Denise has led the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) since 2005. She graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Master of Science in Applied Behavioral Science. Denise has over 40 years’ experience in the field of disabilities in a variety of support, management, and advocacy capacities. She has a wealth of non-profit association management experience and is a dynamic trainer, experienced in leading sessions for participants of diverse abilities and experience levels. Denise's specific areas of interest are civil rights to quality education, positive behavioral supports, prevention and reduction in the use of restraints, abolishment of seclusion and aversive techniques, family supports, grassroots advocacy, self-advocacy, and experiential learning.

CO-CHAIR

Senator Gadkar-Wilcox is Senator-Elect for Senate District 22 in the Connecticut General Assembly, representing Bridgeport, Trumbull, and Monroe. She will serve as the chair of the new Government Oversight Committee, the Regulations Review Committee, and a Select Committee on Special Education. She will also serve as Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee and the Higher Education and Employment Committee. Sujata is also Professor of Legal Studies at Quinnipiac University, where she teaches classes in constitutional law, comparative law, and human rights law, among other subjects. She is the Executive Director of the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights and a Fulbright-Nehru Scholar.

Representative Khan Maryam Khan was elected during a 2022 special election in March to represent the 5th District, serving Hartford and  Windsor, and is the first Muslim member of the Connecticut House, a historic triumph. In November 2022, she was re-elected to serve her first full legislative term which now includes South Windsor.  Rep. Khan currently serves as the House Chair of the Select Committee on Special Education and as a member of the Appropriations, Education, and Judiciary Committees.

Representative Courpas was elected in 2024 to represent the 149th District, serving Greenwich and Stamford. She has over 20 years of experience in investment banking and corporate law, including roles at Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Silver Point Capital. She later led two nonprofits: The Hellenic Initiative and Connecticut’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women.  In the 2025 session, she serves on the Appropriations, Education, and Housing committees, as well as the Select Committee on Special Education. Rep. Courpas is deeply committed to issues affecting education, women’s rights, fiscal responsibility, and strong local governance.

Bryan Klimkiewicz began his job as Special Education Division Director in Connecticut in 2017. He serves on the CT State Advisory Council for Special Education. Bryan believes the best part about leading special education in Connecticut is having the opportunity to support students across the state in achieving positive and successful outcomes throughout their educational journey.

Mike McKeon has served as the Connecticut State Department of Education Director of Legal and Government Affairs since 2021. Prior to accepting that role, he had specialized in education law for over 30 years, representing both public school districts and private schools across Connecticut before administrative agencies and in both federal and state courts on the trial and appellate levels, establishing new case law in the areas of special education and Title IX. Mike has also spoken on education and employment law, including on the national level, at annual conferences for the National School Boards Association and the Council of School Attorneys.

Presentation:
Opening the Conversation Around the "T" word: Recognizing How Trauma Impacts Neurodiverse Learners: Explore how trauma and ACES affect neurodiverse learners and how schools can create safe, supportive learning environments.

Bio:
Chris earned his Doctor of Education in School Psychology from Loyola University Chicago, is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist & a Licensed Professional Counselor with a specialization in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Neurodiverse learners. Along with being a Visiting Assistant Professor & Jackie McLean Fellow in the Department of Psychology at the University of Hartford, Chris is the owner and director of the Social Learning Center (SLC), LLC. located in Cheshire, CT.

Presenting with Laura Sullivan, Esq.:
Making Reading Work: Science of Reading in Practice and Advocacy: Learn how the Science of Reading informs advocacy, giving families and professionals tools to identify effective instruction and advocate for better support.

Bio:
Kristen Viesselman is a literacy specialist with over twenty years of experience in conducting reading evaluations and working with students who have language-based learning differences, such as dyslexia. Kristen has extensive training and experience in implementing evidence-based multisensory Structured Literacy programs. She earned her M.A. in Special Education from the University of Connecticut and holds her Connecticut State Department of Education Certification. Additionally, she is an Associate Member of the Academy of Orton Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. She previously worked for Literacy How, Inc., Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes, and Westport Public Schools. She has provided professional development to teachers on topics such as reading assessment, progress monitoring, and Structured Literacy. She has also provided teacher training in each of the Lindamood-Bell programs. 

Presenting with Kristen Viesselman:
Making Reading Work: Science of Reading in Practice and Advocacy: Learn how the Science of Reading informs advocacy, giving families and professionals tools to identify effective instruction and advocate for better support.

Bio:
Attorney Laura Sullivan proudly practices as a special education attorney, representing children and adolescents with disabilities who are not receiving appropriate services from their public school district in Connecticut. She began practicing in this area after experiencing the advocacy process as a parent through her son. She recently closed her private practice to take a position with Special Education Legal Fund.  (S.E.L.F.) as their first Staff Attorney, to lead S.E.L.F. Legal Aid—a newly formed legal aid program created to expand access to legal advocacy for under-resourced families navigating the special education system. In an effort to advocate effectively for the increasing number of dyslexia cases that came to her, Laura completed 60+ hours of training in OG Plus, an IDA-approved program.  

Presentation:
Executive Functions: Developmental Factors, Emotion Regulation, and Stress and Practical Intervention:  Executive Functions, Emotion Regulation, and Stress: Practical Solutions for Everyday Challenges

Bio:
Dr. Christopher Bogart is a licensed clinical psychologist who has worked in both the private and public sectors for the past thirty years. Dr. Bogart works with children, adolescents and parents, conducting comprehensive psychoeducational and AD/HD evaluations as well as therapy services. Dr. Bogart serves as Executive Director at Sasco River Center. Dr. Bogart received his undergraduate training at Georgetown University and received his doctoral degree from The American University.

Presenting with Kendall Fenton, Ed.D., LCSW:
Navigating Adult Services and DDS Eligibility: This presentation provides an introduction to the DDS Children's Services Division, explains who they serve, and provides an overview of the DDS' Children's Services In-Home Support Program, including its eligibility criteria.

Bio:
Sylvia Murray, MPP is the Durational Project Manager for the Children's Services Division. Projects includes the creation and implementation of policies for the new division, along with supporting community outreach. Sylvia holds a Master's degree Public Policy and a Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Science from UConn.

Presenting with Sylvia Murray, MPP:
Navigating Adult Services and DDS Eligibility: This presentation provides an introduction to the DDS Children's Services Division, explains who they serve, and provides an overview of the DDS' Children's Services In-Home Support Program, including its eligibility criteria.

Bio:
Dr. Kendall Fenton, Ed.D., LCSW, is an Education Services Specialist with the DDS Children’s Services Division. Her professional background in school social work centered on advancing social and emotional learning in educational settings.