CONFERENCE AGENDA

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM - CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEETING

Point Loma

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM - NAPSEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS & NCASES COMMISSION LUNCHEON

Belmont

Invitation Only

12:00 PM - 5:00 PM - REGISTRATION

Main Lobby

12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - NAPSEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

Belmont

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM - EXHIBITOR SETUP

Regatta Pavilion

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM - NCASES COMMISSION MEETING

Point Loma

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - NEWCOMER RECEPTION  

Banyan Court & Lawn

This reception provides an opportunity for first time attendees to meet NAPSEC Board Members and other new attendees in a smaller setting immediately before the Welcome Reception. 

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM - WELCOME RECEPTION  

Banyan Court & Lawn

Sponsored by Partlow Insurance

This event is the perfect time to catch up with colleagues and friends and to meet new ones as we kick off the conference. 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE:

ASAH Members Breakfast Roundtable

Crown Point

An informal opportunity for New Jersey State Association members to join a facilitated discussion with other ASAH members.

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE:

Mariner Point

An informal opportunity to join a facilitated discussion with other conference attendees. 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE:

Sunset Terrace

An informal opportunity to join a facilitated discussion with other conference attendees. 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST BUFFET

Regatta Pavilion

7:30 AM - 3:00 PM - REGISTRATION

Bayview Foyer

7:30 AM - 5:00 PM - EXHIBITS

Regatta Pavilion

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM - KEYNOTE: 

I'm Just a Kid with an IEP

Jordan Toma

Bayview Ballroom

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM - COFFEE BREAK

Regatta Pavilion

Sponsored by ScenicView Academy 

Enjoy a cup of coffee and visit with our exhibitors 

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION:

Leadership is the Strategy

Jenny Livelli

Bayview I

Directors and administrators in special education programs often face high staff turnover and burnout. Building strong leaders helps fix those problems. Good leadership supports teachers, improves the school climate, and leads to better outcomes for students. This session gives leaders a plan they can use to grow talent from within their own teams. It is made for leaders who want to build a stronger staff and improve the future of their programs. When staff feel supported and know how to lead, they are more likely to stay. They also do better work. Jenny Livelli, CEO of The Children’s Guild, will share how her team created leadership programs for people at all levels. She will explain how they use coaching, feedback, and planning to help staff grow.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION: 

Interprofessional Collaboration to Support Individuals with Profound Autism: Examples of Successes and Recommendations for Practitioners

Willow Hozella ,  Morgan Levy,  Rachel Flaherty 

Bayview II

The complex needs of individuals with profound autism often require support from multiple clinical disciplines (Matson & Burns, 2019). While disciplines often deliver services independently, better outcomes may be achieved when disciplines work collaboratively, with each specialty sharing and receiving expertise and guidance from the other (Bowman, et al., 2021; LaFrance et al., 2019). A recent survey found that while individuals from different disciplines strongly desire to work together, they report that their experiences have been less than satisfactory (Bowman, et al., 2024). This presentation will focus on examples of successful collaboration between speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and behavior analysis. The panel will describe successful collaboration and specific interpersonal and interprofessional strategies that facilitated effective collaboration, and how to overcome some of its known barriers.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION: 

The Nonprofit Board & ED/CEO Relationship: How to Make it Work Well

Ken Berger & Jyothish Daniel

Bayview III

The workshop explores the complex relationship between nonprofit boards — composed of volunteers with limited time and backgrounds — and the full‑time CEO/ED who manages day‑to‑day operations. It examines how boards can exercise oversight without overreaching into management, how executives can provide sufficient but not overwhelming information, and how to foster open dialogue that allows for healthy disagreement. The session will also discuss how the dynamic changes during crises and will feature the CEO/ED and a board trustee from Spectrum360 sharing candid examples and actionable recommendations for building a strong, collaborative board–executive partnership built on trust and mutual respect. 

12:15 PM - 1:30 PM - STATE OF THE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING & FEDERAL UPDATE

Regatta Pavillion 

Lunch provided

2025 State of the Association Meeting Minutes

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM - NCASES 101: INTRODUCTION TO ACCREDITATION

Bayview I

Participants will be provided with an overview of the accreditation process (i.e. origins, philosophy, mission, organizational structure) and a summary of the NCASES process from the time a program applies for accreditation through the completion of the site review and the final report. 

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION

Hot-Button Legal Issues Affecting Private Special Education Schools 

David B. Rubin, Esq.

Bayview II

Private special education programs are governed by a complex web of federal and state laws and regulations.  In this litigious environment, it is essential for school leaders to recognize potential legal issues before they blossom into full-blown crises. This session will review developments in the law over the past year of interest to the private school community and offer tips on how to minimize risk and avoid liability. 

