AASR Live

Please join us for “Disproportionate School Brutality Upon Black Children” with Nicole Tuchinda.

Nicole Tuchinda, JD, MD, LLM is a special education attorney, Assistant Professor, and Director of the Health Law Program at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. She writes about the need to make education trauma-informed and attachment-driven, and she co-founded a medical-legal partnership clinic at Georgetown University Law Center (GULC). She has an LL.M from GULC and the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law; an M.D. from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; and a J.D. from George Washington University Law School.

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Please join us for "Educator Well Being: Discussing the Current Conditions of Stress Response in Education" with Angelina Zara.

Born and raised in the heart of Washington, DC, Angie found her passion in education in 2015, serving students and caregivers in her hometown. As an elementary school teacher in a Title 1, full-inclusion classroom, Angie learned early on about the power of research-based, trauma-informed strategies, and her philosophy was forever changed. She has first-hand experience of the impact of trauma-informed education and the direct correlation to powerful relationships and increased student achievement in diverse learning communities.

Through what Angie refers to as “walking the walk”, she pioneered the vision and creation of the brand new position of Social Emotional Learning Specialist in her elementary school. Currently serving in this position, Angie provides professional development, classroom modeling, and coaching to educators on trauma-informed practices and strategies to promote awareness and relational safety for all in the classroom and school community. After accomplishing this role in its inaugural year, Angie is proud to say that it has been created across the entire local educational agency in the middle school and high school setting. This only further fuels the fire that this work must be shared widely and authentically.

Angie completed Applied Educational Neuroscience Certification from Butler University in 2021, and has had the privilege to work closely with Dr Lori Desautels. These collaborations include designing and incorporating various applications within her Applied Educational Neuroscience (AEN) Framework. These have focused on wellness practices for the educator nervous system and intentionally incorporating equity within the AEN Pillars. In addition to national presenting and working full time at her school, Angie serves as an adjunct faculty for Dr. Desautels' Applied Educational Neuroscience Certification Program and consults with the Trauma Informed Educators Network under Mathew Portell. In 2023, Angie also launched her LLC alongside her business partner, Nicole Keler, entitled "LiveWellEd". This LLC provides advocacy and education coaching to caregivers and parents of neurodiverse students to empower parents from a strength-based approach.

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Celebrating 5 Incredible Years: A Live Interview with Guy Stephens on the Past, Present, and Future of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint

 Join us for a unique event for the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) as we present a Live, in-person interview with Guy Stephens, the visionary Founder and Director of AASR, that promises to be both heartwarming and enlightening, in celebration of AASR's 5th Anniversary. 

 For years, you've followed Guy and AASR's journey, supported our initiatives, and contributed to our live interviews, making our advocacy resonate across borders. This live interview will not only highlight the achievements and challenges of our collective journey, but will also offer a unique, personal perspective on the mission that has united us all. It's an opportunity for our community, volunteers, and professionals who have been an integral part of AASR to come together, share insights, and reinforce our commitment to a cause that impacts lives every day.

We invite you to be a part of this inspiring event as we delve into discussions that will include reflections on our past, insights into our ongoing projects, and visions for the future of our advocacy. Whether you've been with Guy Stephens and AASR from the start or are just learning about our cause, your presence will make this occasion all the more meaningful. Tune in live to be moved, motivated, and reminded of the powerful difference we can make when we stand together against the use of seclusion and restraint. Don't miss out on this significant occasion that marks a new chapter in our journey towards a safer, more compassionate world.

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Please join us for “How Neuroscience and a Mother’s Love Led to the Creation of CapeAble® Weighted Products” with Marna Pacheco.

Marna Pacheco is the founder of CapeAble® Weighted Products and inventor of SmartWeight® Technology proudly manufactured in the USA. Marna embodies the saying: “Necessity is the mother of invention.” To help her adopted daughter with significant neurological and developmental early childhood trauma, Marna immersed herself in the latest research in neuroscience to invent SmartWeight® Technology, which offers a better approach to felt safety and effective weighted therapy, disrupting the industry, and changing lives. It all started with a Weighted Cape and continues to be fueled by her passion for helping others know they have value and deserve to reach their full capabilities. Learn more at www.CapeAble.com.

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Please join us for “Our Story - From Suffering to Hope and on to Flourishing. Strategic Self-regulation, Co-regulation, and Coproduction: Leadership Lessons from My Brother” with Jamie Emberson.

Jamie possesses extensive years of both lived and professional expertise across diverse roles in healthcare, social care, and wellbeing. His career has encompassed positions such as Care Worker, Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Tutor, Companies Director, Departmental Directorship, Consultant, and Performance Coach. Jamie's personal values and practices have been shaped by his own life experiences, including an early memory at age 5 of his brother Garry and his peers referring to themselves as "Freedom Fighters" while detained in secure facilities. Later in Jamie's life, he found out the meaning of this.

