Kindel has been in the field of special education since 1991. Currently, he is the Director of Support Services for the Twin Falls School Distri􀀜t. Previously he served as the Special Services Director in Jerome, for 13 years. Prior to becoming a director, Kindel worked with the Idaho State Department of Education as a consultant and taught special education at the elementary and middle school levels. He holds a B.A. in Elementary/Special Education and a M.A. in Special Education from Idaho State University, and earned an Ed.S. in School Administration from the University of Idaho. He was selected as the 2013 Idaho Outstanding Special Education Administrator and the 2015 Idaho State University Outstanding Educator. Kindel has been an active member of CASE for 14 years and a CEC member for 25 years. He served on the CASE Executive Committee as the chair of the CASE Professional Development Committee. His leadership roles include CASE Membership Committee member, Idaho CASE President, Idaho CEC President, President of the Idaho Association of Special Education Administrators, and President of the Marsh Valley Education Association. He served on the Idaho Medicaid Advisory Committee and the Governor's interagency Student Services Support Committee. In his spare time, Kindel enjoys participating in the many outdoor activities Idaho has to offer. 

Tawnya is a special education teacher whose expertise includes guiding school districts and professionals in trauma-informed practices and working with students who display challenging behaviors. As a special education advisor, she is passionate about supporting and equipping professionals to work with students with social, emotional, and behavioral struggles. Tawnya's experience includes over a decade of working with youth in residential/therapeutic settings, as both an educator and a mental health professional. She also has extensive experrence in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention and is a Verbal Intervention Instructor through the Crisis Prevention Institute ( CPI). Tawnya earned an Honors Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Oregon State University and a Master of Science in Special Education from Portland State University in Oregon. Tawnya is a former business owner and a freelance writer. She holds a State of Oregon Special Education licensure and is also a member of the Council of Exceptional Children and the National Association of Special Education Teachers. She is NASET Board Certified in Special Education and recently began an MBA program. 

Kim is an experienced marriage and family therapist and board-certified behavior analyst who has a passion for building relationships between educators and students and families and supporting effective communication and behavior management in the education setting. In her role as a Counseling and BCBA Advisor at BlazerWorks, Kim is dedicated to supporting educators and service providers to make a difference for the students they serve. Kim has worked in the education, behavioral, and mental health fields for over 20 years, and brings a unique perspective to the education setting through her background and experience. Kim is highly skilled at leveraging her knowledge and experience in the fields of communication, psychology, education, behavior, and organizational behavior management to empower systems and individuals in going to the next level. Kim earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Psychology at the University of Southern California. She then attained her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy at Pepperdine University. After years in the mental health and education fields, Kim moved into education administration and supported 21 school districts in Southern California as a SELPA Administrator. Along with this work, Kim expanded her post-master’s education to include certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. 

Erin is an experienced school psychologist with a strong passion for inclusion advocacy and experience in identifying dyslexia in students. As a BlazerWorks School Psychology Advisor, Erin especially enjoys guiding school professionals and districts with solution-focused resolution support. Erin's diverse background includes 22 years of experience in K-12 education as a paraprofessional special education teacher, school psychologist, and program specialist. Erin also works in private practice completing assessments, providing clinical supervision, and staff development. She hos extensive experience in conducting psycho-educational assessments and providing valuable information to families and educational teams. Erin earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from California State University Channel Islands and her Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from Azusa Pacific University. She is a Licensed Educational Psychologist in California. 

Ryan Spencer is an associate in Hawley Troxell's Litigation practice. He specializes in special education law. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law, receiving his J.D. in May of 2023. During law school, Ryan was a law clerk for a local Idaho firm, gaining litigation experience drafting court documents, conduct research, preparing legal arguments, and assisting with trial strategy. Ryan graduated BYU-Idaho in 2020 with a B.S. in Special Education and an emphasis in Severe Disabilities. Ryan is passionate about developing better education practices for students with disabilities. 

Luisa M. Lowry, Ed.S., is currently a Special Education Consulting Teacher for the Nampa School District. She has 13+ years experience in education ranging from teaching General Education, Special Education, and now supporting teams at the district level. She has teaching experience in both Oregon and Idaho. Luisa holds degrees in Elementary Education, Special Education, Special Education Administrator, and Building Administrator. She is passionate about supporting students with disabilities and Multilingual learners. Her experience has been predominantly working with Title 1 families and high ML populations. Luisa previously held leadership positions in Idaho Council for Exceptional Children, Oregon Council for Exceptional Children, Idaho Division for Emotional and Behavioral Health, Division for Emotional and Behavioral Health at the national level, and Council for Special Education Administrators. In her spare time, Luisa enjoys spending time with her family, trying new recipes, and curling up with a good book. 

