We are proud to partner with an experienced team of educators, therapists, and specialists who bring decades of combined expertise to our professional learning sessions. Each presenter is committed to empowering individuals through engaging, informative, and high-quality learning experiences.
Amy Burns, Ph.D.
Amy, an educational leader with a decade of school administration experience in Rhode Island, has led schools at both the elementary and high school levels. Before serving as a PK–12 building administrator, she worked in educational research and evaluation at the University of Rhode Island and Brown University. She also served as an adjunct professor, teaching “The Psychology of Learning” to undergraduate students and “Educational Statistics” in the joint URI–RIC doctoral program. Amy applies her background in program design, data collection, and analysis to her work as an organizational leader. She has shared her experience at regional and national conferences on topics such as student attendance, tiered supports, and school improvement planning. She believes strongly in building trusting relationships with students, families, staff, and community partners, and works to create environments where those partnerships can thrive. Amy currently serves as the Chief Analytics, Strategic Initiatives, and Finance Officer at the Sargent Center in Warwick, Rhode Island. She holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Rhode Island.
Kerri Collins
Kerri brings years of experience supporting individuals with disabilities and has valuable lived experience as a family member. She is the Transition and Adult Specialist at the Sargent Center and focuses on implementing transition services and building strong community connections to support the agency and the youth served. Kerri is skilled in identifying and connecting youth and families with resources, building collaborative partnerships, developing employment programming, designing individualized transition plans that reflect each person's strengths, interests, and goals, all while holding high expectations at the forefront. Kerri holds a B.A. from RI College. She serves on the RI Special Education Advisory Committee (RISEAC), is a Board member of RI APSE (The Association of People Supporting Employment First), a member of Transition Advisory Committee, and holds a CESP (Certified Employment Support Professional Certification).
Natalie Fleming
Natalie is a Systems Change Specialist and School Psychology Consultant who has been working with youth, families, communities, and schools through various school-based, clinical, and leadership positions since 2006. Earlier in her career, as she learned how to help others navigate the different systems that govern our success, she became intrigued by the unique opportunity that schools provide in fostering the connection between the family, the school, and the health systems of care. This prompted her decision to pursue a Masters Degree in Educational Counseling and an Advanced Graduate Degree and career in School Psychology. Natalie has worked across age groups and settings supporting academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and mental health development, consultation and planning that helps all learners access their learning and grow together within safe and supportive learning environments. This rewarding career further fueled her passion in helping to establish schools as a foundation for interrelated supports that foster continuous learning, community building, and a focus on the overall health, well-being, and success of all students, families, educators and community members. From here, Natalie was fortunate to serve in several leadership roles that include the Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education) Grant Coordinator for Providence Public Schools, School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Coordinator and School Health Policy & Program Specialist for the RI Department of Education, and the Director of SEL and Mental Health for Providence Public Schools; as well as teach as an Adjunct Professor at RIC and serve various state and national professional organizations that support School Psychologists and Healthy Schools. Natalie’s goals and hopes are to utilize what she has learned to create tools, resources, and space for youth, caregivers, educators, and community members to lead the way and create pathways for more accessible and rewarding opportunities that enhance our collective wellbeing, our connection to one another, and our continuous learning and growth.
Jenessa Gabriele, M.A., BCBA
Jenessa is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with 15 years of experience supporting students, educators, and families through the application of evidence-based behavioral practices. Jenessa currently serves as the Behavioral Health and Wellness Coordinator at Sargent Center, where she provides leadership in the development and implementation of schoolwide behavioral systems, coordinates development of Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and individualized Behavior Support Plans (BSPs) and provides supervision to colleagues to ensure effective application of behavior intervention strategies. She also leads Sargent’s Wellness initiatives, which contribute to a safe, inclusive, and supportive school culture. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Providence College and dual Master’s degrees in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Mental Health & Rehabilitation Counseling from Salve Regina University.
Hannah Goodwin-Brown, M. Ed.