Throughout his lifelong career, Jamie has focused on leadership, development, and systemic/organizational approaches, resulting in notable outcomes like reducing or eliminating restrictive practices and enhancing people's quality of life and well-being. His current passion revolves around positive psychology interventions and strengths-based approaches, which he applies to enhancing the well-being of others. Jamie is particularly interested in aiding those suffering from trauma and stress.

Outside of his professional pursuits, Jamie is a father to Ollie, who also works in the wellbeing field. He shares his life with his dog Hendrix, and nurtures a parcel of ancient woodland to promote biodiversity. Nature holds a special place in his heart, and he has explored mountains in both the UK and the Indian Himalayas. Jamie's culinary interests lean towards Asian cuisine, and he finds joy in cooking.

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Please join us for “The Why Toolkit: A New Tool to Better Understand and Support All Students” with Connie Persike, M.S., CCC/SLP

 Connie Persike, M.S., CCC/SLP, is a highly experienced Speech-Language Pathologist and Educational Consultant. She has 20+ years of experience in educational settings and holds a certificate in instructional coaching, positive education, and applied educational neuroscience.

 She served as a member of the multi-state work group to help develop the Common Core Essential Elements for English Language Arts. Connie is a published writer for Autism Parenting Magazine and writes for Exceptional Needs Today. She created an innovative process to assess student behavior, which deviates from the traditional behaviorism approach and aligns with current relational and neuroscience while maintaining a trauma-sensitive and neurodiversity approach.

 Connie works from the guiding mission that Connection + Collaboration = Endless Possibilities.

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Please join us for “Opposition Isn't Always Defiance: A Brief Introduction to the PDA Profile of Autism” with Courtney Hart.

Courtney Hart, LCSW-C, RYT 500, RCYT, founded Healing Hart Wellness in 2018, a pediatric mental health and wellness practice, where she and her team, and their two therapy dogs, specialize in supporting anxious ADHDers and Autistic families through parent consultation, ADHD/Autism assessments, individual therapy, and interest-based social groups. In addition to her work at Healing Hart Wellness, Courtney also runs Therefore I Learn, offering children's yoga teacher training and mindfulness training for educators. When Courtney isn’t working, you can find her starting random projects at home, playing fetch with her dogs, scouring the internet to research topics of interest, reading, playing video games, or listening to music.

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Please join us for “Lessons Learned from Working with Neurodivergent Learners: An Interview with Zach Morris.”

Zach Morris M.Ed. is an advocate for learning and personal agency. His work aims to help individuals, families, and schools build structures that honor autonomy, celebrate strengths and interests, and prioritize a sense of safety and connection. With a focus on trauma and neurodiversity, Zach offers a lens into the psychophysiological experiences we can have as humans, and he offers support strategies for helping ourselves and our children learn, heal, and grow. 

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Learn about the 5th Annual PDA North America Conference with Diane Gould.

Join us to learn more about the 5th annual PDA North America Conference on March 6 & 7 (virtual), and March 7 & 8 (in person). The event will include some incredible experts, including keynote speaker – Linda K. Murphy, MS, CCC-SLP and author of Declarative Language Handbook and Co-Regulation Handbook. Other experts & speakers include Diane Gould, Founder of PDA North America, Ruth Fidler, Education Consultant and author; Sally Cat, author of PDA by PDAers, Brook Madera of No Pressure PDA; Zach Morris, Education Consultant for PDAers; Sandra McConnell, PDA Certified Trainer & Parent Consultant, PJ Starling – adult PDAer and PDANA Board Member, and Colleen Hanson speaking on Polyvagal Theory.

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Please join us for “Reframing Behavior: A New Program to Bring the Neuroscience of Behavior to Schools” with Susan Driscoll.

Susan Driscoll is President of Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) and oversees the development of all products and programs, the trainers who deliver them, and for the support and care of the clients who use them. She joined CPI in 2017 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and in 2022 was named a Director of the company.

Prior to joining CPI, Susan served as President and CEO of Wolters Kluwer Health, Professional, and Education, where she transformed the business from a traditional book publisher to a subscription-based healthcare content business. She has extensive experience in both healthcare and higher education publishing and training.

Susan also has startup experience: prior to joining Wolters Kluwer, Susan was CEO of iUniverse, an internet-based provider of self-publishing services that was funded by Barnes & Noble and Warburg Pincus.

Her expertise is broad. In addition to her CEO experience, Susan has served as VP of Operations, VP Strategy, VP Marketing, and VP of Product and Technology. She has direct experience in global markets, including India and China. Susan was named one of the Top 50 Women in Publishing in 2009, and served on the Executive Board of the Association of American Publishers. Currently, she serves on the board of ISA, the Association of Learning Providers, and is a trustee of The School of the Holy Child in Rye, New York.

Susan is a graduate of The University of Notre Dame and currently serves as Chair of the Advisory Council for the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at Notre Dame.

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