Speakers
Peter Baenziger, MS, MD
Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, Indianapolis, IN
Peter Baenziger, MS, MD is a Pediatric Palliative care physician at Ascension St. Vincent’s Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital. Trained as a pediatrician and board certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, he provides symptom relief to children with a wide variety of medical problems, from neonatal conditions and cancer to trauma and chronic life-altering conditions. Peter finds it a privilege to offer expert guidance to patients and families facing complex, value-based healthcare decisions. He deeply cares that children receive compassionate medical care that maximizes joy and minimizes suffering. He has particular interests in clinical ethics, spirituality, humanism in medicine, and caring for the whole person and whole family through a multidisciplinary approach. When he isn’t in the hospital you find Peter chasing down and tickling his 4 children, discussing the intersection of medicine and faith with his also-a-doctor wife, and staring pensively at boiling maple sap as it magically turns to syrup.
Enhancing Educational Success Through Whole-person, Interdisciplinary Care Rounding (Friday @ 10:45 am)
Hannah Bohlen
DPS Hospital School at Duke University Medical Center, NC
Summer Camp in the Hospital…A New Take on Summer School (Wednesday @ 1:30 pm)
Story & STEAM: Putting Wonder in Wait Time (Wednesday @ 1:30 pm)
Michele Capurso, MEd
University of Perugia, Italy
Hearing Their Voices: Exploring Children’s Perspectives and Enhancing Communication in Pediatric Visits (Wednesday @ 2:00pm)
Ji Yoon Chung, MEd, MFA
McGill University, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital School, South Korea
HEART CART: Empowering Children to Engage in and Express Art (Wednesday @ 1:30 pm)
Kellee Clevenger, BEd
Riley Hospital for Children, IN
Kidney Kash and Brave Bucks…Incentive based Financial Literacy with the Kidney and Heart Carts (Wednesday @ 1:30 pm)
Megan Connolly, PhD
Children’s National Hospital
Developing a Collaborative Communication Model to Address Absenteeism for Students with Chronic Medical Conditions (Wednesday @ 11:30 am)
Lindsay DeWilde, BS
Riley Hospital for Children
Kidney Kash and Brave Bucks…Incentive based Financial Literacy with the Kidney and Heart Carts (Wednesday @ 1:30 pm)
Gayle Domsch, EdD
Children’s Mercy Kansas City
Gayle Domsch earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from St. Louis University, a Master’s in Learning Disabilities from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a B.S. in Education from Concordia University-Seward, Nebraska. She has a variety of teaching experience including: five years of regular (single classroom, multi-age, elementary and middle school), three years of gifted instruction, over twenty years in special education (both resource and self-contained), four years of graduate and undergraduate courses, and ten years as a Hospital Based School Teacher. One of her greatest joys is that both her sons and one grandchild are also teachers.
Helping Schools Educate Students with Acquired Brain Injury (Thursday @ 11:00 am)
Mindy Elliott, MS
Veritas Collaborative, NC
Mindy serves on the executive board of the HEAL Association, is an Associate Editor of the international journal, Continuity in Education (CiE), and has presented dozens of workshops on hospital school practices, transition planning, eating disorder effects on the student, twice exceptionality, and the path to submitting articles for publication in the CiE journal.
School Transition Planning for Students Leaving Psychiatric Treatment (Wednesday @ 3:15 pm)
Hannah Ervin
Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
Hannah Ervin (they/them) is a Staff Chaplain at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. They are dedicated to the spiritual well-being of children and their families, utilizing trauma-informed spiritual care models and supporting patients in the pediatric critical care, burn care, and hematology and oncology settings. Hannah completed their graduate studies at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where they received a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Pastoral Care and Counseling. After completing their degree, they completed their chaplaincy training at New York Presbyterian Hospital, where they supported patients and families of all age groups in utilizing spirituality and religion as life-giving coping tools throughout hospitalizations.
Enhancing Educational Success Through Whole-person, Interdisciplinary Care Rounding (Friday @ 10:45 am)
Bryson Evans
DPS Hospital School at Duke University Medical Center
Bryson is part of a team of hospital school teachers at Duke University Medical Center. After working together at a nearby elementary school in Durham for many years, they slowly transitioned to the Hospital School at Duke and have tried to bring a fresh perspective to educational programming at the hospital, using their combined experience in gifted education, special education, clubs and other extracurriculars to create out-of-the-box learning opportunities at the hospital and bring joy to children and families alike.
