The EASTCONN ACCESS Team

Dr. Ravit Stein, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA, NCSP, directs EASTCONN’s ACCESS (Advancing Consultation & Coaching to Empower Student Success) team. With training in school psychology, applied behavior analysis, and consultation, Dr. Stein brings a unique perspective that bridges individual learning needs with system-wide improvement. At EASTCONN, Dr. Stein leads a multidisciplinary team that partners with Connecticut schools through responsive consultation, coaching, and sustainable systems-building. ACCESS helps districts strengthen MTSS implementation, design high-leverage strategies, and build internal capacity through strategic planning, embedded professional learning, and habit-based coaching. The team also provides ecological, functional, and diagnostic assessments, ensuring that recommendations are both data-driven and actionable. Dr. Stein contributes to the field by publishing empirical research and presenting at regional and national conferences, translating evidence into practical tools that support real-world application. A licensed psychologist and nationally certified school psychologist, she also teaches graduate courses at UConn’s Neag School of Education and facilitates professional learning across the state. She is deeply committed to building collaborative, sustainable systems that give all learners equitable opportunities to thrive. Dr. Stein can be contacted via email at rstein@eastconn.org or by phone at (860) 428-0506.

Dr. Jacquelyn DuBois is a Senior Educational and Behavioral Consultant and Licensed Psychologist at EASTCONN’s ACCESS (Advancing Consultation & Coaching to Empower Student Success) team. She earned her doctorate in School Psychology from Northeastern University, and is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), IIRP certified Restorative Practices trainer, and licensed psychologist. She completed her doctoral internship at Devereux Foundation Center for Effective Schools, where she assisted urban and alternative schools in developing, implementing, and evaluating multi-tiered systems of support. Dr. DuBois has experience in public school systems, community mental health, hospitals, and early intervention settings. Dr. DuBois area of focus is collaborating with public school systems and early childhood settings through coaching, consultation and technical assistance to promote evidence-based practices in academic instruction and mental health promotion within multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) frameworks with an implementation science perspective. Dr. DuBois was a 2021-22 CASEL SEL Fellow, expanding her expertise in social and emotional learning (SEL) and networking with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and regional leaders across the nation. She has served as EASTCONN’s Trauma-Informed Training Coordinator, collaborating with the RESC Alliance to develop, provide, and evaluate training in trauma-informed practices in schools. She leads the training of doctoral-level psychologists by currently serving as the Training Director for the Connecticut Psychology Consortium (CPC), a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), and regularly presenting at national, regional, and local conferences. Dr. DuBois can be contacted via email at j.dubois@eastconn.org.

Dr. Erin Dunn is a senior Educational and Behavioral Consultant at EASTCONN, a Regional Educational Service Center in eastern Connecticut. During her career, Dr. Dunn has focused primarily on academic and behavioral assessment, evidence-based intervention, alternative education, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Dr. Dunn’s current work focuses on increasing district-level expertise and efficiency for supporting students’ academic, behavioral, and social emotional wellbeing by creating and supporting data-based teams. This work relies on an MTSS framework and implementation science literature to allow districts to ensure that all students receive the necessary support to succeed in the least restrictive environment possible. Dr. Dunn approaches her work using a responsive consultation model that emphasizes the importance of the contextual fit and a collaborative approach, while developing evidence-based systems, data, and practices. Dr. Dunn serves as the RESC Alliance representative to the CSDE CT-SEDS MTSS module, supporting the implementation of MTSS at the state level.  In addition to providing consultation to schools across Connecticut, Dr. Dunn has served as the Director of Behavioral Psychology at a school for students with brain injury and neurobehavioral disorders, published several articles and book chapters, taught graduate-level courses in her areas of expertise, and regularly presents at national, regional, and local conferences. Contact Dr. Dunn via email at edunn@eastconn.org.

Dr. Rose Jaffery is a licensed psychologist, Nationally Certified School Psychologist, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst with comprehensive training in evidence-based practices to support students with a variety of educational needs, including complex learners with autism spectrum disorders, learning problems, and/or behavioral difficulties. In addition, she has extensive experience supporting the transition from school to adulthood. She is a CSDE RESC Transition Representative, an active member of the CT Transition Task Force, and a facilitator of EASTCONN’s Regional Transition Network. Her work is characterized by a commitment to promoting equitable, inclusive, and accessible practices for all learners and a focus on improving student readiness for adulthood. Currently Dr. Jaffery supports PK-12 and Transition Only alternative/special education programs across CT to build their capacity to implement best practices via an embedded coaching framework. Dr. Jaffery can be reached at rjaffery@eastconn.org

