1st Annual Mid-Atlantic PBIS Network Tier I Team Professional Learning Event BIOS

1st Annual Mid-Atlantic PBIS Network Tier I Team Professional Learning Event

Patti Hershfeldt, Ed.D is the Assistant Director of the Mid-Atlantic PBIS Network and an Implementing Partner with the National PBIS Technical Assistance Center.  Patti co-chairs a national workgroup that supports high schools with implementation of SW PBIS. Additionally, she has a strong professional focus on equity and classroom systems. She is a Faculty Associate for the School of Education at John Hopkins University, and has taught coursework in PBIS, classroom management, and special education. Patti is a former high school special education teacher of 15 years.

Jennifer Jeffrey-Pearsall, Ph.D, BCBA-D, NCSP is a Training and Technical Assistant Specialist with the Mid-Atlantic PBIS Network, and Sheppard Pratt Health System’s Coordinator for PBIS Maryland.  She received her doctoral training in School Psychology from the University of Oregon.  Jennifer has professional experience as a consultant, trainer, applied researcher, building-level psychologist, and adjunct and assistant professor.  She has dedicated her career to supporting State Departments of Education, public school systems, and youth-serving agencies through the exploration, implementation, and maintenance process of PBIS.

Catherine Shwaery, MS.Ed is a national trainer and technical assistance facilitator with Mid-Atlantic PBIS Network through Sheppard Pratt Health System, an Implementer Partner Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.  For the past seven years, Catherine has been a frequent instructor and technical assistance provider for school systems in the area of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Behavior.  Her expertise is in providing PBIS professional learning for Tier I School Leadership Teams, Positive Classroom Behavioral Supports and Targeted Tier II teams.  She continues to support school districts with preparing for and maintaining successful implementation through coaching and technical assistance.  Catherine was a teacher for over 20 years, a Special Education administrator in Northern Virginia, as well as the PBIS District Coordinator with Fairfax and Loudoun County Public Schools.

Kimberly Yanek, Ph.D is the Assistant Director for PBIS Training and Technical Assistance with the Mid-Atlantic PBIS Network at Sheppard Pratt Health System in Baltimore, Maryland. Through her work with the Mid-Atlantic PBIS Network, she develops curriculum and instructional materials to provide a continuum of support around multi-tiered frameworks, systems change, capacity building and sustainability, coaching, and classroom behavior support systems to state departments, school divisions, and schools. Before joining the Mid-Atlantic PBIS Network, she worked in a similar capacity for the Virginia Department of Education Training and Technical Assistance Centers and served on the VDOE VTSS/PBIS Leadership Team. Her teaching career currently focuses on adult learning and it began in the classroom as a special education teacher.