Leadership CEC - Program Overview
The Leadership CEC program is designed to develop knowledge and leadership skills in CEC members who are new or emerging leaders and have been nominated for participation by a CEC unit or division.
Intended to strengthen the pool of individuals to serve as future unit and division leaders, learning opportunities are designed for participants to gain a deeper understanding of the CEC organization, its resources (for both individuals and units/divisions), supports available for units/divisions, and leadership functions and competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities).
Virtual sessions, presented by CEC staff and leadership, include a mix of whole-group and break-out activities designed to help participants engage with each other and ask questions about how CEC operations serve the overall organization. Through its meetings, shared resources, and networking opportunities, Leadership CEC helps strengthen future leadership for CEC's units and divisions and participants’ potential impact.
Learn More About Leadership CEC
Leadership CEC participants will:
- learn from CEC staff about CEC’s programs and service and how they support CEC’s vision, mission, and strategic plan, and its units/divisions;
- establish mutually beneficial relationships with leadership peers across CEC;
- identify new ways to have a purposeful impact in CEC; and
- collaborate with other inspired leaders to cultivate a successful and effective organization.
- The program will have 20-25 participants. Preference will be given to ensuring as many units/divisions as possible are represented and to individuals who are new to service, or aspire to serve, in a unit/division. Two participants from one unit/division will occur only if slots would otherwise go unfilled. Nominees’ demographic information will be reviewed to ensure a cohort balance (geographic, unit/division size, gender, etc.)
- Commit to a one-year program of up to 12 monthly sessions.
- Complete a participation agreement.
- Complete a brief goals/interest survey.
- Advise the CEC staff program liaison if they are unable to attend a session.
- View the session recording if unable to attend a session.
- Complete a brief survey following each session.
- If possible, attend the CEC Convention and Expo and Leadership Institute*
* CEC does not provide financial support for attending these events.
Participants who attend at least 75% of the sessions will receive a certificate of completion.
Members by Cohort
| Nominee | Nominating Unit/Division |
|---|---|
| Katie Abrams | Iowa |
| Samantha Anderson | Utah |
| Gwynee Carey | Tennessee |
| Abigail Chavis | Georgia |
| Carla Clardy | South Carolina |
| Lisa Didion | Kansas |
| Caroline Fitchett | Division for Autism and Developmental Disabilities |
| Melissa Fogarty | Texas |
| Laura Gomez | Division for Autism and Developmental Disabilities |
| Tracy Gordon | Illinois |
| Stephanie Gross | New York |
| Stephanie Hand | Division for Emotional and Behavioral Health |
| Meri Havenat | Illinois |
| Jillian Hershey | Ohio |
| LaSheba Hilliard | Tennessee |
| Natalie Hlady | Manitoba |
| Kimberly Krammer | Michigan |
| Erin Loomis | Ohio |
| Justine Parnell | Division for Emotional and Behavioral Health |
| Shauna Phillips | Michigan |
| MaryAnn Pierce | Utah |
| Letitia Render | Georgia |
| Renee Rochefort | Alaska |
| Rachel Shahrivar | California |
| Kathyanne Sheffield | Division for International and Special Education Services |
| Tara Tedrow | Iowa |
| Jude Wolf | California |
| Teresa Youngblood | Arkansas |
| Becky Zingsheim | Wisconsin |
| Nominee | Nominating Unit/Division |
|---|---|
| Tammy Anderson | Georgia |
| Cameron Carden | Division for Communication Disorders |
| Matthew Collier | South Carolina |
| Chad Downes | Ontario |
| Michael Edwards | Illinois |
| Theresa Fay | Division for Communication Disorders |
| Carlos Flores | Texas |
| Toni Franklin | Teacher Education Division |
| Regina Frazier | Virginia |
| Camilo Gomez | Utah |
| Tonya Grimmke | Georgia |
| Elizabeth Hughes | Division for Communication Disorders |
| Janet Knighten | Division for Visual and Performing Arts Education |
| Amy Kunkel | Innovations in Special Education Technology Division |
| Maquila Mills | Tennessee |
| Adam Moore | Teacher Education Division |
| Morgan Nelson | Utah |
| Allison Oliver | Tennessee |
| Jessica Perdue | Ohio |
| James Price | North Carolina |
| Saurym Quezada | Division of International Special Education and Services |
| Lauren Schnal | New York |
| Shara Schutter | Illinois |
| Michael Snipes | South Carolina |
| Robanne Stading | Alaska |
| Angi Stone-MacDonald | Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities |
| Josh Taylor | Division on Career Development and Transition |
| Ruth Taylor | Arkansas |
| Thai Williams | Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities |
| Nancy Young | Arkansas |
| Nominee | Nominating Unit/Division |
|---|---|
| Audrey Bartholomew | Maine |
| Jasmine Begeske | DARTS |
| Kelly Campbell | Minnesota |
| Danielle Dutcher | Innovations in Special Education Technology Division |
| Olivia Enders | South Carolina |
| Shaqwana Freeman-Green | Division for Learning Disabilities |
| Taylor Gibbons | Ohio |
| Lisa Goran | Division for Learning Disabilities |
| Heather Grimblo | Vermont |
