Presenters

Special Education Experts

STAR NET Professional Development Specialists and highly experienced Early childhood special education professionals bring a wealth of knowledge to all of our workshops, webinars, and conferences.

They provide targeted, practical instruction on a wide range of topics, equipping participants with the skills and strategies needed to support the learning and development of young children with disabilities in inclusive environments.

Our presenters bring diverse backgrounds and extensive experience; many have delivered training on early childhood special education at local, state, and national levels.

Margi Bhansali

Margi Bhansali is a National Board Certified pre-kindergarten teacher at Edgebrook Elementary in Chicago. She believes the best learning is joyful, inclusive, and grounded in play. As a former Teach Plus Senior Writing Fellow and contributor to several NAEYC publications, she elevates teacher voice and champions policies that support developmentally appropriate practice. Margi is a founding member of ILAEYC’s newly formed Play Chapter and has led professional development at local and national levels and enjoys mentoring fellow educators.
Adelicia Brienzo

Adelicia Brienzo (she/her) is a dedicated educator with over two decades of experience advocating for young children and their families. Throughout her career, she has embraced various roles, including home visitor, PFA/ECSE teacher, and administrator. She holds Master’s degrees in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership, along with endorsements in ESL and Special Education.

Currently, as the Project Director for STAR NET Region II and VI, Adelicia is committed to fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments. She has served on several boards and committees, including BabyTALK, Birth to Five IL Region 1BC, and the Illinois Division of Early Childhood (IDEC). Additionally, she is an ISBE Educational Surrogate and a certified SEED facilitator, reflecting her deep commitment to the educational community and the diverse needs of all students.
Doreen Comings

Doreen Comings, Ph. D., CCC-SLP/L has been a Speech-Language Pathologist at Madison Early Childhood Education Center (MECEC) in Elmhurst District 205 since 2005. She previously worked at the Elementary and Middle School level for District 205. She currently serves children in early childhood special education classrooms, blended classrooms, and bilingual classrooms who have a wide variety of speech and language needs and disorders. She is a proponent of integrated push-in services in the classroom and primarily uses a classroom based model to serve her students. Doreen is also an adjunct professor at Northern Illinois University and has taught courses in Language Development (COMD 403, LTCY 403x), Early Childhood Language Disorders (COMD 603), and Assessment of Language Disorders (COMD 475). She received her Master’s degree from Miami University and her Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University.
Becky Handler

Becky Handler, Resource Specialist: Becky Handler has her B.S. and a M.S. in speech language pathology. Her past work experience includes team teaching Kindergarten children with severe communication disorders, consulting and an inclusion facilitator in a school district. She has extensive experience consulting and mentoring in early childhood and elementary classrooms, day care sites and Head Start programs. She is a trainer of trainers for, Portfolios, ECERS-3, IELDS and ELS.
Shelley Kenow

Shelley Kenow: Shelley Kenow is a highly experienced Special Education Consultant and licensed Special Education Teacher with over 30 years in the field. She has authored or led thousands of Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings and trained educators and administrators on critical topics, including Leveling Up the IEP, Understanding Behaviors, and fostering genuine team collaboration. Ms. Kenow emphasizes a philosophy of positive student outlook, focusing on abilities to drive effective IEP development and outcomes.
Nancy Kind

Nancy Kind is an Early Childhood Educational consultant. She has been involved in the field of Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education as a classroom teacher and administrator for over 33 years. Over her career, Nancy has been a presenter for many regional workshops, state and national conferences regarding key topics in Early Childhood Special Education. Nancy has participated in many state level committees including Early Childhood LRE Stakeholders and the Stakeholders Committee for Early Childhood Outcomes.
Emily Laracy

Emily R. (Doll) Laracy, M.A., M.S., CCC-SLP/L is a school-based speech-language pathologist and adjunct professor. Emily has worked extensively with students from preschool through high school with selective mutism in 1:1 treatment, intensive week-long treatment programs, school-based settings, and in consultative roles. She currently serves as the speech pathologist representative and secretary of the Selective Mutism Association’s Board of Directors. She is the author of the book Treating Selective Mutism as a Speech-Language Pathologist along with several webinars on the same topic.
Toni Linder

Toni W. Linder consults and presents nationally and internationally on the role of play in assessment, intervention and curriculum. Dr. Linder retired from Mortgridge College of Education at the University of Denver, Colorado in 2011. She has authored books on transdisciplinary play-based assessment (TPBA) and intervention (TPBI). Recently Toni has been working on a project in Hangzhou, China where she helped to develop a large play and assessment center for children from six months to six years of age. Her focus is currently on developing quality assessment and early childhood programs for all children.
Laurel Mateyka

Laurel Mateyka serves as an Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Professional Development Specialist for STAR NET Regions II and VI. With more than 30 years in public education—including over a decade in early childhood leadership—Laurel brings deep expertise in developmentally appropriate practice, program design, and continuous quality improvement.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Mathematics Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Olivet Nazarene University, and a Certificate in Educational Leadership from Aurora University.