Summer Camp in the Hospital…A New Take on Summer School (Wednesday @ 1:30 pm)
Talia Fayson
Children’s Health, Dallas, TX
Talia Fayson has been in the field of education for 18 years. Prior to starting her career at Children’s Health Talia worked in the local school district as a special education case manager. Talia started her career at Children’s health as the teacher in psychiatry and moved into the role of psychiatry school services case manager. She was the 1st to serve in this role creating protocols and assisting families with transitioning their children back to school. Talia then became the 1st school services psychiatry program manager. In this role she has been tasked with creating school services protocols for psychiatry across the hospital and strengthening relationships with schools in the community to better support students’ mental health needs. She has created content for the series Teacher talk and the Childrens’ health podcast to educate teachers on various mental health diagnoses and their impact on student learning. Talia received her bachelor’s degree from Texas Woman’s University and master’s degree from Concordia University. Talia holds teaching certification in the state of Texas in the following areas of Special Education K-12, Generalist K-4, and a principal certification. In her free times she enjoys spending time with her husband and 5-year-old son, traveling, and listening to a good true crime podcast.
Bridging the Gap: Using Research to Better Support the Reintegration of Mental Health Patients Back into School (Friday @ 9:30 am)
Amy Fender
ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation
Amy Fender joined the ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation in January of 2023 after teaching elementary school for 17 years in the public school systems of southwest Virginia. As an Education Navigator at Carilion Children’s in Roanoke, VA, she works with childhood cancer patients and survivors to ensure they are receiving an appropriate education. Amy attends school meetings with parents, provides staff and class inservices, and assists students with any learning needs during hospital stays and clinic visits.
Building a Statewide Educational Support Program for All Childhood Cancer Patients and Survivors (Wednesday @ 11:30 am)
Kris Frost
MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital
Creation and Implementation of an Academic Discharge Summary (Friday @ 9:30 am)
Amy Godkin
ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation
Amy Godkin is Executive Director of ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to making life better for children with cancer and their families in Virginia through family support, education and community & connection. Under Amy’s leadership, ASK has expanded to serve children at all five primary treatment centers across the Commonwealth.
Amy currently serves Vice Chair of the Cancer Action Coalition of Virginia, where she is working to coordinate pediatric efforts across the state. She also serves on the national Coalition Against Childhood Cancer board, where she just finished her service as chair. However, her most important role in the cancer community is as mom to her son, who is a survivor.
Building a Statewide Educational Support Program for All Childhood Cancer Patients and Survivors (Wednesday @ 11:30 am)
Lani Gonzales
Ad Astra Awakening
Healing Hearts Through the Arts (Wednesday @ 3:15 pm)
Marcus Green, MEd
UNC Hospital School, NC
STEM in the Hospital: An Implicit Statement of Hope (Wednesday @ 2:00 pm)
Rebeca Grysko, PhD, CBIS
Nemours Children’s Hospital, FL
Assessment 101 for Hospital Teachers: Identifying Patient’s Individual Learning Needs Through Formal and Informal Assessment (Wednesday @ 11:30 am)
Jill Haskins
National Microschooling Center
Jill Haskins, Indiana Field Coordinator for the National Microschooling Center, is helping to build an ecosystem of permissionless education in Indiana. She is the Executive Director and a Classroom Teacher at Streams of Hope Christian School located in Fort Wayne, IN. Streams of Hope is a 1st-12th grade microschool with mixed age classrooms focusing on fostering independent learners. Jill is also an Indiana state licensed teacher, a former public school teacher, and homeschooling mom of 3.
Microschooling: Meeting Every Student’s Unique Needs in Fully Customized Learning Environments (Thursday @ 9:45 am)
Stefanie Hayes, BSEd
Children’s National Hospital, DC
Developing a Collaborative Communication Model to Address Absenteeism for Students with Chronic Medical Conditions (Wednesday @ 11:30 am)
Megan Hicks
Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
Megan Hicks is a Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Associate (LMHC-A) at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health. She earned her Masters of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services with a concentration in Art Therapy at the University of Louisville. Megan is an Indiana native and completed her undergraduate degree at Ball State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Drawing and Painting, minors in psychology and art history. Megan began working full time as a therapist in 2017 in community mental health care and transitioned into medical art therapy in 2021. Megan has focused much of her career on individual and community healing and serving trauma survivors. She is formally trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). She is passionate about working with pediatric patients and families regarding their hospitalization experiences and using art-based interventions to process and heal.
