APBS Board Elections 2013
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This year we have 14 superb candidates for the Full Board of Directors. They will be vying for five open seats on the board this year. Below is a list of the candidates (in alphabetical order) with biographical information and web links to acquaint you with the candidates. Candidates profiles are available online for your review. The online voting system will open on Wednesday at noon EST, October 3, 2012. The online voting system will close promptly at 4:00 p.m. EST on December 3, 2012. Click here to Cast Your Vote. Marla Dewhirst Web-links: Steve Goodman Web-links: Patti Hershfeldt Meme Hieneman Web-links:
Don Jackson Web-links: Nanci Johnson Web-links: Amy S. Lingo Web-links: JoAnne Malloy Web-links: Kent McIntosh Web-links:
Victoria McMullen Lori Newcomer Web-links: Bob Putnam Web-links: Jean Ramirez Carol Schall Web-links: |
ABPS has provided me with a solid framework to build my knowledge, relationships and expertise in PBIS. I would like to give back to this international network as a member of the APBS Board of Directors. I look forward to supporting the planning, delivery and evaluation of the annual conference, being part of the ongoing work groups and tasks that make APBS an organization that can support all tiers and levels of expertise in PBIS, and developing processes to recruit and involve of new membership.
I have been affiliated for 14 years with the Illinois PBIS Network. My expertise in this role has been to establish readiness, develop and sustain implementation of PBIS in pre-school through 12th grade by developing District Leadership, developing curriculum and providing training to Administration, Coaches, and building level teams in all Tiers of Behavioral Support, and developing/providing technical assistance to support sustained implementation with fidelity. For the past 13 years I have been involved in national training, coaching and technical assistance for Positive Behavior Support (PBS/PBIS). My role as a SWIS Facilitator Trainer and more recently a TIPS Trainer has given me opportunity to meet and support individuals across the nation in their PBIS efforts. This role has prepared me to support APBS in multiple and varied ways. I will devote time, energy and creativity to the APBS Board if the opportunity to serve is given.
It has been an honor to serve on the APBS board of directors beginning in 2010 and currently in the role of secretary. Over the past 30 years of my professional career, I have had the good fortune to participate in the developing field of Positive Behavior Supports. As a teacher and teacher consultant, I have implemented PBS at an individual level. I experienced the impact that PBS technology has for individuals, families and the school community. During the mid 1980's, I was privileged to be one of the first PBS trainers in Michigan, learning about a continuum of supports to meet the needs of the individuals within a variety of environments. As Principal Investigator for a federal behavior and reading grant, I learned about implementing PBS at a schoolwide level and how behavior and reading supports can be integrated for improved student outcomes. Currently, as director of Michigan's Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative and the director of the State Personnel Development Grant, I have learned about statewide systems of support as our project has grown from 23 schools to over 600 schools. I earned my Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University where I learned the technical aspects of the science of human behavior. I believe that APBS provides an opportunity to influence policy around sustainable PBS efforts that are implemented with fidelity. As a member of APBS I have benefited from a network that shares a common vision to improve schools and communities through PBS policy and practice.
My experience with PBIS has included work as a classroom teacher, a external coach associated with Johns Hopkins University's RTC (PBIS Plus) and now as the Asst. Director of Training and Technical Assistance for the MDS3 initiative. While all rich experiences I would like have the opportunity to further my understanding and reach by securing a position on the APBS Board of Directors. Serving in this capacity would allow me to be involved with other implementing states and at the national level.
My contribution to the board would include a perspective that is representative of building personnel, researchers, and university personnel. Additionally, I have been working to implement this logic in 31 high schools, an area that is still emerging in terms of what works.
I am honored to be nominated and would be an enthusiastic member of the board of directors. I have been a member of APBS since the organization was established and have attended all but one of the annual conferences. I provided input on the individual PBS standards and also assisted with the BCBA task list, encouraging the inclusion of standards relevant to PBS. I had the opportunity to be involved in the RRTC on PBS, supporting the national training network which was the forerunner to this organization.
Having worked in a variety of residential, school, home, and community settings, I would be in a position to represent most of our constituencies and speak to the issues associated with application across environments. Having participated in studies and scholarly activities, I would use analytical reasoning and evidence-based practices to guide my activities. Having served in program development and leadership roles, I would enjoy the opportunity to apply my organizational skills and collaborative processes to help our organization move forward with all of its diverse and exciting initiatives.
In my current role, I have the flexibility to dedicate energy and time to APBS. My hope is that I will be able to contribute to APBS's development, working with my colleagues to continue its balanced and progressive agenda. Specifically, I am interested in extending PBS to broader systems (including, families), promoting research on effective and efficient implementation of behavioral interventions in complex community settings, and extending applications to other populations, especially typically-developing children.