Hannah’s path to becoming a special education professional was a bit non-traditional—it started on a farm in Western Massachusetts, not in a school. That’s where she first discovered her passion for a service-oriented career, which led her to become a special education teacher. After spending a decade in the classroom, Hannah found herself gravitating toward supporting other educators in their practice. Hannah moved into the professional learning field in 2019, using her expertise to help schools navigate their most complex challenges and find the right tools to overcome them. Hannah’s work is driven by a belief that relationships are at the heart of meaningful progress. She builds collaborative partnerships based on mutual respect and trust, which allows her to provide hands-on support that is more effective and sustainable. Hannah provides coaching and professional learning to help implement evidence-based practices and achieve powerful results, such as improved academic outcomes, better attendance, and increased prosocial behaviors.
Katherine Marzilli, M.S., BCBA
Katherine is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with more than nine years of experience supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Katherine currently serves as a Behavior Specialist at Sargent Center where she provides direct support to students and educators, develops individualized behavior support plans, and leads professional development in evidence-based behavioral practices. She plays an integral role in IEP development, crisis management, and ensuring that student progress is consistently monitored through high-quality data collection and analysis. Katherine holds a Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from Bay Path University and Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Chemical Dependency & Addiction Studies from Rhode Island College. She is also a certified Safety Care Trainer and is CPR/First Aid certified.
Linda McQuaide
Linda brings over 20 years of experience in education and is known for her deep commitment to student success, confidence-building, and helping young people grow into their best selves. With a particular love for Algebra, she is a strong advocate for Building Thinking Classrooms, valuing the engagement, challenge, and equity the framework brings to learning. She spent 14 years as a high school mathematics teacher in Massachusetts before serving in a variety of instructional and leadership roles, including High School Assistant Principal, Elementary Principal, Math Instructional Coach, and Math Department Chair. Linda holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, a Post-Baccalaureate in Secondary Mathematics and Science Teaching from Bridgewater State University, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Providence College.
Vanessa Miller
Vanessa is primarily the K-12 Technology Integration Coach for the Narragansett School District in Rhode Island. Previous to this role, she has taught enrichment, robotics and computer science. She is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Rhode Island, supporting undergraduate and in-service teachers as they work toward their endorsement in Computer Science. Vanessa also consults/contracts both independently and with school districts, universities and educational partners to deliver professional learning workshops on Ai in Education throughout New England.
Lauryn Olson, M.S., CCC-SLP
Lauryn a licensed speech-language pathologist certified through the Rhode Island Department of Education and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She earned her Master of Science degree from the University of Rhode Island in May 2013 and has over 12 years of post-graduate clinical experience supporting children, adolescents, and young adults with complex communication needs. Her clinical work is rooted in a strong foundation in special education, supported by a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Special Education from Rhode Island College and over 10 years working within public and non-public schools. Lauryn currently serves as the Speech-Language Coordinator at The Sargent Center. She is passionate about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and is committed to promoting neurodiversity-affirming practices and helping students find and use their voice, regardless of communication modality.
Maureen Panesar, MS, OTR/L
Maureen is a licensed occupational therapist with over 7 years of clinical experience working with pediatric populations. She received her Master of Science degree from the University of New Hampshire in December 2017, where she completed research projects focused on improving quality of social interactions for autistic children. Since graduation, Maureen has worked in both school and pediatric outpatient settings, where she has supported children with a wide range of abilities. She is passionate about using assistive technology and sensory supports to enhance classroom and community participation.
Melissa Ugarte
Melissa, an educator for almost two decades, and her trusted mentors and advisers, envisioned educational and workplace programs that effectively focus on productive communication strategies that foster healthy learning and working environments. In understanding the need to bring social-emotional learning to schools and workplace settings, Melissa spent 365 days creating an all-inclusive limited liability corporation that offers training, language, and frameworks for how adults can nurture productive climates and how students can be expected to interact and behave in school. The Educated Edge, LLC, believes that programs with a strong relational focus will deliver successful outcomes. Melissa has held positions in counseling, behavior management, and leadership. She earned a Bachelor’s in Social Work, a Master’s in Restorative Practices, and is a licensed trainer and instructor for both the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) and Nonviolent Crisis Prevention Intervention Program. Melissa’s agency is contracted by organizations across the country to enhance relationship capacity in youths and adults.