Fitting the IEP Pieces
Together
Providers, and IEP Coordinators
Watch a recording of our wildly successful interactive panel of experts to explore and enhance your Individualized Education Program (IEP) navigation skills! Moderated by a licensed social worker, the panel included diverse perspectives from a parent, social worker, district coordinator, and an IEP coordinator. We know the IEP process is highly complex, so through your watching the recording, we aim to mitigate confusion and solitude, empowering you with strategies for successful meetings.
Viewers will have the opportunity to:
- Learn about the roles and responsibilities of the members in IEP meetings and listen to different perspectives on those roles. They will also learn other practical approaches to create a common ground and the least harmful outcome for the deaf or hard of hearing child in an IEP meeting.
- Explore the Clerc Center’s Parent Advocacy site, organized into three main categories (IEP Meetings, 504 Meetings, and Other Types of Meetings), to become more aware and prepared for meetings.
- Use available resources in IEP Toolkits for deaf and hard of hearing students. A comprehensive list will be provided two weeks after the event, enhancing participants’ awareness, options, and opportunities for sharing IEP resources.
Meet the Moderator
DT Bruno
DT Bruno, LSW, LMSW, is a deaf Latino social worker from Florida. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Gallaudet University and Columbia University, respectively. Bruno spent three years in community mental health after receiving his master’s degree, during which he worked with children and collaborated with school districts. He currently teaches social work courses in the master’s degree program at Gallaudet. Bruno also does private practice, for which he provides psychotherapy services.
Meet the Panelists
Yiesell Huerta
Parent
Yiesell Huerta, a mother of three, focuses on supporting families with deaf children, drawing from her experiences raising son Marcus, who communicates in American Sign Language and English. With 12+ years of experience, she empowers parents to advocate for their children. Huerta is the Latino Family Outreach coordinator for the American Society for Deaf Children. She is also the vice president for CA Hands & Voices and the camp director for the Inland Valley DHH and Microtia Atresia Family Camp.
Stefanie Kessen
Educator/School District
Coordinator for DHH
Stefanie Kessen, MEd, is renowned for her expertise in the Itinerant Model, boasting over 25 years in the field. Her diverse experience includes roles as a teacher of the deaf in various settings and as a college and community interpreter. As a former education specialist for deaf and hard of hearing students in Wisconsin, she supported itinerant teachers statewide. In 2017, Kessen founded The Online Itinerant. She is currently president of the Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf, continuing her impactful contributions to the field of deaf education.
Madalyn Perez
IEP Coordinator/Administrator
Madalyn Perez, a learning disabilities teacher consultant at Newark Public Schools, boasts over 19 years of special education experience. Holding degrees in deaf education and special education, she’s worked with various districts, including Paterson and Newark. Beyond education, Perez pastors Newark Community Church, recognized for its community impact, alongside her husband. She treasures her family, comprising her husband Carlos and their three boys. Her paramount goal is to create cherished memories with her loved ones while living a God-centered life.
Holly Rioux
Related Service Provider
Holly Rioux, LICSW, a deaf social worker, brings nearly 20 years of experience in deaf mental health and human services. Notably, she directed a statewide deaf mental health program at Greater Nashua Mental Health in New Hampshire, expanding its services. Rioux’s advocacy extends to supporting legislation such as the New Hampshire Deaf Child Bill of Rights. She is currently a communication access administrator at the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, focusing on macro social work initiatives for local communities.
Fitting the IEP
Pieces Together
Parents, Teachers, Related Service
Providers, and IEP Coordinators
If you missed our recent live event, “Fitting the IEP Pieces Together,” it is now available in our online community!
