SSEPC Executive Board Members

Chair

Sarah Jin Wong, Ed.D. 
sarah.wong@brynathyn.edu

I am an Assistant Professor and Department Chair at Bryn Athyn College (BAC) in Bryn Athyn, PA. During my graduate studies at Teachers College, Columbia University, I discovered early childhood special education, which led to more than a decade of work in early intervention (Birth–5) before answering the calling and transitioning to higher education in 2013. I solidified that commitment by completing my doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh in July 2021. 

My dissertation, Embracing Ambiguity: A Case Study of One Teacher Education Program’s Collaborative Inquiry into the Teacher Dispositions Construct, reflects my interest in preparing thoughtful, reflective, and inclusive educators. As a teacher educator, I am deeply committed to fostering inclusive dispositions and equipping teacher candidates to provide equitable learning opportunities for all students. My scholarship focuses on preparing teacher candidates to facilitate anti-ableist conversations about disability, while also examining how teacher educators can be better supported in this work - particularly in addressing commonly reported gaps in their own preparation, comfort, and knowledge gaps. 

As a “party of one” at BAC, I deeply value opportunities to connect and collaborate with colleagues who share a commitment to special education teacher preparation. SSEPC - and TED-CEC - have been a professional home and family since 2018, offering genuine warmth, meaningful friendships, and a strong spirit of collegiality. As I look ahead to serving as the 2026 SSEPC Chair, I am excited to give back by supporting our members, strengthening connections, and helping ensure that SSEPC remains a space of collaboration, advocacy, and belonging. It’s an honor to serve our SSEPC family and work together to create value for our members and the field we care so deeply about.

Associate Chair:

Kelly Acosta, Ph.D.

kacosta@ric.edu 

My name is Kelly Acosta and I am excited to serve as the communications editor for the Small Special Education Programs Caucus (SSEPC) for the Teacher Education Division (TED) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). I have been a long standing member of CEC since I was a master’s student in the special education program at the University of NC at Greensboro. I recently received my doctoral degree in special education with a focus in teacher education in special education at the University of FL. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Rhode Island College in Providence, RI. Previously, I was a special educator at my alma mater, Brockton High School in Brockton, MA. My research interests are examining special education teacher shortages, special education teacher preparation, post-secondary transition, and adolescent literacy. When I am not busy working, I enjoy spending time with my three children and reading mystery novels.

My research interests are examining special education teacher shortages, special education teacher preparation, post-secondary transition, and adolescent literacy. When I am not busy working, I enjoy spending time with my three children and reading mystery novels.

Past Chair:

Kristin Murphy, PhD Kristin.Murphy@umb.edu 

My name is Kristin Murphy, and I’m thrilled to be the 2025 Chair of SSEPC. I’m currently at UMass Boston, where I serve as an Associate Professor of Special Education for the College of Education and Human Development. I began my career as a special educator for the New York City Department of Education and collectively, have spent over twenty years serving in various special education focused teaching, research, and policy roles. I have a Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Florida, an Ed.M. in Risk and Prevention Research from Harvard University, and a B.A. in Psychology from Ithaca College.

While I have been a CEC member since 2009, it wasn’t until 2019 that I discovered and attended my first SSEPC meeting! I was relieved and excited to find a community of TED colleagues navigating the same professional opportunities, challenges, and experiences in other small special education programs across the country. I love the KINDNESS and welcoming spirit of the SSEPC community. My experiences in both K-12 and higher education have led me to care deeply about professional learning opportunities, mentorship, collaboration, and relationship-building with colleagues—all critical components to our well-being in our work. I am also deeply interested in and committed to identifying ways to recruit, retain, and diversify within our small special education programs. I love thinking about and engaging in mentorship and professional learning. I count both TED and DEBH as professional homes, and most recently served as co-chair of DEBH’s professional development committee from 2019-22.

Membership Chair:

Kristine E. Larson, Ed.D.
klarson@loyola.edu

My name is Kristine E. Larson. I am an Assistant Professor and Program Director of Special Education at Loyola University Maryland. I received my B.A. in Psychology at Loyola University Maryland in 2003, my M.A. in Teaching Secondary Social Studies from Johns Hopkins University in 2005, and my doctorate in Special Education from Johns Hopkins University in 2015. In 2019, I traveled to India to study yoga and use this experience to inform my work and life. In addition to teaching special education courses at Loyola University, I research flourishing/ comprehensive wellbeing in education, and translate my research into practice in my efforts to create affirming organizational and institutional climates- particularly for students with emotional and behavioral challenges. I am a Senior Fellow of the Human Flourishing Network at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative and Social Science and the founder and chair of Justice for Flourishing, an interest group of the Flourishing Network. I have been involved with SSEPC since the fall of 2019. I served as the Shares Chair in 2020, 2021, and 2022. I went on to serve as SSEPC Secretary in the Spring of 2023 and 2024 and am now the Membership Chair.

