2011 Participants & Mentors

Dr. Leigh Austin has served as a producer of multi-media of instructional content for the textbooks at Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, producer of animated storybooks for Disney Interactive, and Director of Exceptional Student Education at Orange County Public Schools. In her role as Director, Dr. Austin leads teams toward excellence for secondary curriculum and instruction as well as transition support following high school. While in the NUSELI program, she furthered her interest in course development in the form of games with embedded accommodations for students with disabilities. View the dissertation entitled "Students Who Are Gifted and Public School Enrollment Choices Their Parents Make".

Early as an undergrad, Dr. Cumming met with a career counselor because she was "undecided" for her major. She recalls feeling that she was being steered to a career that didn't align with her interests and professional goals. Dr. Cumming was adamant in her desire to be a champion for others and to make a difference. As she continued her search for a college major, she enrolled in classes for exceptional student education and found her calling. Having completed her 22nd year in exceptional education, she takes pride in the impact she has made. Currently, Dr. Cumming serves as a teacher leader for transition services in Orange County Public School's Exceptional Student Education department. Previously, Dr. Cumming held positions in ESE curriculum and taught at the high school, middle school, and alternative school levels. Her desire to pursue a doctorate degree came after she served as the UCF Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute's Educator in Residence. Her time at UCF allowed her to work closely with the then College of Education and Human Performance faculty members. This opportunity ignited her interest to continue her education. Dr. Cumming is proud to be a UCF Knight and earned her undergraduate degrees in special education and interdisciplinary studies. Dr. Cumming earned her Master’s in Education in education leadership and graduated with her doctorate in 2015.

Dr. Hannah Ehrli is a National Board Certified teacher for over eighteen years in Exceptional Education. Dr. Ehrli earned her doctorate at the University of Central Florida (2015) and was awarded the highest academic university honor, the Order of the Pegasus. She has served exceptional learners as a teacher, consultant, and advocate. She is currently teaching at a unique preschool program she founded for students with Autism. In addition, she supervises high school students working as teacher aides within the preschool. Dr. Ehrli has worked extensively in Eastern Europe (Serbia) and Haiti as an international speaker on best practices for education of children with disabilities and the rights of women and girls. Currently, she serves on the board for the Haitian Center for Inclusive Education in Port Au Prince, Haiti and serves as the Early Childhood Educational Representative for the Division of International Special Education Services (DISES). Dr. Ehrli is a foundational member of the Family Council for the Division of Early Childhood (DEC). She previously served as the co-chair for the Florida State Advisory Council for Exceptional Children and continues as a subcommittee chair on Preschool Education for the State of Florida. Dr. Ehrli is an ambassador for Clinton’s Global Initiative University and is an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida. She is the recipient of the National Teacher of the Year for the Council for Exceptional Children and awarded the Millennium Maker from the United Nations Office of Academic Impact and Global Interactions Inc. View the dissertation entitled "Examining the Perspectives of Students with Learning Disabilities through their Lived Experiences".

Master teacher committed to universal design for learning principles and belief that all students can learn in an environment with proper instructional design, teaching strategies, and mentoring. Doctoral training in curriculum and instruction as well as ten years of professional experience in academic/program management and teaching positions in secondary and higher education settings. Areas of expertise include program management, particularly for special education; child development including special education learning theory and best practices; curriculum design and sequencing using Atlas mapping; instructional design based on Bloom's taxonomy; teacher training and development; negotiating and mentoring in academic settings; and community partnership building. Areas of research interest include executive functioning skills of students with disabilities and behavioral psychology. View the dissertation entitled "The Impact of Job Experience Training on Executive Functioning Skills for Students with Language Impairments".

Dr. Ian Gesundheit is currently the principal of John Young Elementary School, an Orange County Public School. He has been at John Young for one year. Ian started teaching in South Central Los Angeles as a bilingual teacher. He taught special education in Osceola and Orange counties for 6 years. He has been an administrator for over 17 years. Ian's research interest is to determine what the school leaders do to lead and develop schools with successful programs for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He plans to work closely in education providing support for any program that provides support for students with disabilities. Ian is passionate about making a difference in the lives of those who are directly affected by socio-economic disadvantages. He attended the University of California at Santa Cruz and his passion for change led him to go back to his high school to educate students about going to college. When he graduated from Santa Cruz over 50 students from his high school were now attending UC Santa Cruz. His masters is in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University as well as over 30 credit hours in Exceptional Student Education. View the dissertation entitled "Towards a Theory of Autism Spectrum Disorder Program Implementation".

