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This page provides a high-level overview of conference speakers and presentation titles. Session titles are listed alphabetically with presenter names and affiliations. For full session descriptions, presenter bios, and scheduling details, please visit the pages linked below.
For full descriptions, bios, and schedules, please visit the additional program pages.
Conference Keynote
Why Belonging Comes First: The Brain-Based Foundations of Inclusion and Collaboration
Why Belonging Comes First: The Brain-Based Foundations of Inclusion and Collaboration
Dr. Niki Elliott
University of San Diego
Keynote Overview: Belonging is not an abstract concept. It is a lived experience shaped by relationships and environments. This keynote invites caregivers and educators to explore how inclusion is felt in the body, how trust is built through everyday interactions, and how embodied awareness can support more humane, inclusive learning spaces for all.
Featured Panel
Featured Panel
Inclusion & Accessibility Panel: Postsecondary Pathways
Inclusion & Accessibility Panel: Postsecondary Pathways
Panel Facilitator
Dr. Shannon McAndrews, Ed.D.
Clinical Practice Supervisor, School of Education
California State University San Marcos
Featured Panelist
Rebecca Brooks, Ed.D.
Associate Professor, School of Education & Program Director
CSU San Marcos – Aspiring Scholars Program
Additional Panelists
Students and families from the Aspiring Scholars Program of CSU San Marcos
Panel Overview: This panel centers postsecondary pathways for students with disabilities, with a focus on access, inclusion, and real-world outcomes beyond high school. Panelists will share lived experience, research, and inclusive program model that support students as they transition into higher education, employment, and community life.
Families and educators will gain insight into what is possible after secondary education and how schools, universities, and community partners can strengthen inclusive postsecondary opportunities through collaboration, intentional design, and student-centered practices.
Conference Sessions
Conference Sessions
Listed alphabetically by session title
S1. AAC Without Walls: Supporting Communication Across Home, School, and Community
S1. AAC Without Walls: Supporting Communication Across Home, School, and Community
Stacie Kass — Speech-Language Pathologist, Vista Unified School District
S2. A Systems Approach to Increasing LRE & Access for Multilingual Learners with Disabilities
S2. A Systems Approach to Increasing LRE & Access for Multilingual Learners with Disabilities
Dr. Deborah E. Montoya — Executive Director of Special Education, Oceanside Unified School District
S3. Bridges to Care Respite Center: Co-designed With Families, Building a System of Care
S3. Bridges to Care Respite Center: Co-designed With Families, Building a System of Care
Dr. Rebecca Celes Mendiola, CEO, Collective Impact Solutions (CIS) and Eve Lorentzen, Vista Unified Special Education PTA
S4. Building Inclusive Opportunities from the Ground Up: A District Office Perspective
S4. Building Inclusive Opportunities from the Ground Up: A District Office Perspective
Dr. Patrick Newton — Director of Special Education, Escondido Union School District
S5. Building Bridges: Inclusion Through Their Eyes — Student Journeys from Classroom to Community
S5. Building Bridges: Inclusion Through Their Eyes — Student Journeys from Classroom to Community
Steffanie Rupp, M.Ed., BCBA — CSUSM and Jennifer Gruman, MS, LEP, ABSNP — Vista Unified School District - (Joined by former students)
S6. Cultural Reciprocity: Strengthening Diverse Parent–Educator Collaboration in Special Education
S6. Cultural Reciprocity: Strengthening Diverse Parent–Educator Collaboration in Special Education
Dr. Emiliano C. Ayala — Professor, School of Education, CSU San Marcos
S7. Four Zones of Regulation: A Playful Journey Through Emotions
S7. Four Zones of Regulation: A Playful Journey Through Emotions
Victoria Veneziano — Education Strategist, Meteor Education
S8. Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) Effectiveness for Neurodivergent & Dyslexic Learning
S8. Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) Effectiveness for Neurodivergent & Dyslexic Learning
Barbara Welch — Founder, IVRSTAR Foundation and Dr. Ying Choon Wu — Assistant Research Scientist, UC San Diego
S9. Understanding the Assessment Process: A Guide for Parents in Special Education
S9. Understanding the Assessment Process: A Guide for Parents in Special Education
Luisa Castillo — Area Manager, TASK and Annamaria Burke — Special Education Coordinator, Oceanside Unified School District
S10. FUESD’s Transitional Learning Center
S10. FUESD’s Transitional Learning Center
Presenter: Megan Shinner — Fallbrook Union Elementary School District
Co-Presenters: Caitlyn Fitzharris, Danielle Bazzone, with parent, student, and general education teacher voices
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