDOE designated model ESL program for elementary and high school students and a model bilingual program at the elementary level. As a member of the MLL committee at NJPSA, Julie worked with her colleagues to improve collaboration between ESL/Bilingual and Special Ed. Departments. She is also a member of NJTESOL-NJBE from whom she received the Fred Carrig Leadership Award in 2021. Julie believes that all students deserve to have educational experiences in environments where all educators have an asset based perspective of bilingualism, biliteracy and cultural identity.
Dr. Suzan Radwan
Director of Special Services
Hillsborough Township Public Schools
Dr. Suzan Radwan currently serves as the Director of Special Services for Hillsborough Township Public Schools in NJ. Dr. Radwan began her public school career in 2004 as a School Psychologist with Newark Public Schools, NJ where she worked with preschool through high school aged students. In 2010, she became Supervisor of the district’s Office of Special Education. In 2013, Dr. Radwan was named Newark Public Schools’ Executive Director of Operations for the Office of Special Education. Prior to joining the Hillsborough administration, Dr. Radwan worked as the Director of Special Services for Hoboken Public Schools, NJ. She currently serves as the Treasurer for the New Jersey Association of Pupil Services Administrators (NJAPSA), as well as on multiple committees for NJPSA. Dr. Radwan has a passion for increasing inclusive education, providing special education services to multilingual learners, has a strong focus on literacy development and is invested in increasing the mental health services available to students with disabilities in the school setting. Additionally, Dr. Radwan has expanded the transitional services available to high school students through the community-based instruction program during her tenure in Hillsborough. In 2023, she was the recipient of the Mary Ann Bonneau Administrator Award for her commitment to achieving literacy for all students and her successful implementation of the Wilson Reading Program in Hillsborough Public Schools. And in 2024, Dr. Radwan was the recipient of NJASA’s 2024 NJ Special Education Administrator of the Year.
Dr. Michael Ryder
Superintendent
Hardyston Township Schools
Dr. Michael Ryder is a New Jersey school superintendent with more than two decades of experience in instructional leadership, district operations, and board–superintendent relations. He is currently Superintendent of Schools for Hardyston Township Public Schools in Sussex County and has been selected to serve as the next Superintendent of the Bloomingdale School District. During his tenure in Hardyston, Dr. Ryder led a Pre-K–8 district through significant improvements in curriculum alignment, student achievement, early childhood programming, and fiscal stewardship. His leadership emphasizes coherence in teaching and learning, data-driven decision-making, and building strong partnerships among boards of education, staff, families, and communities. Dr. Ryder holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, and a Bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Cultural Anthropology. His doctoral research examined how teacher perceptions of student ability influence expectations and academic outcomes, a perspective that continues to shape his work as a district leader.
Brittany Seeley, M.Ed.
Program Director
ALL IN for Inclusive Education
Brittany Seeley is a program director for ALL IN. She earned her M.Ed. in Special Education from East Stroudsburg University with a Supervisory and Administrative Certification. She has over 13 years of experience in working with students K-12 with significant emotional, behavioral, and social disabilities. Her areas of expertise are in behavioral interventions, classroom management strategies, academic and behavioral progress monitoring, restorative practices, mindfulness training, trauma-informed care, and social-emotional learning.
John Worthington, Esq.
Coordinator of Special Education Law
NJPSA/FEA/LEGALONE
John Worthington is the Coordinator of Special Education Law for LEGAL ONE at NJPSA/FEA. John recently retired as Director of the Office of Special Education Policy and Procedure in the New Jersey Department of Education, where he was responsible, under federal statute and regulations, to operate a system of general supervision and monitor the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 in New Jersey. As director of OSEPP, John oversaw the operation of multiple systems, including: Monitoring; Dispute Resolution; Complaint Investigation; Distribution and oversight of the IDEA Part B Grant; Oversight of Approved Private Schools for Students with Disabilities; Development of Policy, Guidance, and Administrative Code; and Special Education Data collection and analysis.