Treasurer:

Lynn Scott, Ph.D. 

lynn.scott@indstate.edu

My name is Lynn Scott, I am an Assistant Professor in Special Education at Indiana State University. My background includes 20+ years of teaching and educational leadership roles in support of students with exceptionalities across the life span. I began my work in education after changing careers and leaving the business world. My journey initiated as a paraeducator within a girl’s juvenile facility. I have a B.S. in special education from Saint Mary of the Woods College (Indiana), M. Ed. in educational leadership from Indiana State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Central Florida. I’ve been a member of CEC since 2010, additionally joining TED and TED Kaleidoscope in 2019. I served as the SSEPC Student Representative during the last two years of my doctoral program. Currently, I serve as the faculty advisor for Indiana State University’s Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) Chapter. In addition, I participate as a member and presenter with the following CEC divisions: Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT), Council for Administrators in Special Education (CASE), and Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD). My mission is to better prepare educators in the pursuit of inclusive and equitable practices. I believe in an interdisciplinary approach in research to practice and maintain a commitment and presence within two local K-12 schools through affiliation with the National Association of Professional Development Schools (NAPDS). Through my work in local schools, I aim to bridge disparities by equipping teachers and administrators to create genuine progress in diversity and inclusivity for all students.

Secretary:

Rachel Silva

rachel.silva@uri.edu

Rachel Silva is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Elementary Education at the University of Rhode Island and is the current Elementary Education program coordinator. She was a former SSEPC student representative from 2022-2025. Working as a Special Education teacher and Reading Specialist for over seven years, Rachel supported students’ social emotional needs and literacy skills across public and private school settings. She also collaborated with fellow educators, administrators, and community members to develop curriculum and teacher professional development initiatives regarding inclusive education practices in the United States, Guyana, Bolivia, Greece, and Peru. Her current research interests include examining how inclusive education is understood and embedded within teacher preparation and practices used to prepare the next generation of socially-just educators to meet the needs of all students across intersectional identities. She also uses action research as well as qualitative methods of data collection (i.e., mind mapping, artifact elicitation) and analysis (i.e., illustration, poetic representation) to examine these complexities in teacher education.

Communications Editor:

Erica Lee

elee2@montevallo.edu

Dr. Erica Lee is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Montevallo and a former elementary special education teacher. Her work centers on improving educational outcomes for children with disabilities and their families through evidence-based practices, high-leverage instructional methods, and effective social-emotional supports. Her research examines social-emotional learning, mindfulness-based interventions, and practices that support students with and at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders.

Dr. Lee is also deeply committed to the wellbeing of educators. Her recent work focuses on integrating teacher wellness and mindfulness into educator preparation programs as a proactive approach to reducing burnout and supporting preservice teachers’ resilience and self-efficacy.

As a candidate for Communications Editor, Dr. Lee brings strong written communication skills, experience with creating clear and engaging visual materials, and a passion for building community. She would love to support the committee by managing social media updates, maintaining the committee email communication, and developing a clear, engaging quarterly newsletter that keeps members informed and connected.

Outside of her academic work, Dr. Lee enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two sons, Indie (4) and Fox (2).

Professional Development Co- Chair:

Bethany McConnell bmm93@pitt.edu

I’ve been part of the Pitt-Johnstown community since 2011. I coordinate the special education program and oversee field placements, including student teaching opportunities in New Zealand and Bolivia. I began as a member of SSEPC 11 years ago—a party of one at Pitt-Johnstown. With the support and collaboration of SSEPC members, I grew into a tenured faculty member and built a dual certification special education program. I have since added two other faculty members. I love the support of SSEPC, and I am excited to work with new faculty to collaborate on professional development and share resources through the small special education program journey.

I teach upper-level special education methods courses that focus on classroom management, social-emotional learning, and culturally responsive teaching. Still, I spend much of my time out in schools working alongside pre-service and student teachers. I especially enjoy helping future educators set wellness goals, create engaging lessons, and learn how to “work well with others” as professionals. My experiences in the classroom inspired me to create an interactive workbook "Skills and Behaviors for Student Teaching: A Progress Monitoring Approach," which helps student teachers reflect, grow, and track their progress toward their lifelong goals of teaching. 

I am married to my high school sweetheart, Doug, and together we are raising our teenagers, Derek and Amelia. I’m still making progress on finding work-life balance— while using humor in teaching, marriage, and parenting.

Professional Development Co-Chair:

Donna Ploessl, PhD dploessl@montevallo.edu

Donna M. Ploessl, PhD, serves as Dean and Associate Professor of Special Education in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Montevallo. She was appointed Dean in 2024 following two years of service as Interim Dean. In this role, Dr. Ploessl provides academic and administrative leadership for a broad range of programs, including teacher education, counseling, educational leadership, family and consumer sciences, human development and family studies, hospitality and tourism, and retail merchandising.

Dr. Ploessl’s scholarly expertise centers on collaboration and co-teaching, instructional coaching, and teacher preparation. A former special educator, she has dedicated her career to advancing effective practices that strengthen P–12 teaching and learning. Her leadership portfolio includes oversight of national and state accreditation processes, continuous program improvement, and faculty development initiatives. She has worked extensively with accrediting bodies such as CAEP, CACREP, NAEYC, and AAFCS.

As a first-generation college graduate, Dr. Ploessl is committed to expanding access to higher education and preparing educators and preparing educators and professionals who positively impact schools, communities, and industries across Alabama and beyond.

Student Representative:

Britnie Marquez

britniem@unr.edu

Britnie Marquez is a graduate student at the University of Nevada Reno.