Julie Joseph, Psy.S. has been working within education almost 13 years, starting out as a special education teacher and then as a school psychologist. Currently Julie is working at Seminole County Public Schools as a school psychologist serving two schools, an elementary and a high school, with a diverse student population. As a school psychologist, she works as an advocate for students to ensure appropriate services and supports to ensure positive outcomes for students with disabilities. Julie has conducted research to identify the leadership capacity and experiences of school psychologists in the schools they serve. Julie's future plans encompass ESE program leadership and training, advocating for students with disabilities, and meeting the personal, social, and educational needs of students with disabilities effectively. View the dissertation entitled "Exploring Leadership Experiences of School Psychologists in Supporting Schools: A Phenomenological Study".

I am currently an Assistant Principal at Oak Grove Middle School in Clearwater, Florida, where I supervise a variety of faculty and staff as well as approximately 1300 students. As an Assistant Principal, I aspire to establish a school culture and educational program conducive to individual student learning and personal growth. My greatest strengths include: Communication, teacher mentoring, curriculum design and improvement, school safety, standardized testing, program management and coordination, meetings and presentations. Furthermore, I am adept at fostering strong working relationships with all members of the local and school communities. I currently serve on the College of Education and Human Performance Teacher Education Advisory Board and the Educational Leadership Advisory Board at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. As an active member, I must remain focused on the needs of all students. In an effort to ensure that each will receive appropriate attention to meet their individual needs. View the dissertation entitled "Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivators That Impact Teacher Retention in Challenging Urban Schools".

Jonathan Rasmussen is currently the Assistant Principal of Instruction at Wekiva High School in Apopka, Fl. This is his fourth year in this position. He is most interested in conducting research related to the effect of socioeconomics on students with disabilities and strategies to overcome both of these issues in order to help students become academically successful. Jonathan plans to use the education he receives and contacts he makes, through NUSELI, to improve special education in Central Florida - with special focus on special education in schools within low socioeconomic areas. He is grateful and blessed to have this opportunity and a family that is willing to support him through the process. View the dissertation entitled "Principals' Lived Experiences in Childhood Poverty Impacting Resiliency of Students in Poverty".

I can recall the day I decided to become a teacher: it was the first day of my geometry class. The teacher stood on top of the desk and started drawing geometric objects on the walls and ceilings. She had all the students hanging on her every word. Her influence made such an impact it inspired me to become a teacher. After I graduated high school I went to Florida International University and earned a Bachelors Degree in Special Education. I have been employed by Dade County Public Schools for 12 years in many different capacities. I have taught students with various exceptionalities in the Inclusion setting, as well as, students with emotional and behavioral disorders. My first year teaching I was awarded CEC Rookie Teacher of the Year for my school. In addition to teaching, I have held leadership roles as department chair and program specialist of the Special Education Department. My desire for professional growth led me to pursue a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and my National Boards Certification. I aspire someday to make a greater impact of change on students, teachers, and the special education program, as a whole. The opportunities afforded by earning an Educational Doctorate, from NUSELI will make this attainable. View the dissertation entitled "Urban School Principal Rated as Highly Effective: Support and Culture for Co-teaching".

Dr. June Sellers is the Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services for Hartford Public Schools in Connecticut. Dr. Sellers brings extensive professional experience in conceptualizing and implementing equitable and inclusive educational environments and programming for students with disabilities. Dr. Sellers experience includes support for teaching and learning in in all content areas for students with disabilities who are learning general education standards, students with significant cognitive disabilities learning alternate achievement standards, and students who are gifted. Dr. Sellers earned an Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Urban Special Education Leadership and Administration from the University of Central Florida; a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Stetson University; and a Master’s degree in Exceptional Child Education from the University of Central Florida. Dr. Sellers’ mission is to improve the educational outcomes of students with disabilities and those from underserved and disadvantaged populations by relentlessly working toward continuous improvement and equity in urban public school systems. View the dissertation entitled "Inclusion: A Question of Practice, Stance, Values and Culture".