Lauren Rodriguez is a distinguished educational leader, administrator, and curriculum expert with a career dedicated to driving school improvement, innovation, and professional growth. She currently serves in a multifaceted leadership role at EASTCONN, where she is instrumental in connecting local educators and administrators with state-level initiatives. She leads various curriculum councils, working closely with the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) and local teachers to support professional learning and development. Additionally, she oversees the administration of several state grants, including Title III, the Perkins Grant, and interdistrict grants, collaborating directly with EASTCONN's regional school districts. As the organization's Teacher Education and Mentoring (TEAM) program trainer, she teaches eight courses annually to teacher leaders. Lauren also consults with districts to implement the Educator and Leader Growth Plans, support AI initiatives, facilitate Math Curriculum Implementation, and provide collaborative coaching for administrators.

Lauren’s expertise is anchored by nine years as a principal in Mansfield, CT, where she earned the Connecticut Department of Education's "Distinguished School" honors for four consecutive years (2015-2018) at Southeast School. She was subsequently selected to lead a major three-school consolidation project, resulting in the opening of Mansfield Elementary School, the first new net zero school in the state. In recognition of her work, she was named “Outstanding School Administrator” by the UConn Neag School of Education Alumni Board in 2021. Prior to her principalship, Lauren served as a School Improvement Facilitator for the University of Connecticut, focusing on increasing rigor and student engagement in K-12 schools across the Midwest and Northeast. She began her career as an elementary school teacher in the high-achieving Bridgewater-Raritan School District in New Jersey, teaching in diverse settings including looping, co-taught special education/general education, and gifted and talented classrooms.

Lauren holds both her 092 (Intermediate Administrator) and 093 (Superintendent/Executive) certifications, which she received through the University of Connecticut’s UCAPP and Executive Leadership Programs. Lauren can be reached at lrodriguez@eds.eastconn.org.

Ann is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Assistive Technology Specialist on the EASTCONN AT Team. She specializes in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and provides assessment, consultation, and professional development to serve individuals who have complex communication needs. For over a decade, Ann has worked as an AAC consultant across Eastern Connecticut schools, to collaborate with and train educational teams in regards to selection and implementation of AAC in the educational environment. Prior to working with the AT Team, Ann worked in the EASTCONN Related Services Group as a full-time school-based SLP. Ann also concurrently worked in the home setting to deliver speech-language services through EASTCONN’s Birth-to-Three program. She received her Bachelor’s degree from UConn and Master of Science degree from Southern Connecticut State University. While pursuing her graduate degree, Ann worked in the university’s Center for Adaptive Technology. She is grateful for having gotten the opportunity to work with individuals with special needs from birth through post-secondary education. Ann is a certified TouchChat trainer and maintains membership in the American Speech Language Hearing Association. Ann specializes in assessing and implementing eye gaze devices, guiding those who have been formally trained in PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), and completing the insurance funding process to help students acquire the highest quality Speech-Generating Device (SGD) at no cost to the school or family. She has given numerous presentations at the regional, state, and national level. For more information about EASTCONN’s AT services visit: https://www.eastconn.org/assistive-technology-acp. Reach Ann directly at abedard@eastconn.org.

Kate Greatorex is a nationally certified school psychologist who received her master's and advanced graduate degrees. She has extensive experience working with the K-12 population and has studied the benefits of incorporating mindfulness, yoga, and animal assisted therapy into the school environment. At EASTCONN, Kate supports several public school districts with comprehensive psychological services and evaluations. Ms. Greatorex can be reached at cgreatorex@eastconn.org

Dr. Emily Iovino is an Educational and Behavioral Consultant at EASTCONN’s ACCESS (Advancing Consultation & Coaching to Empower Student Success) team. She earned her doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Connecticut and is a Licensed Psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). Dr. Iovino has experience as a school psychologist in a therapeutic school setting. Prior to joining EASTCONN’s ACCESS team, she worked as an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Connecticut on projects related to social, emotional, and behavioral assessment, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), social emotional learning (SEL), supporting caregivers of children with developmental disabilities, and the CDC’s Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model. She has conducted applied research and published peer-reviewed journal and practitioner articles on these topics, as well as presented at local and national conferences. Dr. Iovino is also the co-author on a practitioner-focused book on school-based behavioral assessment. In her role on the ACCESS team, Dr. Iovino collaborates with public school systems through a responsive and collaborative consultation process that promotes evidence-based practices within MTSS frameworks to support success for all students. Dr. Iovino can be contacted via email at eiovino@eastconn.org. 