Enhancing Educational Success Through Whole-person, Interdisciplinary Care Rounding (Friday @ 10:45 am)
Joni Hildreth
Levine Children’s Hospital, Charlotte, NC
Joni Hildreth began her early career as an itinerant teacher serving exceptional children from Birth to Kindergarten, while working as a part-time Child Life Specialist. She is the School Support Coordinator for Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, NC. She provides liaison support between the patient’s family, school, and medical team for both acute and clinical care patients. Joni is a huge advocate for hospital homebound and oversees the delivery of educational supports. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education and a Master of Arts in Somatic Psychology, Dance Movement Therapy. She has over 23 years of experience working in the field of education and health services.
New Member Orientation (Wednesday @ 10:15 am)
Heather Homan
Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
Heather Homan, BS is an Educational Liaison at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, IN. Heather specializes working with patients followed by Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Solid Tumor clinicians. Heather assists with school planning, provides ongoing educational support in the inpatient and outpatient setting, and follows her patients throughout their treatments. Heather has been a hospital educator at Riley Hospital for Children for 14 years.
All About the Riley Hospital for Children School Program (Friday @ 9:30 am)
Ashley Hurse
Children’s Health, Dallas, TX
Ashley Hurse attended Stephen F. Austin State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a Minor in Business. After graduation, Ashley decided to enter the field of teaching and began her career as a Special Education teacher in 2005. In 2010 she went on to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology from Ashford University. Ashley’s career in education lead her to Children’s Health in 2013 where she began her role as a teacher in the inpatient and day treatment psychiatric unit. From there Ashley went on to support patients on the medical floors in the areas of hemodialysis, pulmonology, and neurology. Ashley’s passion and dedication to her patients continue to ignite her commitment to the work that she does. Currently, Ashley is the manager of the School Services department where she has supported the expansion of School Services across the organization. Ashley is a servant leader who supports her staff so that they can provide the best care for the patients they serve. Ashley strives to make sure that families are equipped with the right resources to support their child’s academic growth despite their current mental health or medical needs.
Bridging the Gap: Using Research to Better Support the Reintegration of Mental Health Patients Back into School (Friday @ 9:30 am)
Sarah Johnson, MS
Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital
Starting School Strong: Providing 1:1 education to caregivers of children with CHD to increase knowledge of and advocacy within the early childhood special education system (Thursday @ 1:30 pm)
Laura Keefe, BS, CCLS
Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital
Laura Keefe has been a Certified Child Life Specialist at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital (PMCH) for 6.5 years, specifically in the units of pediatric surgery and hematology/oncology. Laura graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Child Life and also has extensive preschool experience in a classroom setting. Laura currently serves as the primary child life specialist for hematology and oncology patients and families, inpatient and outpatient, while also covering a pediatric acute care floor that cares for pre- and post-operative patients, behavioral health patients, and sickle cell patients. Since 2020, Laura has encountered and supported more than 100 patients and families with a new or relapsed oncology/hematology diagnosis. Laura’s favorite aspects of her role as a CCLS includes helping a patient and family navigate a new diagnosis, utilizing bibliotherapy for education and therapeutic conversations, working with support organizations such as Beads of Courage, Sheets from Home, and Flashes of Hope, as well as, playing all forms of UNO in the hospital classroom. At Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, we pride ourselves in the interdisciplinary team approach, specifically on our Pediatric Support Services Team which encompasses Child Life, Healing Arts, and School Program.
Support Through the Race: Where School Program and Child Life Meet? (Wednesday @ 10:15 am)
Kathryn Kirkpatrick, PhD, LISW-S
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Kathryn has been the coordinator of the school liaison program in the Division of Hematology/Oncology/BMT at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for the past 18 years. The program has expanded over the years, from serving only patients with brain tumors, to include services for all sections of the division. Kathryn was a founding member and board member of APHOES and an active participant in AECMN prior to the merge into HEAL. Her PhD is in Educational Psychology, and she has a strong interest in school belonging and connectedness, particularly for students with chronic medical conditions.