| Amanda Hughlock | New Hampshire |
| Chanita Jones | Illinois Division for Diverse Exceptional Learners |
| Alexandra Kanellis | Florida |
| Danielle Lane | Division of International Special Education and Services |
| Jaqua Lewis | Florida |
| Leana Malinowsky | Division of Leaders and Legacy |
| Gianna Marshall | Iowa |
| Amillia Oswalt | Arkansas |
| Lyndsay Palach Shelton | Illinois Division on Career Development and Transition |
| Sarah Papineau | Minnesota |
| Alicia Pence | Tennessee |
| David Peyton | Teacher Education Division |
| Ronda Rufsvold | Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing |
| Natalia Sandoval | Hawaii |
| Gena Santharam | Wisconsin |
| Melissa Savage | Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities |
| Jennifer Sears | Teacher Education Division |
| Cate Smith | Complex and Chronic Conditions: The Division for Physical, Health and Multiple Disabilities |
| Jonathan "Nick" Solomon | Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing |
| Jennifer Ward | Division of International Special Education and Services |
| Alisa Wilson | Arkansas |
| Nominee | Nominating Unit/Division |
|---|---|
| Lisa Amundson | Idaho |
| Rachel Brown-Chidsey | Maine |
| Michelle Buchanan | The Association for the Gifted |
| Lynn Clayton-Prince | Virginia |
| Britt Coffey | Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing |
| Kyena Cornelius | Teacher Education Division |
| Shantal Farnan | Missouri |
| Derek Govin | Hawaii |
| Elizabeth Harkins | Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities |
| Susan Harvey | Division of Visual and Performing Arts Education |
| Margaret Lubke | Minnesota |
| Michele Moohr | Ohio |
| Brooke Moore | Division for Learning Disabilities |
| Heather O'Connor | Ohio |
| Samantha Riggleman | Pennsylvania |
| Laura Sebastian | Ohio |
| Rebecca Sherod | Division for Emotional and Behavioral Health |
| Karen Smith | Maine |
| Michael Solis | Division for Learning Disabilities |
| LaKaish Stanley | Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing |
| Tammy Stephens | Council for Educational Diagnostic Services |
| Melissa Taylor | Illinois |
| Victor Torres | Ohio |
| Veronica Williams | Georgia |
| Leah Wood | Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities |
| Elizabeth Zagata | Council for Educational Diagnostic Services |
There is a benefit to joining a community of like-minded colleagues in the field of special education. We often are in our own bubbles and cannot collaborate, ask questions, and speak our minds about what is happening in special education. Leadership CEC gives us a platform in which we can work together for the betterment of the population we serve.
Camilo Gomez
Utah CEC
2024-25 Cohort
Connecting with others through Leadership CEC really encouraged me that I am not alone in leadership! As a brand-new Unit leader, hearing all the ins and outs of CEC as well as being able to network with others with similar successes and challenges makes me a better leader.
Robanne Stading
Alaska CEC
2024-25 Cohort
Leadership CEC was deeply impactful for me as a leader—enhancing my confidence and ability to serve with purpose. The talented and diverse network of CEC colleagues who facilitated and participated in the program broadened my perspective and equipped me with the tools needed for my next leadership role. Participating in Leadership CEC reaffirmed my commitment to serving in an organization that has become my professional “home” for the last 16 years.
Adam Moore
Teacher Education Division
2024-25 Cohort
The Ohio CEC Unit has had participants in each of the three cohorts of the Leadership CEC program. Each of them had experience in various roles on the Ohio board and were nominated largely because of their motivation and dedication to CEC initiatives and membership. A key thread with all was the relationships built within the board and their participation level, to the extent that the nominating president knew that the individuals were prepared to make the commitment to Leadership CEC. Everyone who has participated has expressed that the meaningful sessions have resulted in a better and deeper understanding of CEC as an organization, as well as takeaways that pertain to improving our Unit.
As a result of the Leadership CEC program, our participants have deepened their understanding of CEC and brought back ideas for our unit. These include updates to the website, committee member engagement, and membership drives, to name a few. These have resulted in a more cohesive leadership team with an increased capacity to support and engage our unit members.
Dr. Jennifer Webb
Past President,
Ohio CEC
Leadership CEC was a great experience! I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about CEC Leadership and ways to build community. The program definitely helped me build leadership skills and learn about pathways to leadership and ways to further engage in the CEC Community.
Gianna Marshall
Iowa CEC
2023-24 Cohort Member
Leadership CEC has been an amazing opportunity to be able to connect, network, and learn from some of the brightest minds in exceptional education across all of the CEC divisions. I've especially loved learning new and better ways to enhance our own special interest divisions while advancing the field together as a whole.