Kim Jackson is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst on the Advancing Consultation & Coaching to Empower Student Success (ACCESS) Team at EASTCONN. She earned her graduate degree in Special Education and Inclusive Educational Needs from Manchester Metropolitan University in Manchester, England, and completed her BCBA coursework at the Florida Institute of Technology. Kim has experience working with individuals of all ages, including home-based services and both public and alternative school settings for grades PK–12. As an Educational & Behavioral Consultant, she works directly with districts and school staff to design comprehensive, data-driven programs that enhance student engagement, build staff capacity, and foster positive learning environments. She provides professional development, coaching, and practical guidance to ensure interventions are effective, sustainable, and tailored to each student’s unique needs. Her work emphasizes compassionate, evidence-based supports that empower students, families, and educators to create inclusive and high-quality educational experiences. Kim can be reached at Kjackson@eastconn.org.

Brianna Jordan is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst on EASTCONN’s ACCESS (Advancing Consultation & Coaching to Empower Student Success) team. She began her career in education more than ten years ago as a paraprofessional, where she learned the importance of teamwork and collaboration. Brianna earned her master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT and obtained her fieldwork hours while working directly with students at EASTCONN’s Bridges Community School. 

In her role as an Educational and Behavioral Consultant for EASTCONN, she works with teams to help students grow and develop the skills they need to succeed, using data to guide strategies that are practical and fit the needs of each school. Drawing on her experience in education, Brianna is skilled at coaching and modeling strategies directly with staff, helping them implement approaches effectively. Brianna values creating strong partnerships with educators, promoting sustainable systems that empower both students and the professionals who support them. Brianna can be reached at Bjordan@eastconn.org.

Jess Lievense is an Educational and Behavioral Consultant at EASTCONN’s ACCESS (Advancing Consultation & Coaching to Empower Student Success) team. She earned her master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education, along with coursework for her BCBA, at Vanderbilt University. She has a background in special education and behavior consultation across various settings including in home services, group homes, and in public and private school settings, PreK -12. Prior to working at EASTCONN, she worked in the Boston area in consultative and administrative roles within public school settings, where she developed special education programming for students with autism and related disabilities. Jess is passionate about team collaboration, student centered visioning and system wide practices to support students and school-based teams. Jess can be reached at jlievense@eastconn.org.

Amy is an Assistive Technology Professional and Transition Coordinator at EASTCONN. She works with individuals with disabilities across the lifespan providing assessment, consultation, coaching and training. She assists districts with integrating the use of assistive technology into the general education classroom, curriculum and transition planning. Additionally, she works with the CT Tech Act (CTTAP) and the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS) to assess the assistive technology needs of adults with disabilities in preparing for work and in accomplishing tasks in the work settings. She assists in meeting the telecommunications needs of individuals who are deaf/blind through the Access through Technology Program coordinated by the CTTAP. She provides training on the creation and remediation of accessible documents as part of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Accessibility initiative of the CTTAP. Amy received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stonehill College and a master’s degree in special education from Boston College. She is a RESNA certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) and a Charting the LifeCourse Ambassador. She has presented on a wide variety of assistive technology topics at the regional, state and national level. For more information about EASTCONN’s AT services visit: https://www.eastconn.org/assistive-technology-acp. Amy can be reached at anorton@eastconn.org.

Morgan O’Malley is a certified educator in the state of Connecticut. Morgan received her Master’s Degree in Education from Westfield State University in 2019, and completed UCONN’s Transition to Adulthood Master’s Certificate in 2025. In 2025, she obtained the Council for Exceptional Children and the Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) National Certification in Transition Services. Morgan was named the DCDT Iva Dean Cook Educator of the Year at the DCDT National Conference in 2024. Morgan has experience in various special education roles, including time in the roles of special education teacher and transition coordinator. Morgan currently works as an Secondary Transition Consultant with EASTCONN’s Psychological and Behavioral Consultation department. Morgan is passionate about Secondary Transition education and Person-Centered Planning. She is a Charting the LifeCourse™ Ambassador and is trained to conduct/train teams in Person Centered Practices. Her current role allows her to help teachers implement high quality curriculum, data driven practices, and person centered planning for students to create positive outcomes for students, and  interdependence and autonomy in their individual lives. Reach Morgan at momalley@eastconn.org

Gary Petersen is an experienced education specialist dedicated to ensuring that every student has what they need to thrive. At EASTCONN, he partners with schools and districts to build sustainable systems that support high-quality instruction and equitable outcomes. Drawing on over two decades of experience in teaching, curriculum leadership, and coaching, Gary helps educators identify what’s missing, design high-leverage strategies, and strengthen staff capacity. His responsive consultation style blends evidence-based practices with each district’s unique context. Through practical tools, tailored coaching, and data-informed reflection, Gary supports teams in creating lasting, student-centered change grounded in collaboration and trust.