Using Tiered Intervention to Stretch Resources and Meet the Psychosocial Standards of Care for Children with Cancer (Wednesday @ 10:15 am)
Kaitlin Knapp, MA, ATR-BC, LMHC
Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital
Kaitlin Knapp, MA, ATR-BC, LMHC is the Clinical Program Manager for the Central and Southern Region, leading Art Therapy, Music Therapy, School Program, Child Life, and Pet Therapy. She is a Board Certified Art Therapist and Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a small clinical caseload in addition to her administrative roles at the Hospital. She has been with Ascension St. Vincent since 2015.
Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital: Virtual Tour and Program Sharing (Thursday @ 11:00 am)
Eleanor Knott, MA
Dallas ISD Hospital/Homebound Department
Eleanor Knott is a Dallas ISD Hospital / Homebound Teacher and Math Instructional Specialist. She is passionate about educating students in non-traditional settings with thoughtfulness, rigor, and care. She holds a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and spent 10 years teaching high school math before transitioning to primarily Homebound teaching. Eleanor loves getting to collaborate with students, families, and schools to come up with the best plan for her Homebound students. Outside of work, she enjoys quality time and taking walks with her husband Mike, daughter Sally, and sweet old dog Jack.
Holistic Lesson Planning: A Roundtable Discussion of Lesson Planning Best Practices for Hospital/Homebound Students (Thursday @ 9:45 am)
Julia LaMotte, PhD
Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
Dr. Julia LaMotte (she/her) is a pediatric psychologist who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and young adults with chronic medical conditions in the divisions of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology & Nephrology at Indiana University School of Medicine and Riley Hospital for Children. As a clinical psychologist, Dr. LaMotte’s embedded role within an interdisciplinary medical team takes the principles of psychology, applies them to pediatric health through evidence-based methodology, and reduces access barriers to quality mental health care. Academically, Dr. LaMotte co-facilitates a cross-cultural empathy through mindful reflective practice course designed to promote critical understanding of racism in medicine for pediatric residents. Her commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice has been recognized by her peers as the 2022 recipient of the Indiana University School of Medicine Outstanding Faculty Commitment to Diversity and the 2023 inaugural Faculty Diversity Champion awardee.
Dr. LaMotte received her Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Georgia, completed residency as an Integrated Behavioral Health Scholar at Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin, TX, and fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She was selected as a Health Equity Scholar through the Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School. Building upon her interests and commitment to advocacy, Dr. LaMotte is a 2023 JELF Advocacy Scholar through the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology.
When Multiple Systems Fail: Contextualizing Disparities to Inform Interventions for Diverse Youth (Thursday @ 8:30 am)
Kyle Landry, MEd
Children’s Wisconsin
Kyle Landry, former Milwaukee Public Schools elementary educator, is the founder/manager of the Educational Achievement Program at Children’s Wisconsin. Over 9+ years of program growth, Landry has built a team of experienced educators specially trained in neurodevelopmental sequelae of complex illness, including mental and behavioral health, and the related complexities of social determinants of health. Landry’s work standardizing/validating assessment, intervention, and outcomes processes, as well as associated tools, has led to several research grants, authorship in a nursing textbook, and two recent medical journal publications. Landry holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s Degree in Cultural Foundations of Community and Education from UW – Milwaukee. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Healthcare Leadership to round out her expertise braiding together the complex systems of education and healthcare.
Standardizing the Field of Hospital Educator and Academic Liaison Practice (Wednesday @ 2:00 pm)
Kristin Lile
Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
Kristin Lile, BS is an Educational Liaison at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, IN. Kristin specializes in working with patients followed by Neuro-Oncology, Neurosurgery, Hematology, and Inpatient Rehabilitation. Kristin helps with setting up appropriate school plans, providing ongoing school support in the inpatient and outpatient setting, and following her parents throughout their treatments. Kristin has been a hospital educator at Riley Hospital for Children for 8 years.
