KRISTEN is deeply devoted to the New York City public school system. She has been involved in New York City public schools for 45 years as a student, a teacher and a mother. She has had the privilege of being a special education teacher at PS 3 in Greenwich Village where she developed and implemented one of New York City’s earliest co-taught inclusion classrooms alongside Ronit Wrubel. Kristen has been a passionate advocate for inclusive education for over 25 years. This passion has played a role in every step of her career as an educator from classroom teacher, to instructional coach, to education consultant. She has enabled her advocacy for inclusive education inspire the creation of successful and dynamic programs in dozens of schools in the New York City area. As a professional development provider, Kristen has helped educators create and sustain effective inclusive programs for their schools citywide, on regional, district, and school levels.

Across her career Kristen has worked in classrooms K-12, but her heart belongs with early childhood where her career began. She focuses much of her professional attention supporting teachers in developing barrier free instructional settings with supportive adaptive materials to ensure access and creating positive behavioral supports for students. Kristen particularly enjoys spending time with teachers in the classroom problem-solving and developing individualized programs for students.

Kristen received her Master’s of Special Education at Syracuse University. She is a recipient of the Bank Street Early Childhood Education Award, has served as adjunct faculty at CUNY Hunter College and has worked with Columbia University’s Teacher’s College Inclusive Classroom Project. She started the company in 2004, but GoldMansour & Rutherford was born in 2005 when Kristen had the honor of being joined by Allison Rutherford. Together they built the company up to what it is today.

When she isn’t working, Kristen spends her time with her family and friends. She is an avid baker, movie watcher and beach bum

Email: kristen@gr-inclusivegroup.com

SHADE keeps everything running smoothly for staff and clients at G&R. She is at the heart of all G&R daily activities.

She has worked as a property manager, a chief stewardess on private yachts, and a pre-kindergarten teacher. Though widely varied, in nature, each of her previous jobs have honed the organizational, communication and bookkeeping skills required by her current position at G&R.

Shade is a native of Arkansas, and currently resides in south Florida. She holds a BA from the University of Mississippi.

In her spare time, she enjoys home entertaining and decorating, traveling with her husband, and being out on the water.

Email: shade@gr-inclusivegroup.com

HEIDI is an experienced general and specialized education teacher with a background in inclusive and restrictive classrooms from elementary to high school settings. She has worked with public and charter schools in California, Oregon, and New York, on creating the best possible inclusive practices.

Heidi graduated with her Doctoral degree in Developmental Psychology from the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Speech Therapy & Audiology from Florida State University, and has dual teaching credentials from San Diego State University, and a Masters of Science, Vocational Special Education, from San Francisco State University. She has taught at City University of New York, and Brooklyn College in the Child Studies Department. Heidi is a member of AERA, TASH, and SDS.

In her free time, Heidi enjoys practicing yoga, hiking and camping across National and State parks.

Email: heidi@gr-inclusivegroup.com

For the past 15 years, JESSICA has been working with Students with Disabilities in inclusive settings, both private and public, in New York City. As a Special Education teacher, Jessica taught in collaborative (ICT) classrooms for several years and serviced students, as a Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS) provider, in Least Restrictive Environments. She has served as a mentor- supporting teachers with implementation of Differentiated Instruction and classroom management and as an Intervention Facilitator- overseeing the academic interventions for At-Risk students.

Jessica has been with G&R for nearly five years, and is the Director of Content for Inclusive Practices for the company in addition to being an Instructional Coach. She regularly consults in schools in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Westchester. Jessica has developed and led Workshops on various inclusive education topics throughout New York City and in Westchester school districts. She particularly enjoys helping teachers problem-solve in order to keep students in their LRE, creating Adaptive Materials to support Differentiated Instruction, developing classroom and school-wide systems for IEP data collection, as well as supporting school-wide structures for intervention and teacher collaboration.