Dr. Power is an Educational & Behavioral consultant on the ACCESS team at EASTCONN. She received her doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Connecticut. Her work primarily focuses on supporting districts in their development and implementation of multi-tiered systems of support to improve the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for all students.

Kelley Schwartz is an Educational and Behavioral Consultant at EASTCONN’s ACCESS (Advancing Consultation & Coaching to Empower Student Success) team.  She completed her master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at Western Connecticut State University and obtained her fieldwork hours while working directly with students at EASTCONN’s Bridges Community School.  As a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA), she now provides behavioral and educational consultative services in several public school districts in Eastern Connecticut.  Kelley is passionate about providing evidence-based supports to students, families, teams and administrators that allow for access to high-quality, assent-based and inclusive educational experiences. Ms. Schwartz can be reached at kschwartz@eastconn.org.

Julia Seymour is a multilingual special education consultant and educational leader (fluent in Spanish and Portuguese) with more than 20 years of experience in PK–12 education. She currently serves as an IDEA Consultant at EASTCONN, where she leads statewide training and consultation focused on IDEA implementation, special education compliance, quality IEP development, PPT leadership, and effective use of CT-SEDS. In this role, Julia partners with district leaders, special education teams, and related service providers to strengthen systems and improve outcomes for students with disabilities.

Julia designs and facilitates professional learning on IEP development, transition planning, inclusive service delivery, and multidisciplinary collaboration, supporting districts across Connecticut at all stages of implementation. Prior to joining EASTCONN, she held special education leadership roles in public, charter, and alternative education settings across multiple states, directing programs from early childhood through transition to adulthood. Reach Julia at jseymour@eastconn.org.

Dr. Taylor Thorne is an Educational & Behavioral Consultant at EASTCONN’s ACCESS (Advancing Consultation & Coaching to Empower Student Success) team. She earned her doctorate degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Connecticut and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), and licensed psychologist. Her primary responsibilities at EASTCONN are to provide consultative services at the individual student, classroom, and systems level to support a variety of student behavioral needs, implement whole staff professional development training, and conduct behavioral assessments. She has conducted applied research and published peer-reviewed journal and practitioner articles on these topics, as well as presented at local and national conferences. Her interests include applied behavior analysis, assent-based practices, multi-tiered behavioral supports, academic and behavioral supports for complex learners. Dr. Thorne can be reached at tthorne@eastconn.org

Dr. Troyb is a licensed psychologist and pediatric neuropsychologist. She has comprehensive training in neuropsychology and childhood development from the University of Connecticut, Johns Hopkins University, and Brown University. For over a decade, she has worked with children and adolescents who were referred because of concerns related to neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism, ADHD), medical concerns (e.g., traumatic brain injuries, seizure disorders, genetic conditions, chronic pain), learning disabilities, difficulties with executive functioning skills, behavior regulation concerns, and other mental health struggles (e.g., depression, anxiety, OCD). Before working as a neuropsychologist, Dr. Troyb also provided evidence-based behavioral interventions to families of children who were struggling with emotion and behavior regulation. Through her comprehensive and compassionate evaluations, Dr. Troyb aims to determine how students learn best and what evidence-based strategies would support learning and overall well-being in and out of school. Dr. Troyb can be reached at etroyb@eastconn.org.

Stephanie Nicole White has a BA in English Literature and Journalism from the University of New Hampshire, and entered education through AmeriCorps’s Teach for America program. She taught English at Windham High School in Willimantic for seven years. While in that position she served as department lead, track coach, and the founder of student organizations such as the photography club and the outing club. During this time, Stephanie received a fellowship from the University of Connecticut for the Connecticut Writing Project. Stephanie currently works as the Interdistrict Cooperative Grant Facilitator at EASTCONN. In this position, she writes, manages, facilitates, and executes equity grants in partnership with local schools. She has overseen many Interdistrict grants including Planting Pals, Farming Our Land and Sea, Mindful Transformations, Faces of Culture, America’s Mosaic, Forensic Detectives, Project Green Planet, and Innovate and Create. Additionally, Stephanie works as an Educational Coach and Consultant. In this work she supports state contracts including serving as a facilitator and coach for the Science of Reading affinity groups and initiatives, and supporting the development of the Connecticut Structured Literacy & Dyslexia Professional Learning Framework. Stephanie can be reached at s.white@eastconn.org