All About the Riley Hospital for Children School Program (Friday @ 9:30 am)
Alex Lion, DO, MPH
Riley Hospital for Children
Spirituality and the Work of the Hospital Educator/Academic Liaison (Wednesday @ 3:15 pm)
Jon Longanecker, BA
ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation
Building a Statewide Educational Support Program for all Childhood Cancer Patients and Survivors (Wednesday @ 11:30 am)
Ellen Lowe, MEd
UNC Hospital School, NC
STEM in the Hospital: An Implicit Statement of Hope (Wednesday @ 2:00 pm)
Naomi Luban, MD
Children’s National Hospital
Her research interests are focused on clinical and translational investigations of transfusion safety and include studies of infectious and non-infectious complications of transfusion including RBC and HLA alloimmunization, graft versus host disease and evidence-based transfusion practices. Studies include the molecular characterization of genes associated with alloimmunization and genetic modifiers of hemoglobin F expression.
Dr. Luban has served the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other professional associations in a number of roles including Special Emphasis Panels and review groups and as the transfusion consultant for a series of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-supported transfusion studies.
Science Journeys (Thursday @ 1:30 pm)
Courtney Lyon, BS, CCLS
Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, Indianapolis, IN
Courtney Lyon spent 7 years at Riley Hospital for Children working on the Heart Center and Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit before transitioning into her new role at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital where she currently serves patient and families in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Burn Intensive Care Unit, Outpatient Burn Clinic, Acute Care Inpatient Unit, and consults throughout the adult side of the hospital for over the past 8 months as a Certified Child Life Specialist. While at Riley and currently at Peyton Manning, Courtney participates in weekly Peace Rounds with members of the multidisciplinary team to work towards creating a safe, healing space for each patient touched. Courtney sits on the Bereavement Committee, Integrative Health Committee, and is the Co-Chair for the Great Lakes Association of Child Life Professionals Education Committee leading students and professionals through professional webinars and conferences. Courtney takes pride in providing family centered care when approaching each patient, and values family and patients needs first. Courtney is a strong advocate for self-care, mental health advocacy, and building a strong foundation of trust with each patient and family. The collaboration between the School Program, Palliative Care, Healing Arts, Child Life, and Pet Therapy is invaluable and is something Courtney takes pride in every day at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital.
Enhancing Educational Success Through Whole-person, Interdisciplinary Care Rounding (Friday @ 10:45 am)
Kimberly Matthews, EdD
Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, Hershey, PA
Kimberly Matthews, EdD is a Teacher for the Capital Area Intermediate Unit and educates children at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital in Hershey, PA. Kimberly educates inpatient students, as well as patients in the Outpatient Dialysis Center and the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic. Kimberly provides assistance and support to patients and families by including school personnel and the medical staff to provide a team approach to promote academic success. Kimberly has been in education for over 20 years, certified in general education, special education, and mid-level English. She also holds a degree in Sign Language Interpretation. Outside of her professional duties and in addition to her Executive Board position as a Member-at-Large for HEAL, Kimberly is a proud member of Zeta Phi Bea Sorority, Inc, and serves on the Board for the Ahadi Zetu Foundation, which provides education scholarships to high school students in Central Kenya.
School Needs Intake Brainstorming and Discussion Group (Thursday @ 3:45 pm)
Amy McGrory, MA, CCLS
Cincinnati Children’s
Amy McGrory MA CCLS has been working as a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) for almost 14 years at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). She works as an inpatient unit CCLS on the Transitional Care Center (TCC) and A3N (surgery). Amy is also a backup handler for two of CCHMC’s facility dogs and does a weekly pre-school story time with one or more of them on Seacrest Studio called Dog Tales. Amy has three grown children and lives with her husband in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Read, Rest, Recover: A Pilot Pediatric Inpatient Program (Thursday @ 1:30pm)
Alisha McGuire, MSW
Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
Alisha McGuire (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the Pediatric Palliative Care Team at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. For the past seven years, Alisha has developed a deep passion for working with patients and families adjusting to illness/diagnosis, anticipatory grief, and bereavement as a medical social worker. Alisha serves as Co-Chair with the Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network (SWHPN) Pediatrics Special Interest Group and SWHPN representative for the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care Pediatric Division. She volunteers on the planning committee for Camp Healing Tree, an annual children’s grief camp through Brooke’s Place for Grieving Young People. Alisha received her Master’s in Social Work from Rutgers University as a part of their Advanced Standing Program. She is a Certified Advanced Palliative and Hospice Social Worker (APHSW-C) with an additional Certification in Palliative Care and End-of-Life through the Smith School of Social Work. She is currently a Fellow with NYU’s Zelda Foster Leadership Fellowship in Palliative Care and End of Life.