After pursuing a degree in Management of Organizations and entering the job market, I felt unfulfilled. Since I had worked with children during my studies, I decided to explore a career in education. I began teaching in the New York City Public Schools System through a program that enabled graduates of other fields to enter teaching. Within a few months I knew I had found my calling. I continued my education, obtaining a Master's degree in Elementary Education and Bilingual Education from Bank Street College of Education. In my twenty-two years as an educator I have been fortunate to work in a variety of grade levels and setting, ranging from Pre-k through College, bilingual, dual language, inclusion programs, and curriculum support. In addition, I worked at a Juvenile Addiction Receiving Facility with a high percentage of students with special needs. This experience served as a catalyst for an important turning point in my career. As a result, I developed an interest in special education and co-teaching. Co-teaching proved both a challenge and a tremendous learning experience. I left the classroom after twenty years to become a curriculum support specialist, helping teachers provide all students with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed. The opportunity to pursue a Doctoral degree with the help of NUSELI has been a tremendous honor and another wonderful turning point in my career. The cohort experience and challenging content have prepared me to continue the work of improving educational opportunities for students with disabilities. Earning this degree will allow me to impact change and aid in the organization and implementation of successful inclusion programs. View the dissertation entitled "Examining Practices of Elementary School Principals: Selection of Co-teaching Teams".

As a lifelong educator dedicated to improving the lives of children, Dr. Theis has held a variety of positions that have shaped her vision for education. She has served as a classroom teacher, the Educational Coordinator at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, as an adjunct instructor at Valencia Community College, and as a senior administrator in Orange County Public Schools. After being selected as the Educator in Residence at the University of Central Florida College of Community Innovation and Education, Dr. Theis realized her interest in becoming a doctoral scholar. Gratefully, she was selected as one of the members of the NUSELI program and focused her research on leadership and leadership development. Since graduating from UCF, Dr. Theis has served OCPS as the Principal of Pine Castle Elementary and as the Principal of Hospital Homebound and ESTEEM Academy. As principal of Hospital Homebound and ESTEEM Academy, she has had the opportunity to serve and learn more about students with acute and chronic illnesses. Undoubtedly, her work with NUSELI continues to inform her leadership and practices now and in the future. View the dissertation entitled "Phenomenological Study of Urban Elementary Principals: Reading-Proficient Students with Learning Disabilities".

Dr. Eric Wells currently serves the Oregon Department of Education as an Education Program Specialist working with IDEA Compliance and District Resources within the Office of Student Services. His work primarily focuses on supporting school districts’ IDEA compliance, systems improvement, and general supervision; facilitating and coordinating logistics and development associated with annual statewide public reporting of special education information; implementation of ESSA and CCSS for students with disabilities; and personnel development activities, most notably focused on the Oregon Speech and Language Pathologist Cohort Scholarship Program. Previously, he served the School District of Osceola County, Florida as a District Compliance/Program Specialist for the Exceptional Student Education Department, where he acted as a member of the leadership team for the ESE Department, a support for the ESE Compliance Specialists in the district, and a resource for parents, families, and students with disabilities. He has also worked as an ESE Compliance Specialist at the middle and high school levels, an ESE department chair, an ESE teacher, a regular education teacher, and a paraprofessional. In addition to his doctorate, Eric has earned the following degrees: Ed.S. in Administration and Supervision (2008) from National-Louis University (2008), M.S.Ed. in Special Education from Niagara University (2005), M.S.Ed. in Secondary Education from Niagara University (2004), and B.A. in Political Science, with a concentration in Law and Jurisprudence and minors in History and Religious Studies, from Niagara University. His studies imposed in him a strong sense of the importance of advocating for those marginalized by society, a passion he currently pursues in his day to day work on behalf of students with disabilities. Academically, Eric is interested in effective leadership within special education, with his dissertation having focused on the experience of school leaders who promote high levels of achievement for students with disabilities. View the dissertation entitled "The Experiences of School Leaders Who Promote Achievement Among Students with Disabilities".

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