Congratulations to the New DEC Executive Board Members!

The new DEC Executive Board Members are:

Amanda Quesenberry – Vice President

Amanda Quesenberry, PhD is an Associate Professor at Illinois State University where she teaches future educators the importance of providing high-quality inclusive services to young children with disabilities. Throughout her career, Amanda has been dedicated to high quality learning environments and experiences for children with disabilities. Amanda has worked in Head Start where she coordinated services. In this role, she often saw family members who were too intimidated to voice their concerns or goals for their child. At that time she vowed to open doors for young children with disabilities and their families through her work.

LaShorage Shaffer – Secretary

LaShorage Shaffer, PhD is an Assistant Professor in Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in early childhood and early childhood special education in the Department of Education. She strongly believes in providing students with the educational knowledge, pedagogy, and ability to develop a strong philosophical stance which are core components of the preparation of students. Her research interests lie in the area of utilizing evidence-based practices to enhance teaching, personnel preparation, and policy. She presents at local, state, and national conferences on an ongoing basis sharing her research to a wide range of audiences.

Jessica K. Hardy – Treasurer

Jessica K. Hardy, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Louisville. She currently teaches interdisciplinary early childhood education students and engages in research. She has worked with a variety of technical assistance centers, such as the Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems and the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. She has collaborated with teachers and coaches in a number of states, as well as Australia. She has also coordinated a multi-site randomized control trial, which entailed supervising personnel, coordinating cross-site activities, and organizing data collection.

Cori Hill – Member-At-Large

Cori Hill, MEd is the Project Director and Early Intervention Professional Development Specialist at Partnership for People with Disabilities. She has been an early interventionist for twenty-five years in multiple positions including special instructor, service coordinator, and EI program supervisor. She serves as an adjunct faculty member teaching preservice students in EI and ECSE student teaching placements.