Enhancing Educational Success Through Whole-person, Interdisciplinary Care Rounding (Friday @ 10:45 am)
Rachel Meyen, MEd
DPS Hospital School at Duke University Medical Center
Story & STEAM: Putting Wonder in Wait Time
Summer Camp in the Hospital…A New Take on Summer School (Thursday @ 1:30 pm)
Lenora Nardelli, MEd
Cincinnati Children’s
Lenora Nardelli is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati where she received a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Education in Special Education. She began her teaching career in the public-school setting and taught at the primary level for over ten years. In 2017, she began her work at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, as a School Specialist, providing liaison support between the patient’s family, school, and medical team for patients with chronic health conditions. In addition to serving as a school liaison, Lenora is passionate about educating those in the medical field regarding special education and facilitating in the efforts of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to be a School-Friendly Health System.
Measuring Our Impact (Thursday @ 2:30 pm)
Amber Okolo-Ebube
National Microschooling Center
Amber, a Texas native, is dedicated to fostering inclusive communities and alternative educational approaches. With over a decade of experience and a family of seven, including her husband and five children, she has demonstrated a remarkable ability to create supportive environments. In response to the need for diverse educational options, she founded Leading Little Arrows, an initiative recognized nationally in esteemed publications such as Forbes and The 74 Million. Honored as a Quarterfinalist for the prestigious Yass Prize and recipient of support through the Vela Next Step grant, Amber’s work continues to gain acclaim.
Today, Amber serves as a speaker, facilitator, and advocate for families, particularly those navigating unique educational needs. Residing in North Texas, she remains dedicated to inspiring and empowering communities. Through engagements at conferences like SXSW, she shares insights on fostering inclusive environments and innovative approaches in education. Amber’s commitment to empowering families and advancing alternative educational models resonates both locally and nationally.
Microschooling: Meeting Every Student’s Unique Needs in Fully Customized Learning Environments (Thursday @ 9:45 am)
Elaina Parrillo, RN
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Elaina is a DNP-PNP/PhD candidate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. For her dissertation, she is studying pediatric cancer survivorship and how parent experiences influence their child’s transition to school during or after treatment. Specifically, she is interested in how parents’ experience of support influences child psychosocial outcomes. After completion of her program, she plans to combine both research and practice as a pediatric nurse practitioner to optimize quality of life of the child and family, reduce the burden of late effects, and improve interdisciplinary communication.
Parent Desired Resources and Support for School Following Cancer (Thursday @ 1:30 pm)
Reframing Late-Effects of Childhood Cancer as a Chronic Medical Condition to Support Educational Attainment (Thursday @ 2:30 pm)
Kristin Privett, MSEd
Cincinnati Children’s, OH
Kristin has been providing school support to inpatient students at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for 11 years. She taught in the classroom at Cincinnati Public for 13 years prior coming to CCHMC. Kristin has a BS in Elementary Education (K-8) and an MS in Educational Psychology. When she is not problem solving with her students, she is spending her time with her husband and 3 children.
Partnerships Multiply Teaching Hands (Thursday @ 11:00 am)
Donna Romack, EdD
Riley Hospital for Children
Donna Romack, Ed.D., is the Education Specialist and School and Community Liaison for the Outpatient Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplant Division at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, IN. Dr. Romack is a career educator who joined the Indiana University School of Medicine team in 2016. Dr. Romack provides educational support, advocacy, cognitive therapy, and school liaison services for cancer survivors and those with chronic health conditions such as sickle cell disease and neurofibromatosis. Dr. Romack is focusing her efforts on the creation of individualized, scaffolded plans that aim to develop self-management, self-care, and self-advocacy skills, facilitating the fulfillment of a young person’s potential.
Building Self-Management and Self-Advocacy Skills in Students with Sickle Cell Disease: Communicating in the School Setting (Thursday @ 9:45 am)
Christie Ruehl, JD, MBA
Children’s Wisconsin
Bio coming soon!
Standardizing the Field of Hospital Educator and Academic Liaison Practice (Wednesday @ 2:00 pm)
Rachel Smilow, MA
Children’s National Hospital, DC
Science Journeys (Thursday @ 1:30 pm)
Deborah South, MEd, CBIS
Cincinnati Children’s
Debbie South is a School Liaison Specialist with the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and a member of the multidisciplinary team in the Complex Brain Health and Wellness Clinic. For the past ten years, she has provided support and recommendations to families and school teams when planning patients’ return to school after hospitalization with inpatient rehabilitation. Prior to her liaison position with CCHMC, she taught science for 22 years in both the private and public school settings.
