Plenary Session | The State of Special Education in Connecticut
   John Flanders, Esq., Special Education Attorney, Law Offices of John M Flanders and SEEK President
   Andrew Feinstein, Esq., Special Education Attorney, Feinstein Education Law Group and SEEK Treasurer and Legislative Chair

Welcome by Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker, State Department of Education Support for Special Education

Panel on Cost of Special Education

Moderated by Christina Ghio, The Child Advocate for the State of CT

Panel
  Jen Leeper, State Representative, Co-Chair for the State of Connecticut's
Education Committee
   Aimee Turner, President, CT Council of Administrators of Special Education (ConnCASE)
   Fran Rabinowitz, Executive Director, CT Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPPS)
   Patrice McCarthy, Executive Director and General Counsel, CT Association for Boards of Education (CABE)
   Kate Dias, President, Connecticut Education Association (CEA)
   Lisa Hammersley, Executive Director, School & State Finance Project

Break-Out Session 1
- Aversives: Restraint, Seclusion, Exclusionary Discipline
Presented by
   Kathryn Meyer, Director and Sr. Attorney, Center for Children's Advocacy
and
   Kim Traverso, Ph.D., LPC, SEA Consultant and Program Manager, CT State Department of Education
and
  Natalie Jones, Education Consultant and Attorney, Connecticut Bureau of Special Education

- Literacy
Presented by
   Diane Willcuts, Director, Education Advocacy, LLC
and
   Melissa Hickey, Ed. D., Reading/Literacy Director, CT State Department of Education

- Setting up a Challenge to the District
Presented by
   Melissa Gagne, Special Education Attorney, Laviano & Gagne and SEEK Board of Directors
and 
   Dr. Danielle Cohen, Special Education Advocate, Dr. Danielle Cohen, LLC and SEEK Board of Directors

- Transition to Adulthood
Presented by
   Ana Wittig, Chief Administrator for Education, Oak Hill School
and
   Scott Wells, Director, Options CT

Working Luncheon:
Keynote Remarks & Panel Discussion

Master of Ceremonies:   Jennifer Laviano, Esq., Special Education Attorney, Laviano & Gagne, LLC and SEEK Board of Directors

Keynote: The Future of Special Education: Changes at the Federal Level
   Matt Cohen, Civil Rights Attorney, concentrating in special education and school-related issues, Matt Cohen and Associates

Keynote: Inequity in Connecticut Education
   Dr. Preston Green III, John and Maria Neag Professor of Urban Education, University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education

Panel on Resolving Conflict Early and Amicably,
Moderated by Katherine  Matz, State Special Education Bureau Chief, CT State Dept. of Education

Panel
   Shirley Klein, Assistant Superintendent, Special Education and Student Services, Darien Public Schools
   Stacey Tie, Special Education Advocate, Whole Child Advocates,LLC and SEEK Board of Directors
   Kirstin Dovenberg, Attorney, CT State Dept. of Education

Break-Out Session 2 

-   Out of District Placement
Presented by
   Meredith Braxton, Esq., Special Education Attorney, Meredith C. Braxton, Esq., LLC
and
   Beth Sugerman, Chief Enrollment Officer, Winston Preparatory School

- Intellectual Disabilities: Eligibility and Services 
Presented by
   Ken Cabral, President and CEO, Benhaven, Inc.
and
   Walter Glomb, Executive Director, Council on Developmental Disabilities

- Anxiety; Executive Function Deficits; Depression
Presented by
   Jeff DeTeso, Director of Wellness and Student Support, Licensed Psychologist, Waverly Group and Greenwich Country Day School
and
   Ravit Stein, Director of Consultation & Professional Learning, EASTCONN

- Financial Planning for Children with Disabilities
Presented by
   Mike Beloff, Founding Partner and Wealth Advisor, Belvedere Wealth Partners
and
   Colleen Masse, Attorney, Chair of the Special Needs Planning & Fiduciary Services Departments, Daly Perri Arnold & Knierim

The Path Forward: Legislative Presentation and Town Hall
   John Flanders, Esq., Special Education Attorney, Law Offices of John M Flanders and SEEK President
Andrew Feinstein, Esq., Special Education Attorney, Feinstein Education Law Group and SEEK Treasurer and Legislative Chair
   Stacey Tie, Special Education Advocate, Whole Child Advocates, LLC and SEEK Board of Directors
   Naomi Nova, Special Education Attorney, Meredith C. Braxton, Esq., and SEEK Vice President