Jessica received her undergraduate degree in Developmental Psychology from Sarah Lawrence College and her Master’s in Education, with Certification in Special Education, from Bank Street Graduate School of Education. At home, Jessica enjoys reading, cooking and being outside with her husband and two daughters.

Email: Jessica@gr-inclusivegroup.com

Haley has been in public education for eight years. She spent the first five years of her education career in Hawaii as an inclusion teacher in fourth and sixth grade classrooms in schools across the demographic spectrum. Haley spent three years as an elementary school Student Services Coordinator, where she mentored special education staff, ensured legal compliance on Individualized Education Plans and 504 Plans, directed her school’s Response to Intervention program, and conducted testing for special education eligibility. Haley received dual Bachelors degrees in Elementary and Special Education and a Masters in Curriculum Studies with a focus on literacy from University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Haley is passionate about making data-based decisions in education and providing quality inclusive education for all students. Email: Haley@gr-inclusivegroup.com

With over 19 years of experience in education, Jennifer maintains a student-centered, thoughtful approach in all her various roles and believes strongly in reflective practices and the importance of communication and collaboration. Jennifer began her career as a high school teacher in suburban Rochester, NY most notably piloting an innovative ICT setting that included additional supports through a block schedule. She returned to teaching and has since worked in NYC public and charter schools. Since then she has continued to serve in inclusive settings advocating for students as an ICT teacher, as well as an Instructional Coach and Department Chair for Social Studies and Special Education teachers where she supported teachers and students by creating and delivering targeted professional development, analyzing data, observing, modeling lessons, and providing ongoing feedback. Jennifer’s roles also include: mentor teacher, member of Instructional Leadership, School Implementation, and School Leadership Teams, advisory teacher, and Student Activities Coordinator. Most recently, Jennifer taught at a NYC Transfer School where she strengthened instructional practices to consider and differentiate for all learners through embedded structures and student choice. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Studies Education and History and a Master of Arts in History from SUNY Cortland.  Email: jennifer@gr-inclusivegroup.com

Ellen has spent her career committed to the goal of providing inclusive educational opportunities for all students. For 30 years, Ellen has served as a special education teacher, principal, and administrator, working to address the academic and behavioral needs of struggling learners as well as students who have been labeled disabled. For the past 19 years, Ellen has developed workshops and coaching programs to support an inclusive educational practice in schools in New York City, prior to that she worked in San Francisco and Atlanta. In addition, she has provided support and technical assistance to principals across New York City to ensure that school-wide systems are in place to support the behavioral and academic needs and strengths of all students. Ellen received a Master’s in Special Education from Georgia State University and a doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University in Curriculum and Teaching. Email:ellen@gr-inclusivegroup.com

Kate grew up in Philadelphia where she began working with children at a young age. She earned a degree in Early, Elementary, and Special Education from Temple University and a MSEd in Early Childhood Special Education from Fordham University.  After graduating college, Kate began teaching children with a variety of special needs in the School District of Philadelphia in self-contained settings — but it never felt right.  After being offered a position at a school that matched her beliefs about inclusion, Kate moved to NYC.  Since 2005, Kate has worked in the South Bronx both as a teacher and as Director of Special Education Services in inclusive settings.  She has also supported several schools in the NYC area with creating learning environments for all students and providing professional development to teachers.  Additionally, Kate serves as an advocate for children with special needs on the local and national levels.  Email: kateh@gr-inclusivegroup.com

Julie has been an elementary educator for ten years, working to differentiate both curriculum and environment to meet the diverse needs of all learners. She has taught in both private and public school settings in various grades, and has served students with disabilities as a general education teacher and as a co-teacher in an ICT classroom. Throughout her career, she has also taken on the roles of education specialist, literacy specialist, literacy leader, and mentor for new teachers. Across her work, Julie is dedicated to making child-centered and data-based decisions in order to build more inclusive classroom communities. She graduated from Skidmore College with a Bachelor of Science in Studio Art and Psychology, and completed her Masters at Teachers College in the Literacy Specialist program.

Email: Julie@gr-inclusivegroup.com