She received both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in education from Xavier University with a graduate certification from George Washington University in Brain Injury and Transition Services. She recently obtained her certificate as a Brain Injury Specialist through Brain Injury Association of America.
Measuring Our Impact (Thursday @ 2:30 pm)
Brianne Starin, MAT
DPS Hospital School at Duke University Medical Center, NC
Story & STEAM: Putting Wonder in Wait Time (Thursday @ 1:30 pm)
Summer Camp in the Hospital…A New Take on Summer School (Thursday @ 1:30 pm)
Sarah Steinke, MEd, MA
Cincinnati Children’s, OH
Sarah Steinke has spent her career as a hospital teacher for 23 years. Sarah has taught a variety of patient populations including cancer, bone marrow transplant, psychiatry and complex care. Prior to her time at the hospital, she taught high school social studies and is a mom to 3 kids. Currently she is a School Specialist serving the patients with the highest educational risk for The Center for School Services. She also partners with The University of Cincinnati acting as an adjunct instructor who supervises student teachers. At the hospital she also coordinates many community and university volunteers and student teachers and heads the teacher licensure for the hospital.
Partnerships Multiply Teaching Hands (Thursday @ 11:00 am)
Madison Stewart
Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
Madison Stewart, M.S.Ed. recently stepped into the role as the School Program Manager at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, Indiana. Prior to her current role, Madison served as an Education Liaison at Riley Hospital working with patients followed by Solid Tumor Oncology and Hematology. She also supported students receiving treatment at the Simon Skjodt Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Unit and the Charis Center for Eating Disorders. Madison shares it is her greatest joy to support patients and families navigating difficult medical journeys and to work alongside some of the best educators in Indiana. Madison has been a hospital educator at Riley Hospital for Children since 2021 and was a Special Education Teacher in Indianapolis Public Schools from 2019-2021.
All About the Riley Hospital for Children School Program (Friday @ 9:30 am)
Beth Stuchell
CS Mott Children’s Hospital, MI
Beth Stuchell is the School Liaison for the Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at University of Michigan Health, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. Beth began her professional career as an elementary and middle school teacher, then obtained a social work degree. Beth started at University of Michigan Health as a medical social worker with the Pediatric HemOnc and Transplant Program, then transitioned to the role of a school liaison in 2013. Areas of interest include oncology survivorship, addressing health-related barriers to educational and vocational opportunities in the teen and young adult cancer population and fostering multi-disciplinary research collaborations.
New Member Orientation (Wednesday @ 10:15 am)
Lalia Susini
LATE Clothing LA, CA
At just 11 years old Lalia Susini was on track to play professional soccer, her lifelong dream. She had the determination, athleticism and as a nationally ranked track athlete, she had the speed. While acting on ABC’s hit show, Station 19, Lalia would change into her soccer uniform and run straight from set to the soccer field. She was able to do it all and in her spare time was an up-and-coming BMX racer, trying to qualify for California’s state BMX circuit. Everything changed on October 22, 2020 when she was involved in an accident that left her with a severe traumatic brain injury, stroke and left side paralysis. Lalia came into the Cedars Sinai emergency department with not much hope and major blood loss. Just on the ride to the hospital paramedics had to pull over twice to revive her. She survived the first night and doctors told her family that with the severity of her brain damage that we were going to have to take it day by day. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months and Lalia defied the odds. Once Lalia was out of critical condition, she was medically transferred to CHLA where she would re-learn to walk and adapt to partial left side paralysis.
After inpatient and outpatient hospital stays, surgeries and intense physical therapy at CHLA, she is living up to her goal. There have been ups and downs and CHLA has been by her side the entire time. As Lalia enters the hospital weekly, she updates the security guards with what she’s been doing at school and as she enters the hospital cafeteria the chefs and workers ask her how basketball practice was this week. Lalia has more that just doctors and nurses that support her at CHLA, she has what seems like the support of every employee at CHLA. On the rehabilitation floor, she has made lifelong bonds with children from all over the United States who made CHLA their healing sanctuary too.