A passionate advocate for young children and families, Laurel is committed to advancing equitable, high-quality early learning experiences across Illinois.
Erean Mei

Erean Mei is an experienced early childhood education leader with over a decade of work supporting joyful, equitable learning for young children. She serves as the Education, Learning, and Training Manager at Chicago Youth Centers. Erean holds an M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership: Early Childhood Education from UIC, a B.A. in Psychology from NIU, and certifications in ESL, Early Childhood Special Education, and a Principal License. She is passionate about play-based learning and empowering educators through reflective, strengths-based coaching and training.
Chris Miller

Chris Miller is an educational consultant who has presented across the country about best practices for special education and early childhood education. He has held positions with the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and several school districts as a district administrator. Chris also regularly teaches education courses at the Universities of Denver and Colorado. Chris’s educational path took him from a BA in Psychology and an EdS in School Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado to an EdD in Educational Equity and Leadership from the University of Colorado Denver. Both his EdS and EdD included specialization in early childhood education and special education. Previous to administrative roles, Chris has worked for many years as a school psychologist in Washington and Colorado. Chris’ passion in education has always included early childhood systems, especially effective inclusion of all students and partnering with families to ensure educational attainment for all children.
Gina Musielski

Gina Musielski is an ECSE Family Professional Development Specialist with STAR NET Regions II and VI. For over 25 years, she has supported families and professionals with information to help young children with disabilities thrive. Gina is passionate about inclusion and works to ensure families are active, informed participants in their child’s educational planning and learning. As a parent of a child with a developmental disability, she brings both personal insight and professional expertise to her work. Gina presents statewide on special education, transition, and advocacy, and serves on Illinois committees to promote inclusive, family-centered practices through training and resource development.
Keena Sims

Keena L. Sims, Project Manager for the Early Intervention Training Program at the University of Illinois in Champaign Urbana, began working in the Early Intervention Program as a Credentialed Lead Service Coordinator and Developmental Therapist in 2000. As a Project Manager for the EI Training Program, Sims oversees the Credit Request process, Interpreter and Translator Project, as well as takes on a lead role in the Child and Family Outcomes projects. Mrs. Sims leads the effort of surveying all families exiting the Illinois Early Intervention Program annually, to help improve services provided to Illinois children and their families. Mrs. Sims is a graduate of Michigan State University with a background in social services specializing in Family and Community Services. She has more than 25 years of professional experiences ranging from helping children and families facing issues of homelessness, domestic violence and providing high quality services to children with special needs. Mrs. Sims is a Grand Rapids, Michigan native, and currently lives in Illinois with her husband and their three children.
Kathy Slattery

Kathy Slattery is the Project Director and an Early Childhood Special Education Professional Development Specialist for STAR NET Region II & Region VI. She has been involved in the field of Special Education, Early Childhood Special Education and Early Intervention for over 25 years as a classroom teacher, Early Intervention Provider, Parent Support Coordinator and as a technical assistance provider at STAR NET. Kathy has presented at the local, state and national level on topics related to supporting young children with disabilities and their families. In addition, Kathy has been a volunteer State Coordinator for the Selective Mutism Group for twelve years. Kathy participates on several state level committees including Early Childhood LRE Stakeholders and the Stakeholders Committee for Early Childhood Outcomes.
Xigrid Soto-Boykin

Dr. Xigrid Soto-Boykin is an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University and founder of Habla DLL, a professional development organization with the mission of ensuring educators are equipped to help young bilinguals thrive. Her work focuses on high quality dual language education, effective literacy and language instruction for bilingual children, and early childhood special education. Prior to her current work, she was a speech-language therapist with specialization on bilingual children with disabilities.
Sharon Sprague

Sharon Sprague is an ECSE Professional Development Specialist for STAR NET Region II & Region VI. Sharon has worked in the field of Education, Early Childhood Education, and Special Education as a classroom teacher and administrator for over 25 years. She most recently was the Director of Early Childhood programs at the Joseph E. Hill Early Education Center for School District 65 in Evanston, IL. Sharon holds a doctorate in Urban Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master’s of Science in Early Childhood Education from The Erikson Institute. Previously, Sharon has been a presenter for Illinois State Board of Education conferences, and a trainer and coach for school professionals in issues pertaining to Early Childhood Education and Special Education.
Katie Suchy

Katie Suchy is an Early Childhood Resource Specialist for STAR NET Region II & Region VI. Katie holds a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University where she double majored in child, adult, and family services, and linguistics with an emphasis on communication disorders and a minor in psychology. Katie has worked in the field of Early Childhood in a variety of roles in the classroom and as an Administrator for Head Start where she partnered with the local school districts to support students and families in the community. She has a strong background with Head Start, is a certified CLASS observer, GOLD reliable, and CDA Professional Development Specialist.
Rachel Varela Bernardin

Rachel Varela Bernardin has twenty years experience working in early childhood education since graduating in 2004, all of which have been in preschool. Sixteen years have been as an at-risk early childhood teacher in public schools for varying positions between ESL, bilingual, and special education. She holds a bachelor’s in early childhood, master’s in curriculum and instruction, endorsement in ESL/ bilingual, and special education approval for preschool. Her passion is inclusion and supporting teachers with the tools they need so that everyone can be successful.