Noreen O'Mahoney's commitment to collaborative advocacy has been developed professionally as well as through her role as a parent of children with special needs. Ms. O'Mahoney is a licensed School District Administrator and a Certified Social Worker with more than 40 years of experience.
She has served in many capacities: as a member of numerous child study teams chair of parent advisory committees Chair of Committees on Special Education program development specialist of individualized case coordination councils and clinical coordinator of an alternative high school. Ms. O'Mahoney also trained school personnel on a statewide level to identify and service children's unique academic and emotional needs.
As a special education advocate, she has completed numerous special education training programs, including the State of CT's respected Partners in Policymaking program. She is a past member of the Executive Board of SPED*NET, the Special Education Network, a non-profit corporation organized exclusively to educate the public about special needs, special education and disability-related issues.
Ms. O'Mahoney is the co-author of the well-received web book: Bringing Knowledge to The Table: How To Be an Effective Advocate For Your Child, as well as other professional articles on special education advocacy.
Ms. O'Mahoney has been an invited presenter at statewide conferences and numerous parent training seminars. In addition, she makes herself available to speak to organizations seeking to educate and empower parents with the information they need to become effective advocates on behalf of their children.
She received her advanced degree in School District Administration from the State University of New York, and her Masters Degree in Social Work from Syracuse University.

Amy Young has developed a broad understanding of the challenges facing families of children with special learning needs through both her professional and personal experiences. Her diverse teaching career has taken her from NYC private schools and charter schools to special education teaching in Fairfield County public school districts. And as the parent of a child with special learning needs, she has the added recognition of the need that such families have for support as they navigate the special education system.This is why she has chosen to focus on sharing the knowledge and expertise she has acquired with these families through special education advocacy.

Over the course of her 12-year education career, Ms. Young's experiences have built a solid recognition of both student needs and teacher perspective that supports a collaborative approach to parent-school teams effectively addressing a child's educational needs. Given her in-depth involvement in analyzing testing results and evaluations, understanding the appropriate services or accommodations and modifications that should be recommended in response to testing results, and active engagement in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process - focused especially on goal writing - Ms. Young is well-prepared to help families assess whether a child's identified special learning needs are truly being addressed.

Her teaching career has led from New York City private and charter schools (Claremont Preparatory School, Hyde Leadership Charter School, Girls Prep Charter School) to several years in each of two public school districts in Connecticut: Greenwich Public Schools and Darien Public Schools - most recently as a special education teacher at Holmes Elementary in Darien.

Ms. Young has a Bachelor of Arts, as well as a Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Lehigh University (PA), and additional Masters Degrees in Special Education from Mercy College (NY) and Fairfield University (CT). She also has her certification in special education from both NY and CT.

Carole Pakkala's considerable expertise in the development and implementation of IEPs and SPED programs is based not only on her nearly 15 years as a SPED Administrator in CT public schools, but also on her extensive and varied SPED teaching experiences in both public and private schools. These combined experiences have created a professional who has expansive knowledge of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and how it has been interpreted through CT SPED Regulations, and the ability to write IEPs and 504 Plans that utilize best practices and evidence-based/research based programs to promote learning opportunities for the SPED community.

Her understanding of an individual student's learning characteristics and learning styles, linked with her knowledge of effective teaching practices, help Ms. Pakkala to be a student centered and solutions-oriented problem solver within the special education arena.

As a member of the CAA Team, she uses her significant skills to continue to contribute to the education of students with special learning needs by working directly in support of them and their families.

Ms. Pakkala retired from her most recent position as Special Education Administrator for the New Canaan Public Schools, overseeing all aspects of middle and high school SPED programs since 2005. Previously she provided direct instruction as a SPED teacher for high school students with challenging learning and behavior needs, working with students with ASD, learning disabilities, by targeting instruction for post-secondary outcomes, including college readiness, social skills, and independent living skills.

She graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Special Education and earned her Master of Arts Degree in Special Education from Fairfield University. Ms. