Cheryl A. Poe is a Special Education Advocate, equity consultant, and nonprofit leader with more than a decade of experience advancing educational justice for students with disabilities, particularly Black and Brown children. She brings deep expertise in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), school discipline policy, and culturally responsive advocacy practices.

Throughout her career, Mrs. Poe has advocated for thousands of students impacted by discriminatory discipline, IEP failures, and systemic violations of special education law. She also develops and leads national parent training programs that equip families to protect their children’s educational rights and effectively navigate school systems.

Mrs. Poe is the founder of Advocating While Black™, a research initiative centering the lived experiences of Black families in special education, and the creator of the Culture of Advocacy™ Toolkit used by parents, educators, and disability organizations nationwide.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Urban Education and Counseling and completed the William & Mary Law Institute of Special Education Advocacy.

Based in British Columbia, Canada, Dr. Shelley Moore is a highly sought-after inclusive education researcher, teacher, consultant and storyteller. She has worked with school districts and community organizations around the world. Her research explores how to support teachers to design for all learners in grade level academic classrooms that include students with intellectual disabilities using strength based and responsive approaches. Shelley completed her undergraduate degree in Special Education at the University of Alberta, her Masters at Simon Fraser University, and her Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia.

Lisa Baskin Wright is a former teacher and parent to an autistic young adult who supports families through the IEP process helping parents and caregivers feel more confident at the IEP table. Lisa takes a collaborative approach that focuses on getting curious about the learner and what kind of an environment they need to thrive. She is neurodiversity affirming and centers the lived experience of the child.

In short, her approach is:

• Collaborative

• Neurodiversity-affirming

• Quality of life centered

• Learner-centered

• Accommodation (not compliance) focused

Lisa's primary focus is the learner and making sure their program honors their humanity while being implemented in a way that builds connection between them and the teams who are supporting them.

Christina Schmidt (she/her) is a Black African-American-Australian, multicultural and multidialectal AuDHD woman who proudly embraces her identity across all facets of her work and advocacy. As the founder of Free to Be Me Speech Therapy, she provides neuroaffirming support to paediatric and adult clients in ways that honour each person’s unique communication needs, strengths and ways of being. Her approach is transformative - grounded in deep presence, cultural integrity and lived/living experience. Whether she’s guiding fellow speech pathologists, connecting meaningfully in client sessions, or presenting to captivated audiences around the world, she weaves together her personal and professional experience to create a resonant, lasting impact. Christina lives, works, plays and creates on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-worrung People in Naarm (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia). Her work is rooted in justice, joy and the ongoing commitment to amplifying diverse voices and stories - always with the belief that we all deserve to be seen, heard and free to be.