Alejandra Howell is currently the EL Program Coordinator for the Nampa School District. This entails overseeing the English Language Learners program, coaching elementary EL Specialists, and providing professional development for schools. This position is close to her heart due to her background as an English Language Learner. Born in Mexico City, she emigrated to the US (Chicago) when she was six years old. Her path was not direct, as her family moved often and spent long periods of time in Mexico, so learning English was not linear. She holds a BA in Music Ed, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction, as well as an M. Ed. in Educational Leadership. Her passion is supporting and advocating for Multilingual Learner students and their families, as well as helping ML/EL and Gen Ed teachers feel successful in supporting them. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband Joe in the great Idaho outdoors hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and paddling. 

 

Special Education Director, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Parent Advocate Adrienne Seamans has a PhD in Education from the University of Idaho, where she specialized in autism and other related developmental disorders. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a licensed master's level social worker. She was recently elected as the chair of the Idaho Council for Developmental Disabilities, where she is currently serving her second term as a parent of a child with developmental disabilities. She is also the President-Elect for the Idaho Council for Exceptional Children. Professionally, Dr. Seamans is a Federal Programs Director for a charter school where she oversees the school's special education and federal programs. She is the wife of an individual with autism spectrum disorder and is the mother of three children, with two children also on the autism spectrum. 

 

Erin Peterson, MA, BCBA Bachelor of Arts, University of California, Berkeley Master of Arts in Behavior Analysis, Touro University California Board Certified Behavior Analyst, specializing in school-based supports for students with significant behavioral needs. With over a decade of working in special education, Erin is deeply passionate about approaching her work with both empathy and curiosity, as she believes these qualities are essential in fostering meaningful connections, as well as understanding the unique needs of each individual. Erin joined the West Ada School District in August 2024 and is motivated to continue guiding students through achieving functional, safe ways to communicate and access their needs and to empower staff to effectively and meaningfully support them. 

Tara Soesbe is a passionate 20-year educator, speaker, and advocate specializing in whole child development, school-wide climate and culture, and preparing students for lifelong success. She is committed to ensuring that every student gains the knowledge, skills, and mindsets necessary to thrive beyond the classroom. Through Till360, Tara delivers inspiring keynotes, transformative professional development, and hands-on support to schools, conferences, and organizations. She harnesses the power of human connection and being your own champion to drive systemic change, helping educators create environments where students and staff feel valued, supported, and empowered. Her experience spans roles as an elementary teacher, middle school student success teacher, secondary special education teacher, and consultant for school improvement and special education with Iowa’s Area Education Agencies. A fierce advocate for ALL kids, Tara is dedicated to helping schools build meaningful relationships, strengthen whole child practices, and foster a culture of belonging and success for every student. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ian started his career as a Spanish teacher in Phoenix, AZ. Although always passionate about education, he soon realized his calling was not in the classroom. After a 15 year career out of education, he cofounded Playground IEP & IEP Copilot to help serve diverse learner students and their teachers through innovative technology. IEP Copilot is a suite of free tools to assist teachers ideate and write IEP goals, behavior intervention plans & interventions with the help of AI. 

Sean is an experienced special ed teacher and director, which led him to create Playground IEP & IEP Copilot- a suite of free AI writing tools to enable special educators to be more effective and efficient. Sean combines a passion for special education, technology, AI and design to improve outcomes for special education students and staff. He’s presented nationally on AI for Special Education, including National CASE, and as a keynote speaker on AI at the Academy of Law & Leadership conference. 

Anne Sullivan Magnelli is a partner at the Boise firm Anderson, Julian & Hull, LLP, the leading education law firm in the state of Idaho. Ms. Magnelli has been in practice for over 20 years, across two states, and has represented and advised schools and other governmental and non-governmental entities in defense matters for that time. For over the last decade she has practiced in Idaho and at Anderson, Julian & Hull, representing Idaho school Districts and Charter Schools. She enjoys the breadth of topics this presents, and that her particular emphasis in special education law exposes her to novel situations and a developing area of law daily. During and after law school, Ms. Magnelli interned with, and then clerked for, a United States Magistrate Judge. In her daily practice, she litigates in all state and Federal and appellate-level courts in Idaho; advises school Boards; consults with special education directors and superintendents on challenging issues of discipline and special education; and provides policy guidance. Ms. Magnelli is also a Parent of a Student on an IEP. 

