Dr. Katie Leckenby is an Assistant Professor in the Special Education Department at Slippery Rock University where she is a co-advisor for SRU CEC and SRU St. Jude Up ‘Till 2. Prior to entering her career in higher education, Dr. Leckenby taught in the public-school setting in the suburbs of Pittsburgh where she had held the title of Autistic Support teacher as well as Learning Support teacher. She has experience with starting new special education classrooms, co-teaching in the inclusionary setting, and transition. Her research interests include student mental health regarding programming and effectiveness, the effects on inclusion in post-school outcomes for students with special needs, and how to improve the teacher/paraeducator relationship.

Dr. Anne Rose is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. Rose has been a special education teacher, administrator, and professor for over 10 years. She earned a B.S., Psychology, from Geneva College (Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania), MAT Elementary Education and Special Education, from Chatham University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), and an Ed.D., Special Education, Instruction and Learning, and School Leadership, from the University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). In addition to her work at the University, Rose continues to provide educational consulting services, focusing on special education processes, procedures, and compliance to K-12 public and private education systems throughout Western Pennsylvania.