Emily (she/her) is a doctoral student in the LD/BD program at The University of Texas at Austin. Emily received her master’s degree in special education with an emphasis in dyslexia from Midwestern State University. She is a Certified Academic Language Therapist and trained in the Take Flight program through the Scottish Rite Hospital. Before joining the PhD program, Emily was a special education teacher and dyslexia interventionist in Austin ISD. Her research interests are teacher knowledge of reading instruction and social-emotional outcomes for students with dyslexia.

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Elizabeth (she/her) is a doctoral student in the LD/BD program at The University of Texas at Austin. She is a doctoral scholar with the National Center for Leadership on Intensive Intervention (NCLII-2). Elizabeth has her M.S. in special education focusing on behavior disorders and positive behavior supports from Texas State University. Prior to beginning her PhD at UT Austin, she led a behavior inclusion program in San Marcos CISD. She aims to conduct research that will improve screening and interventions that target the emotional and academic effects of trauma.

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Gabriela (she/her) is a doctoral student in the LD/BD program at The University of Texas at Austin and a LADDER scholar. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Learning and Development - Special Education as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Plan II Honors from UT Austin. She also holds a Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership from American University. Gabriela has dedicated her career to supporting students with disabilities by teaching in various Special Education settings, acting as a Special Education Instructional Coach, and, most recently, serving as an Assistant Principal overseeing a High School Special Education Department. Gabriela’s experience and passion to support individuals and families that receive Special Education services, led her to pursue her Ph.D. She hopes to study how to better prepare Special Education teachers to support students with academic disabilities and behavioral disorders, as well as their families. As a first generation, bilingual American, Gabriela is also interested in better understanding the intersection between disability and bilingualism.  ​

Abbi (she/her) is a doctoral student in the LD/BD program at The University of Texas at Austin. Abbi received her BA in early childhood education from Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Abbi began her teaching career as a reading interventionist. Her work prompted her to pursue a MA in Reading Science also from Mount St. Joseph. She then worked as a district dyslexia specialist and an academic language therapist. Abbi’s research interests include teacher knowledge of dyslexia and use of research-based reading instructional practices, and how these relate to student outcomes for students with reading disabilities.

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Roy’al (he/him) is a doctoral student in the LD/BD program at The University of Texas at Austin. Roy’al received a bachelor of arts in political science, and a master of education in special education from Boston University. Prior to beginning his Ph.D. at UT Austin, Roy’al worked as a special education teacher at a charter school in Boston, Massachusetts supporting K-8th grade students with moderate disabilities and their families. His work in the field prompted him to pursue his Ph.D., to study intensive literacy interventions for students identified with both reading disabilities and behavior disorders.

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Raquel (she/her) is a doctoral student in the LD/BD program at The University of Texas at Austin. She is completing her master's in education with a certificate in technology, information, and communication from European University of the Atlantic. Raquel has been a teacher in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for over 20 years and has taught across grade levels, content areas, and settings. Her research interests focus on use of media tools to enhance reading instruction for students with learning disabilities.

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