My interest in serving on the APBS Board is rooted in a career-long commitment to developing and implementing effective, evidence-based practices for individuals and organizations. As an active member of APBS since its inception (conference presentations; 2006 conference local planning committee), I know personally about the impact and growth of APBS, and its potential for influencing future PBS research and practices. My own previous work has included federally funded projects including multi-state implementation/evaluation of the Behavior Analysis Follow Through program, a "handicapped children's model program," and many others. In 1999, I spearheaded a statewide coalition of Nevada agencies and schools, leading to inclusion in the NIDRR funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC-PBS) state training team project. I have served since then as Director of PBS-Nevada, which has been funded continuously through state dollars and collaborating agencies and school districts, and supports PBS programs in early childhood, schools, and community agencies. Nevada is a Network affiliate of APBS. I have provided leadership nationally (RRTC Training/Dissemination Steering Committee; AAIDD Region 2 Executive Board) as well as in Nevada where my role has included state-level policy development, interfacing with stakeholder commissions, boards and legislators, and building systemic interagency collaborations. I believe APBS can be most effective with broad representation of stakeholder groups on its Board. If elected to the Board, I would be pleased to participate actively in the expansion of APBS's membership and scope of influence on behavior support initiatives serving a variety of individuals of all ages.
The mission of APBS is to support individuals in the reduction of problem behavioral challenges while simultaneously increasing independence. This mission intersects with my professional and personal lives and interests. As a parent educator, classroom teacher, educator, school and district level coach, researcher, facilitator, coordinator, professional developer, data collector & analyst, writer, and as a parent I have spent my adult life working to create environments that better support the success of all individuals. My professional work and advocacy has been grounded in research-based practices and has extended across the lifespan. A significant portion of my work has been focused on organizational change across a multiplicity of levels (e.g., family, classroom, grade level, leadership team, school, district, and state), and change that often times is achieved one relationship at a time.
Advocacy and volunteerism are behaviors that have been modeled by my parents and grandparents and a family value I have happily emulated. Although life is a marathon, time is often short and a commodity to be carefully allocated. But when I was nominated to serve on the APBS Board of Directors I did not hesitate to accept the nomination. APBS philosophically and meaningfully supports my work and my passion for supporting life outcomes for all individuals. If elected by the APBS membership I will bring my skills, knowledge and passion to the service of this organization.
I was introduced to PBIS as a doctoral student under the direction of Dr. Mike Nelson at the University of Kentucky and over the past 10 years I have been fortunate to have worked with a number of like experts to gain experiences in training and supporting PBIS across the tiers, across age groups, and across both academic and social behavior. For the past 5 years I have been Co-Director of the Academic and Behavior Response to Intervention (ABRI) project at the University of Louisville, which was funded to further PBIS and RTI efforts across the state. Having worked directly with dozens of schools to implement PBIS systems, I know first-hand what effects we can have on students if we have the knowledge and support to implement effective practices. As such, I have learned that changing student behavior begins with changing adult behavior. As a member of the APBS board I would advocate for a focus on furthering our development of effective systems for training and supporting teachers to implement and sustain effective practices in the classroom and across the school. In addition, I am a very strong believer in effective instruction as perhaps the most important aspect of universal interventions for both academic and social behavior. I would work with both the APBS leadership and membership to incorporate principals of effective instruction as a tier I focus. Because I've seen what a difference strong advocacy for PBIS can do for teachers, students, and families, I would be honored to take a role in facilitating the next steps of this important process over a 3-year term.
As a member and participant, I have found the Association of Positive Behavior Supports to be a rich, supportive, and ever-evolving community of individuals who are focused on the critical goal of creating safe, supportive, and positive learning environments for every single child and youth. There is perhaps no more important task for all of us than to ensure that all children have the support they need to become happy, healthy, and competent adults. I think I can offer a voice to the APBS board that is focused on behavioral and transition supports for youth in high schools, and for the transformation of high school climates and cultures using PBIS framework. I can offer over 16 years of experience working with schools, youth, families and community organizations on the creation of youth-driven transition for youth with and without Individualized Education
Plans, expertise in dropout prevention and implementation of the multi-tiered systems of support within the high school environment, experience with youth leadership, and experience and expertise in the application of Implementation Science. My research is primarily focused on the contexts that contribute to or diminish the isolation and exclusion of youth with emotional and behavioral challenges from those resources that are most critical to their healthy growth and development. I can be a voice at the APBS table for individuals who work with high schools within a PBIS framework, and, if elected, will prioritize my time to ensure that I can contribute to the mission and vision of the APBS.
I would be honored to serve as a Board member of APBS to give back to the organization that has inspired and supported me for many years. APBS has improved practices and outcomes for so many individuals and organizations, and I hope to lend my support to enhance the Board's mission by assisting with translation of research findings into practice. I currently work as a member of the PBIS TA Center in the United States and as a founding member of the National PBS-SCP Network in Canada. In these efforts, I've been fortunate to work with dedicated educators and administrators across North America. My current research focus is on understanding and promoting the sustainability of evidencebased practices, such as PBIS, in schools. This work has resulted in publications and action planning tools that are being used by school, district, and state personnel in sustaining effective practices within a larger societal context that often values educational fads over proven practices. This research also pertains to APBS and its current goals in maintaining and expanding effective, valuesdriven practices and systems to support all individuals. APBS is a vital organization, and I hope that my programs of research and experience supporting teachers and administrators would help me contribute to an active, determined, and successful Board. I thank you for your important work with individuals and look forward to seeing you at the APBS Conference and in the schools!