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION

Extreme Makeover: School Edition

Michael Farrelly and Tracy Lee

Bayview III

Want to build a new school culture but do not know where to start? Thinking of remodeling your approach towards instruction and skill development? Well, we have some solutions for you! As current research evolves so must our mindset towards organizational outcomes. Presenters will share a detailed process used to further fulfill our organization’s mission with impactful practices across special education services. Come learn the importance of balancing horizontal and vertical decision making and how active listening can be a missing tool in the rebuilding process. Attendees will learn hands-on strategies that result in revamped and cohesive special education teams, strengthened administrator- staff relations, improved student outcomes and highly satisfied families and community stakeholders.

3:30 PM - 5:30 PM - EXHIBITOR HAPPY HOUR

Regatta Pavilion 

Join our conference exhibitors for a signature cocktail, a bite to eat, and another invaluable NAPSEC networking opportunity!

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM - FOUNDATION EVENT

Details coming soon

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE:

Crown Point

An informal opportunity to join a facilitated discussion with other conference attendees. 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE:

Mariner Point

An informal opportunity to join a facilitated discussion with other conference attendees. 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE:

Sunset Pavilion

An informal opportunity to join a facilitated discussion with other conference attendees. 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST BUFFET

Regatta Pavilion

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM - KEYNOTE

Rebecca Bultsma

Bayview Ballroom

I help people understand AI without freaking out or falling asleep.

For almost 20 years, I’ve been using my communication and PR background to turn complex ideas into something people can actually use. These days, that means working with educators, executives, and leadership teams who don’t just want to jump on the AI bandwagon—they want to actually get it. Through keynotes, workshops, and consulting, I help organizations figure out what responsible AI looks like in the real world, not just in a strategy deck.

I’m a communications pro who somehow ended up deep in the world of AI literacy and ethics. Now I work with school districts, nonprofits, businesses, and public sector teams across North America, helping them ask better questions: 

What is AI, really? 

What isn’t it? 

And how do we use it without losing our minds - or our values?

I’ve trained thousands of educators and leaders across Canada and the US and regularly collaborate on building AI literacy, shaping policy, and creating strategies that prioritize people, not just performance. I’m also the Chief Innovation Officer at Amplify & Elevate Innovation, a New York-based firm focused on bringing ethical, human-centered AI into education, and cohost of AmpED to 11, a podcast about where innovation meets reality in education. I believe ethics and innovation can sit at the same table—but only if we build understanding first. My mission? Help people use AI with clarity, confidence, and a strong moral compass.

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM - COFFEE BREAK

Regatta Pavilion

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION:

Hot-Button Legal Issues Affecting Private Special Education Schools 

David B. Rubin, Esq.

Bayview I

Private special education programs are governed by a complex web of federal and state laws and regulations.  In this litigious environment, it is essential for school leaders to recognize potential legal issues before they blossom into full-blown crises. This session will review developments in the law over the past year of interest to the private school community and offer tips on how to minimize risk and avoid liability

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION: 

Workshop

Rebecca Bultsma

Bayview II

Workshop description coming soon. 

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION: 

Leading from the Front Lines: The Supervisor’s Role in Employee Experience

Jen M. Renault & Emily Riley

Bayview III

Our employees on the front line serving our students, members, and families need supervisors, who are equipped with the tools to provide authentic and effective guidance, care, and leadership. Supervisors, a key part of the employee experience, are often the defining factor of a person’s job satisfaction. Through interactive discussion, supervisors, leaders, and administrators will walk away from this session with easy, inexpensive, daily actions supervisors can take that will have significant impact on employee engagement. Creating a stable and healthy work force is critical to ensuring our students and members thrive in our programs.

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM - LUNCH ON YOUR OWN

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM - NAPSEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

Belmont

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM - NCASES VOLUNTEER SITE REVIEWER TRAINING

Bayview I

Help support our mission to promote excellence in special education. This session will train participants to be a NCASES Site Reviewer. Once complete, participant names will be placed on the NCASES Site Reviewer list and you will be notified of opportunities to participate in upcoming site visits for applicant programs across the United States. 

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION

Tracking & Improving Student Outcomes

Linda Myers, Ed.D.

Bayview II

Kennedy Krieger School Programs’ Outcomes pilot project developed a new electronic survey system to gather information about graduates’ employment, education, independent living, agency support experiences, and their perceptions of how Kennedy Krieger Schools supported post-school outcomes. This presentation will provide an overview of survey development, results, and implications for future directions. The initiative has led to improved data practices and plans for broader implementation. Participants will be invited to join a discussion and/or the NAPSEC Outcomes Committee to explore the feasibility of a collaborative national outcomes tracking project for graduates from member programs.

