Awe and Wonder Podcast Series 6
Awe and Wonder S6 E8: Tara Petterson & Shelly Frappier
March 4th, 2025
Tara and Shelly, a parent and educator team, founded Roots2Wings Family Group to support families of children with disabilities across Washington state. Their organization bridges a crucial gap by offering online training sessions and coordinating in-person events where parents can connect with multiple agencies under one roof to access essential resources and information.
Tara Petterson & Shelly Frappier
Resources
Acronyms
ABA: Applied Behavior Analysis
DDA: Developmental Disabilities Administration
Awe and Wonder S6 E7: Fran McCarthy
February 25th, 2025
Fran McCarthy has dedicated her career to championing students’ needs in education. Her recent role as Executive Director of Student Support Services at Northwest Washington Educational Service District reflects her commitment to student advocacy. She is particularly passionate about fostering inclusive educational environments, implementing Universal Design for Learning principles, and developing project-based learning opportunities for students with disabilities and those principles are highlighted throughout this episode.
Awe and Wonder S6 E6: Don Johnston
February 18th, 2024
Description: Don Johnston, who founded and leads Building Wings as CEO, developed his company to create educational technology and curriculum specifically designed for students with disabilities. Drawing from his personal journey with dyslexia, including his own delayed path to reading proficiency, Don openly discusses how he overcame learning challenges through key support systems. His experiences inform his passionate advocacy for maintaining high expectations for all students, as he credits this approach as crucial for academic achievement.
Don Johnston
Awe and Wonder S6 E5: Amy Campbell
February 11th, 2025
Amy is a special education teacher from WA State, who was the 2020 Teacher of the Year award recipient and is also involved in the Professional Educator Standards Board and the WA Inclusionary Practice Technical Network. In this episode, Amy discusses her roles and experiences in special education, with a focus on the importance of collaboration, inclusion, and individualization. The potential of technology is also explored, such as artificial intelligence in education. Listen in to hear Amy express her passion for her work and her commitment to continuous learning and innovation with a focus on positive presuppositions.
Awe and Wonder S6 E4: Gail Van Tatenhove
February 4th, 2025
Throughout her career spanning more than 40 years, Gail Van Tatenhove has dedicated herself to working with AAC users although her connection to people with disabilities began in her youth, when she helped at her father’s business. In this episode she emphasizes several core beliefs that guide her work including: using your intuition, making the most of available resources, avoiding excuses, and it’s all about the words- robust, frequently used words. Listen in to hear more!
Gail Van Tatenhove
Awe and Wonder S6 E3: Rachel Madel
January 28th, 2025
Rachel Madel wears multiple hats as a speech therapist, parent coach and podcast host with a passion for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Together with Chris Bugej, she co-hosts “Talking with Tech,” where they explore topics in assistive technology and communication. Known for creating and generously distributing educational resources, Rachel advocates for an open approach to sharing knowledge. In this episode she shares her philosophy that centers on the belief that leaning in and leading with sharing will enable a mindset that leads to great things.
Awe and Wonder S6 E2: Karen Kangas
January 21st, 2025
As an Occupational Therapist specializing in seating, positioning, mobility, and assistive technology, Karen brings her expertise to both clinical practice and education. Her approach emphasizes that supporting people with disabilities requires building strong relationships and considering each person’s complete circumstances. Rather than viewing assistive technology as a solution in itself, Karen sees it as one tool within the broader context of daily living and learning. She emphasizes that our fundamental role is to create learning opportunities through meaningful activities, not through technology alone.
Awe and Wonder S6 E1: Glenna Gallo
January 14th, 2025
Glenna Wright-Gallo serves as the Assistant Secretary in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) at the U.S. Department of Education. She played a key role in developing two influential resources: the Myths and Facts document and the National Education Technology Plan (NETP), which clarify available support systems and their intended purposes. Drawing from her diverse experiences as someone who uses assistive technology, a parent, and an educational leader, Glenna advocates passionately for assistive technology and believes that all students can learn.