She has lived at CHLA, gone to school at CHLA and will always be devoted the hospital that has made its mission to care for ALL children.
UPDATE: Lalia is currently attending Sierra Canyon for high school. She is enrolled in honor classes and plays on their basketball team.
Awards Luncheon Presentation (Thursday @ 12:45 pm)
Lizette Valles, MEd
National Microschooling Center/Ellemercito Academy
Lizette Valles, M.Ed., is the founder of Compass Educators: A Holistic Educational Services Center & Ellemercito Academy, a Los Angeles-based microschool with a focus on experiential/place-based learning. Her mission is to nurture students who think critically, develop a growth mindset, and demonstrate empathy. She is dedicated to reimagining education, implementing trauma-informed approaches in out-of-system school models such as the fast-growing small school movement, and providing guidance to families seeking personalized learning environments that will best serve their children.
For over 16 years, her career in education has included teaching middle/high school English, serving as a K-12 librarian, publishing a bilingual children’s book, launching supportive alternative education programs for families, organizing the largest free virtual summer camp during the pandemic, founding Compass Educators in 2020 and Ellemericito Academy in 2021, and growing the microschooling ecosystem in California as the California & Spanish-speaking Field Coordinator with the National Microschooling Center.
Microschooling: Meeting Every Student’s Unique Needs in Fully Customized Learning Environments (Thursday @ 9:45 am)
Oscar Valles
National Microschooling Center/Ellemercito Academy
Oscar Valles’s teaching career spans over a decade serving primarily as a K-12 teacher, coach, and athletic director. He follows an experiential and relational teaching model knowing full well that connection precedes instruction. He is a former English Language Learner (ELL) teacher and loves to encourage and mentor students to continue striving for excellence even in the midst of difficulties especially when acclimating to a new culture/school environment. Thriving both in and out of the classroom with experience in reparative parenting/teaching strategies as a foster adoptive father, leading student humanitarian trips to México, coaching middle school basketball and football for several years, and privately homeschooling students as a support to families during the 2020-2021 school year have been some of his career highlights. He is currently the principal/lead teacher at Ellemercito Academy and the California/Spanish-speaking field coordinator with the National Microschooling Center. He is enjoying microschooling tremendously as project/place-based learning enables students to appreciate the learning process in a way that most never have before!
Microschooling: Meeting Every Student’s Unique Needs in Fully Customized Learning Environments (Thursday @ 9:45 am)
Stacy Willett
Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
Stacy Willett, BS is an Educational Liaison at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, IN. Stacy specializes in Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Inpatient Cystic Fibrosis patients. Stacy follows her leukemia and lymphoma patients during their treatment journey and provides school support post-treatment to ensure they receive the accommodations needed to continue to be successful in school. Stacy has been a hospital educator at Riley Hospital for Children for 21 years.
All About the Riley Hospital for Children School Program (Friday @ 9:30 am)
Enhancing Educational Success Through Whole-person, Interdisciplinary Care Rounding (Friday @ 10:45 am)
Heather Wiselogle, MEd
Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, IN
Heather Wiselogle spent 15 years in a traditional elementary school prior to transitioning to the classroom at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent in Indianapolis. Since 2018 she has supported over 130 oncology patients and families with school needs in and out of the hospital before, during, and after treatment. She also serves as hospital teacher/liaison to other inpatient units and outpatient clinics including, but not limited to, PICU, pediatric acute care units, burn unit and outpatient burn clinic, TNICU and adult units with adolescent and/or young adult patients, Women’s Hospital/NICU, and speciality outpatient clinics. The hospital classroom is utilized for school sessions for inpatients (with flexibility to do bedside sessions) to provide patients with a “school away from school” opportunity to keep their academic goals on track in light of an extended hospital stay. Heather also provides liaison and advocacy work to connect school/home/hospital to support patients’ learning needs, re-entry to school, IEP/504 planning and accommodation recommendations. At Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, we pride ourselves in the interdisciplinary team approach, specifically on our Pediatric Support Services Team which encompasses Child Life, Healing Arts, Pet Therapy and School Program.
Support Through the Race: Where School Program and Child Life Meet (Wednesday@ 10:15 am)
Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital: Virtaul Tour and Program Sharing (Thursday @ 11:00 am)
Enhancing Educational Success Through Whole-person, Interdisciplinary Care Rounding (Friday @ 10:45 am)
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