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION: 

The Nonprofit Board & ED/CEO Relationship: How to Make it Work Well

Ken Berger & Jyothish Daniel

Bayview III

In this workshop we intend to explore this challenging and sometimes problematic relationship. We will explore questions including, but not limited to, the following: How does an ED/CEO strike the right balance, between too much detail and not enough, in providing the information a nonprofit Board needs to fulfill its responsibilities? How does a nonprofit Board hold the ED/CEO accountable while also not overstepping the appropriate role boundaries? How can frank and open discussions be assured, including the freedom to agree to disagree, given the differing roles (Oversight vs Executive Management/Leader)? How does the relationship change, if at all, during an agency crisis? These and related questions regarding this vitally important relationship will be explored. The ED/CEO of Spectrum360 and a member of the Board of Trustees of Spectrum360 will both provide their perspectives on these questions and provide some specific recommendations for how participants can maximize the effectiveness of the working

relationship.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM - NAPSEC PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING

Bayview I

Join fellow NAPSEC members for an engaging discussion on current policy priorities impacting private special education. This meeting will provide updates on NAPSEC’s advocacy initiatives, review emerging policy issues, and offer members an opportunity to share insights from their own states. Open to all interested attendees who want to stay informed and involved in shaping the policies that affect our community.

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM - NCASES HAPPY HOUR

Sunset Terrace

Stop by at the end of the day to relax and learn more about NCASES. We encourage current site reviewers to attend so we can thank you for donating your time and expertise on behalf of NCASES.

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE:

Crown Point

An informal opportunity to join a facilitated discussion with other conference attendees. 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE:

Mariner Point

An informal opportunity to join a facilitated discussion with other conference attendees. 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE:

Sunset Terrace

An informal opportunity to join a facilitated discussion with other conference attendees. 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - BREAKFAST BUFFET

Regatta Pavilion

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM - KEYNOTE:

Details Coming Soon

Bayview Ballroom

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION:

Tracking & Improving Student Outcomes

Linda Myers, Ed.D.

Bayview I

Kennedy Krieger School Programs’ Outcomes pilot project developed a new electronic survey system to gather information about graduates’ employment, education, independent living, agency support experiences, and their perceptions of how Kennedy Krieger Schools supported post-school outcomes. This presentation will provide an overview of survey development, results, and implications for future directions. The initiative has led to improved data practices and plans for broader implementation. Participants will be invited to join a discussion and/or the NAPSEC Outcomes Committee to explore the feasibility of a collaborative national outcomes tracking project for graduates from member programs.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION: 

Extreme Makeover: School Edition

Michael Farrelly and Tracy Lee

Bayview II

Want to build a new school culture but do not know where to start? Thinking of remodeling your approach towards instruction and skill development? Tired of wasting countless, sleepless evenings wondering how to begin or who can assist with fixing the problem? Well, we have some solutions for you! Investing the time and resources to assess special education programs and services that result in positive culture change and innovative initiatives can seem daunting for some and invigorating for others. Nonetheless, it is essential for school leaders to systemically review program effectiveness to ensure that approaches and practices of the past do not go stale and lead to lack of student progress or employee burnout. As current research evolves so must our mindset towards organizational outcomes. Presenters will share a detailed process used to further fulfill our organization’s mission with impactful practices across special education and related service disciplines. Come learn the importance of balancing horizontal and vertical decision making and how active listening can be a missing tool in the rebuilding process. Attendees will also learn hands-on strategies that result in revamped and cohesive special

education teams, strengthened administrator and staff relations, improved student outcomes and highly satisfied families and community stakeholders.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM - CONCURRENT SESSION:

Using AI in Education: Embracing Change and Overcoming Fear

Liz Wohlberg

Bayview III

This presentation invites school and clinical leaders to explore how artificial intelligence can be thoughtfully integrated into special education to reduce burnout, streamline documentation, and improve collaboration. Using relevant examples, ethical guidance, and live demonstrations of tools like Microsoft CoPilot, MagicSchool.ai, and Otter.ai, we’ll show how AI can support, rather than replace, the work of educators, administrators, and related service providers. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of AI’s role in special education and practical strategies for responsible, informed implementation tailored to their programs or practice. 

12:15 PM - 1:30 PM - AWARDS LUNCHEON & FAREWELL

Regatta Pavilion

Celebrate excellence in the field of private special education and adult services at this inspiring annual tradition. During this special luncheon, we will honor the 2026 NAPSEC and NCASES National Award recipients and recognize programs that have achieved NCASES accreditation this year. Join us as we spotlight the individuals and organizations whose dedication, innovation, and leadership are making a lasting impact. This is a conference highlight you won’t want to miss!

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEETING

Bayview I