Join Special Education Legal Fund on March 10th, 2021 at 7pm for a panel discussion with and about special education advocates. This webinar panel, featuring a group of distinguished special education advocates including Diane Willcutts, Virginia Blum, Anne Munkenback, and Julie Swanson, will explore how special education advocates help parents navigate the ins and outs of the special education system. The panel will be moderated by Lara Damashek, Special Education Legal Fund board member, and will focus on such questions as:

• Do I need a special education advocate?
• How can a special education advocate best help my family?
• What's the difference between a special education advocate and a special education attorney?

Lara Damashek (Moderator) is the founder of Early Insight Advocacy and is a parent advocate with experience as a public school teacher, special education attorney (Law office of Regina Skyer, New York City), and mother of a child with an IEP. Through her advocacy practice, Lara offers parents of young children the practical support needed to tackle and navigate the daunting task of pursuing special education services for their children, either publicly or privately. Lara Damashek is also a CSE (Committee on Special Education) Representative at the Windward School (New York).

Virginia Blum joined CT Education Advocacy, LLC as a Special Education Advocate in 2018 after having completed the SEAT 2.0 training course sponsored by the Council of Parents, Advocates, and Attorneys (COPAA). Virginia’s desire to work as an advocate arose from her experiences with having to navigate the special education process for her own daughter, who was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in 2005, at age three. By attending countless PPT meetings and actively advocating as a parent, Virginia gained the skills and experience needed to understand the special education process and qualify for her SEAT 2.0 training. She also developed the empathy needed to truly connect with families and support their complex needs when they are attempting to navigate the complicated educational system for their own child. Virginia received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Virginia in 1995, working for several years as a Certified Public Accountant prior to the birth of her two daughters. She is a member of COPAA. Virginia also serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for Abilis, a non-profit organization that provides services and support for special needs individuals in lower Fairfield County.

Anne Munkenbeck is a Special Education Advocate who provides support for families and their children to navigate the special education process from birth to adulthood. Anne’s private practice focuses on securing the appropriate education services for a student’s individual needs and empowering families to effectively advocate for their child. In addition, Anne serves on the Board of ABC Wilton as coordinator of the College Advocate program, provides parent training in advocacy for Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, is a member of COPAA and is pursuing a Masters in Special Education with a concentration in Assistive Technology at Southern Connecticut State University.

Julie Swanson is the parent of a young adult with an autism spectrum disorder, a disability specialist and special education advocate. Her career as a special education advocate grew out of her own advocacy efforts for her son. Julie has helped hundreds of families secure appropriate special education services for their children who have disabilities in Connecticut. She is also the co-founder of YourSpecialEducationRights.com, a video-based website that helps parents understand their rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, co-author of the book Your Special Education Rights: What Your School District Isn’t Telling You and, most recently, the creator of the lifeskillslady.com, a website devoted to increasing life skill outcomes for students on the autism spectrum. She serves as a co-chair of the public relations committee for the Council of Parent Advocates and Attorneys (COPAA), a national organization that promotes special education advocacy. Additionally, she is the founding president of Special Education Equity for Kids of Connecticut (SEEKCT). Julie is also a founding board member of Connecticut Families for Effective Autism Treatment (CT-FEAT). She is currently a long-standing member of Connecticut's Transition Task Force and a member of the Connecticut IEP Document Revision group.

For nearly 20 years, Diane Willcutts has provided skilled advocacy services on behalf of Connecticut children with disabilities, helping hundreds of families to obtain appropriate programming for their children. Diane has completed over 700 hours of professional development through Wrightslaw, the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), the Learning Disabilities Association, the Autism Spectrum Resource Center, the CT and MA State Bar Associations, and the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. She has presented at local, national, and international conferences and has been an instructor for COPAA’s renowned SEAT (Special Education Advocacy Training) program. Diane’s previous professional experience included work in research and program development through the University of Connecticut Department of Psychology. Both there and at Rutgers University, she taught courses in statistics and research design, providing her with a practical foundation for understanding and interpreting education research that describes methods of assessment or instruction. Diane served as president of the Learning Disabilities Association of Connecticut and a director on COPAA’s Board. She is currently an active member of numerous professional and parent organizations, focusing on training and legislative advocacy.