I am interested in serving on the APBS board to represent individuals who need tertiary levels of support. I would also like to help represent the needs of those assisting individuals who need this level of support. I am an associate professor at Webster University and coordinate the graduate program in education of individuals with severe developmental disabilities. I am also the mother of a young adult who has had a positive behavior support plan for the last twenty years. As professionals in the field, we need to continue the research that has outlined numerous effective strategies for supporting individuals with challenging behaviors. As advocates in the field, we need to continue to work toward reforming systems, so that supports can be accessed. As someone with experience in K-12 education, teacher training and the adult service system, I am aware of the many obstacles there are to providing effective supports to individuals with challenging behavior. APBS is a group that is dedicated to overcoming those obstacles and creating new opportunities. I hope to be a part of the team that leads the way in this area.
I have enjoyed serving on the APBS Board of Directors since 2010 and participating as the chair of the membership committee. We have accomplished a great deal in the past three years, but there is much more on the agenda in the coming years, with an emphasis on assessing and meeting the needs of our membership, expanding network opportunities, and reaching out to groups who are underrepresented among our ranks.
As one of the first APBS members, I have been actively engaged in the research, training and dissemination of positive behavior support for over 10 years and have provided training and technical assistance in individual, classroom, targeted group and school-wide PBS wide across the U.S., Canada, and Australia and I have served as a Research Partner for the OSEP TA Center on PBIS. Much of my professional activity and research involves systems change efforts at local, state and national levels to support the implementation of PBS. Currently, I am an Associate Editor for the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions and Support and Assistant Research Professor at the University of Missouri. As part of the Missouri Prevention Center I am engaged in research to inform practices to improve the welfare of children, including family, peer, and school systems. I completed my doctoral degree at the University of Missouri in Special Education with an emphasis in Behavior Disorders.
I am excited about the growth and impact of APBS, and would be honored to continue to serve Board of Directors.
I am interested in serving on the APBS Board of Directors to actively promote the adoption of positive behavior supports in schools, mental health organizations and developmental disability services. As director of school consultation at the May Institute I oversee technical assistance to schools and support to families as well as train doctoral students in PBIS. I am also a national partner in the National Technical Assistance Center for PBIS, as well as, Director of Consultation for the National Autism Center. As part of the APBS Board of Directors I would work towards expanding positive behavior support practices and systems beyond schools and into our mental health and developmental disability systems. As current president of the Positive Behavior Support Special Interest Group of the Association for Behavioral Analysis International (ABAI) I would like to work towards a closer relationship with ABAI to enhance the efforts of both organizations to promote positive behavior support and applied behavior analysis practices. I think these efforts would help increase the membership of both of these organizations. I am also interested in the promotion of national and state guidelines and regulations that ensure systematic application of positive behavior support practices and systems that will assist in the increasing and as well as sustaining funding for PBS efforts.
Jean is a former regular and special education teacher, and when she walks into a school her favorite spot is in a classroom. She was also a special education placement coordinator at the elementary, middle, and high school level. Jean spent five years working with the SWGA Georgia Learning Resource System as a program specialist and child find advocate working on projects including PBIS, FBA-BIP team training, LRE, Struggling Reader and many other state projects. For the past five years Jean has been with the GA DOE as a program specialist with the Positive Behavior Support Project.
Her strongest experience base comes from being a Mom to five children who taught her to build on their strengths and appreciate and support their needs. It is her desire to use this knowledge in the work she does each day.
In addition to working with positive behavioral interventions and supports Jean also co-founded a marathon running group for people, like her, who never believed that they were capable of completing a marathon. Now the majority of the members have completely at least one. Jean has successfully completed two marathons, but now prefers casual weekend runs and half marathons.
Jean describes her ideal work day as one that allows her to be in schools, providing direct support for system level change and helping to make a plan for a better environment for all. It is those days that make her feel like she is walking on air.
When Jean is not working she is outdoors running, planting, and having fun with her family.
I have found that the philosophical and scientific perspective provided by Positive Behavior Supports is most comprehensive and supportive way to consider and solve the types of challenges encountered by individuals with ASD, their families and support teams. Because of the soundness of this approach and the success families and support teams encounter, I have worked within Virginia to develop systematic ways for consumers to access Positive Behavior Supports through existing funding streams including Virginia's Medicaid Waiver and Department of Rehabilitative Services. This work at the systems level has enabled Virginia to be one of the few states to offer Individual Positive Behavior Support Facilitation as a funded service available to families, schools, day support, work support, and community service providers. My passion about increasing access to Positive Behavior Support Services has extended to my research. Most recently, as Principal Investigator in study two of Vocational Rehabilitation Service Models for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research at the United States Department of Education (NIDRR) Grant Award # H133A080027), I, with my research team, have begun to collect data on the implementation of Individual Positive Behavior Supports in work settings. This area of research considers the contextual fit between assessment and intervention in work settings. As a board member for APBS, I would be honored to provide my perspective on implementation of positive behavior supports as a service through statewide systems and for adults with ASD at work.
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