David Adams - Senior Director of Strategy at The Urban Assembly

David is the Senior Director of Strategy at The Urban Assembly. He previously served as the Director of Social. Emotional Learning at the Urban Assembly, and prior to that was the Social-Emotional Learning Coordinator for District 75 where he shaped the District's approach to social-emotional learning for students with severe cognitive and behavioral challenges. He has worked internationally in schools in England, standing up and evaluating programs of positive behavioral supports and Social-Emotional Learning as a research intern at Yale University’s Health, Emotion and Behavior Lab, and published multiple academic papers around the relationship of social-emotional competence, and student academic and behavioral outcomes. David is also co-author of The Educator's Practical Guide to Emotional Intelligence, which was published in 2020. He is married with two children, serves on the Board of Directors of CASEL and is an Engineering Officer in the Army Reserve. David holds an M.Ed in Educational Psychology from Fordham University.

Denise Lowell-Britt, Esq. - Legal Issues in Special Education: Case Law Review

Denise Lowell-Britt is known in Arizona for her expertise and practical approach to the legal issues that school administrators face every day. She provides daily advice and assistance to school districts and other public educational institutions. Ms. Lowell-Britt advises and represents clients in matters that include special education; Section 504 and ADA issues; student disciplinary hearings; student records; and other issues. Denise will provide an update on AZ issues in special education.  

Nancy Mather, Ph.D. - University of Arizona, College of Education, Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies

Nancy Mather is a Professor Emerita at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She has served as a learning disabilities teacher, a diagnostician, a university professor, and an educational consultant. She has published numerous articles and books and conducts workshops on assessment and instruction both nationally and internationally. Dr. Mather is a co-author of the Woodcock-Johnson IV. Her most recent book on dyslexia is: Essentials of Dyslexia: Assessment and Intervention. She is currently working on the Tests of Dyslexia, a comprehensive measure designed to help identify individuals with dyslexia.