About/Contact Us
Biographies:
Cynthia Mata Aguilar (project director) brings her perspectives as an education practitioner and a Latina, turning a sympathetic yet practical eye on instructional practice. Ms. Aguilar has directed numerous OSEP-funded research projects focusing on inclusive schooling over the past seven years, including Good High Schools, Partners, and Beacons of Excellence. She has been a high school language arts department chair, professional development specialist, school evaluator, and diversity trainer for over 30 years. Ms. Mata Aguilar will be responsible for the day-to-day project management.
Barbara Gerner de Garcia (co-principal investigator) brings many years of research that focus on the multi-cultural parents of deaf students. Fluent in English, Spanish, and ASL, Dr. Gerner de Garcia is deeply aware of the challenges that face families of students with disabilities. She is currently Associate Professor of Multi-Cultural Foundations at Gallaudet University, leading an OSEP/OELA-funded project, Literacy for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students, which focuses on the involvement of families in the educational process. Previously, she was a teacher in the Boston Public Schools for 17 years. Dr. Gerner de Garcia will provide conceptual leadership and ensure technical quality.
Catherine Cobb Morocco (co-principal investigator) has focused her research on access to the general education curriculum, whole school reforms that benefit students with disabilities, and on literacy instruction in diverse urban classrooms. Dr. Morocco examines and analyzes schools from the perspective based of academic excellence. Over the past 17 years, she has served as a senior scientist and/or director of many projects focused on inclusive schooling, including the Reach Institute, Beacons of Excellence, and Reach for Reading projects. Dr. Morocco will work with Dr. Gerner de Garcia to provide conceptual leadership and frameworks for analyzing and synthesizing data.
Nancy Brigham (methodologist) brings experience and knowledge of the nuances of program implementation in various types of schools. Her perspective is systemic and she is skilled at seeing patterns and cross-site themes. Her research specialization is in qualitative methodology; she developed her expertise through work both at Abt Associates in Cambridge, MA and Cosmos Corporation in Washington, DC. She has extensive experience in studies of school reform. Ms. Brigham will serve as a member of the core team, guide instrument development and supervise data analysis.
Anna McTigue (research associate) has over twenty years of experience working in special education as a teacher educator, administrator, and special education teacher. Her areas of expertise are secondary special education, teacher preparation, professional development, and urban education. She is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Urban Education with a specialization in special education. Ms. McTigue will help guide all aspects of the research as a key project advisor.
Amanda Dickerson (research assistant II) has developed a strong knowledge of successful middle-grades pedagogy working for the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform over the last four years. Currently, she also works with the PALMS project (funded by the Lumina Foundation for Education) to identify programs that successfully reach Hispanic parents with information regarding post-secondary option for their children. She is particularly interested in issues relating to immigrant families. Ms. Dickerson will assist in day to day operations and coordinate data collection, management, and analysis.
Laurie B. Rosenblum (product developer) has worked on increasing access to disability and health information and services for over 15 years, in the roles of writer and editor, project coordinator, and health educator. She brings the experience of having Tourette Syndrome and many years of involvement with the Tourette Syndrome Association. She will assist with the written reports and products that will be disseminated through the advisory board's channels and networks.
