Professional Experience

Karen has worked in the field of special education for thirty years. After college, she taught in a private school for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.  In 1998, she transitioned to public school, working as a special education teacher in Wayland Public Schools for the next 20 years. In 2019, she accepted a position as a special education team chair in the Sudbury Public Schools where she worked until the end of the 2022/2023 school year.  In her spare time, she also supervises graduate students seeking their certification in early childhood, elementary and special education.

Education

In 1994, Karen received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Columbia University. Four years later, she received her Master’s Degree in Special Education from Fitchburg State University. Since then, she has completed over 75 graduate credits on various topics related to the field of education including special education advocacy and law, specific learning disabilities, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, executive functioning, social/emotional skills and childhood trauma.

Certifications

Karen holds Massachusetts DESE certifications in Moderate Disabilities PreK-8, Moderate Disabilities 5-12, Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. She completed her Wilson Reading Certification Training and is an SEI Endorsed educator. Karen completed her advocacy training through The Federation for Children with Special Needs and Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy Training.