Vanessa Staudacher, M.Ed., has been an Idaho SESTA Coordinator since 2021. With over 20 years of classroom experience spanning preschool to high school, she is passionate about fostering inclusive learning environments through Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and co-teaching. She is dedicated to creating practical tools that empower educators to focus on what truly matters: student success 

Bree Keenan is a Statewide Coordinator with Idaho SESTA, where she has been working for the past 2.5 years to support special education professionals across Idaho. With over a decade of experience in the field of special education, including 7 years as a special education teacher, Bree has been dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities. She earned a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Boise State University and brings a deep passion for special education processes, legal compliance, and ensuring effective support for students with disabilities. Bree believes the referral process is the cornerstone of the special education journey—where a strong referral builds the foundation for student success, making the never ending-paperwork trail feel more worth the work! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cindy Seedall is a school psychologist who has worked for the Bonneville School District for 15 years. Cindy is passionate about teaching Executive Functioning skills, knowing that if we teach academics students can get a job, but if we teach Executive Functioning, they can keep the job. Cindy has a big blended family of 10 children, all of whom have graduated from the Bonneville School District. Cindy is nationally certified and is a member of NASP and ISPA. She has served on district and state committees for RtI implementation, SLD criteria and recently as a member of the state School Psychology workgroup. You can find her website with all things Executive Functioning at bit.ly/cindyseedall. In her spare time, Cindy enjoys exercising, camping, reading and spending time with her family. 

Ryan Spencer is an associate in Hawley Troxell's Litigation, Insurance, and Healthcare practice groups in Idaho Falls. Ryan is a recent graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law, receiving his J.D. in May of 2023. During law school, Ryan was a Law Clerk for a local Idaho firm, gaining litigation experience drafting court documents, conducting research, preparing legal arguments and assisting with trial strategy. Ryan also gained significant legal administrative experience working as a Legal Assistant whilst attending BYU-Idaho as an undergraduate, where he earned a B.S. in Special Education with an emphasis in Severe Disabilities in 2020. Having worked as a Student Teacher and Special Education Paraprofessional with students with learning, mental, and physical disabilities, Ryan is passionate about developing better education practices for students with disabilities. 

Nicole Jenkins is an attorney at Anderson, Julian & Hull and exclusively practices in education and special education law. Her passion for education and special education law stems from her professional experiences and a strong belief in the importance of accessible and quality public education. After graduating with a M.S. in School Counseling, Nicole worked in rural Idaho as a school counselor. As a school counselor, Nicole served as an IEP team member, 504 Coordinator, and worked directly with students and their families to improve equitable outcomes. After making a career change for law, Nicole worked for the Idaho Department of Education while enrolled at the University of Idaho. After graduating, Nicole joined Anderson, Julian & Hull, and has been thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to work with and support Idaho schools. 

Karen has 18-years of experience in the public schools as a school psychologist. She has her EdS degree in School Psychology and an MEd degree in Counseling. She has worked in the public schools as an employee and as an independent contractor while at times simultaneously counseling and conducting psychoeducational assessments in private practice. In addition, she worked with adolescents and young adults in a residential treatment center providing counseling individually and in groups. She is passionate about helping children and now helping the helpers as a SESTA coordinator! 

Rachel Grenzebach is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with experience in both educational and in-home settings. She specializes in creating tailored behavior strategies to support individuals with special needs. As a coordinator for Idaho Special Education Support and Technical Assistance (SESTA) team, Rachel trains LEAs, develops resources, and advises special education personnel. Her work focuses on minimizing challenging behaviors and empowering educators to improve the educational experience for all students. Throughout her career, Rachel has demonstrated a commitment to evidence-based practices, collaboration, and advocacy in behavior analysis. 

Tara Soesbe is a 20-year educator specializing in social-emotional learning, building school-wide climate and culture, and ensuring students have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for post-secondary success and life-long learning. Tara works for Till360 and speaks in schools, at conferences, and with entities providing professional development to support climate and culture with the power of human connection to create a systematic change, and also works directly with schools to provide support and enhance social-emotional learning. She served the field of education as an elementary teacher, a middle school student success teacher, a secondary special education teacher, and a consultant for special education with Iowa's Area Education Agencies. She fights for ALL Kids. 

 

 

 

 

 

Ryan Spencer is an associate in the firm’s Litigation, Insurance, and Healthcare practice groups in Idaho Falls. Ryan is a recent graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law, receiving his J.D. in May of 2023. During law school, Ryan was a Law Clerk for a local Idaho firm, gaining litigation experience drafting court documents, conducting research, preparing legal arguments and assisting with trial strategy. Ryan also gained significant legal administrative experience working as a Legal Assistant whilst attending BYU-Idaho as an undergraduate, where he earned a B.S. in Special Education with an emphasis in Severe Disabilities in 2020. Having worked as a Student Teacher and Special Education Paraprofessional with students with learning, mental, and physical disabilities, Ryan is passionate about developing better education practices for students with disabilities.