Meet our leaders, innovators, and world-class educators

Fred Edora is an established leader in data reporting, accessibility, and project management with over 15 years of experience developing data-driven solutions. His expertise spans statistical programming, data management, and data visualization, with a proven ability to convey key insights to government decision-makers. As the director of an OSEP-funded national technical assistance center, Fred oversees efforts to help state education agencies and early childhood providers deliver data in accessible formats. Living with a disability himself, he is deeply committed to accessible data practices, driving initiatives like a new accessible data framework and leading the creation of an open-source reporting tool. Fred frequently shares his expertise at national conferences and contributes to global accessibility standards as part of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Johan is CIDI's User Experience and Information and Communications Technology Quality Assurance Manager at Georgia Tech. Johan oversees digital accessibility and user experience initiatives for local, state and national organizations throughout the country, and has worked in disability awareness and accessibility for over 20 years.

Bill has over 30 years’ experience managing complex organizations and information technology projects. He is the portfolio director of work on the Office of Special Education Programs’ Data Centers and a nationally recognized leader on Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) data systems. As the director overseeing the Center for the Integration of IDEA Data and the Generate application, Bill’s expertise includes the intersection and integration of special education data systems with general education data systems.

Mark has 25 years of service in the fields of special education, rehabilitation medicine, and assistive technology. His work focuses on the development of educational and informational materials for people with disabilities and their families or caregivers. Mark also focuses on the accessibility of products and materials used by people with disabilities, including the role of assistive technology.

Valerie manages the E-Text Department at CIDI at Georgia Institute of Technology, making accessible materials for individuals with print-related disabilities. Valerie and her team collaborate with university staff, publishers, corporations, and state agencies to ensure the documents they create and distribute will be accessible to those who rely on screen readers, text to speech software, or other assistive technology to access documents.

Didi brings two decades of expertise in leading large-scale software development implementations across federal and private sectors. Her expertise in Agile methodologies and ability to translate business needs into technical solutions have consistently driven project success and client satisfaction. Didi guides teams by fostering a collaborative environment and leveraging data-driven insights to inform decision-making and track progress.

Levette brings over 30 years of experience as a leader in K-12 data governance and management. Her work with states as a subject matter expert includes the effective development, privacy, and accessible use of education data. Currently managing the development of the Weiss Center's Accessibility Maturity Roadmap, Levette's background gives her a unique perspective and appreciation of identifying and assessing the needs of states to improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

With over 30 years of dedicated service in special education, Charlie has amassed a wealth of experience across multiple pivotal roles, including school psychologist, local education agency administrator, and state director of special education. Throughout her career, Charlie has been driven by a singular focus - to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities by removing barriers and creating opportunities for all. She deeply values the importance of collaboration and hard work in achieving growth and success.

Darren has experience serving individuals with disabilities as an Individualized Education Program Manager in the classroom and as a TA Provider supporting state education agencies (SEAs) in their special education data integration efforts. He currently manages the development and distribution of accessible communications, products, and media, ensuring their usability and navigability by various users and assistive technologies. Darren also oversees the facilitation and execution of virtual events surrounding IDEA data accessibility and serves as the Center's product owner.

Lauren brings nearly 30 years of experience serving in a variety of special education roles at the local, state, and national levels.  Her background as an occupational therapist, administrator, consultant, and systemic improvement coordinator has informed her holistic, context-sensitive approach to the delivery of high-quality technical assistance. Driven by high regard for—and celebration of!—students with disabilities, stakeholder partnerships, and data-informed implementation, Lauren seeks opportunities to elevate special education experiences and outcomes for everyone involved.

Tony has over 27 years’ experience in the public, non-profit, and private sectors. His expertise focuses on data management, data collection, reporting, accessibility, and analysis in health and education. Tony supports state Part C Early Intervention programs with developing accessible data representation (visualization) and artifact accessibility for people with disabilities. Tony is a subject matter expert providing technical assistance for The Rhonda Weiss Center for Accessible IDEA Data, The Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy), IDEA Data Center (IDC), Common Education Data Standards (CEDS), and National Center for Education Outcomes (NCEO).

Emily has a wealth of experience as a Support Center Analyst, Escalation Lead, and Project Coordinator supporting SEAs and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in the execution of various efforts. As the Quality Assurance (QA) Lead, she ensures the quality and consistency of project messaging, tools, and outputs, including comprehensive technical testing.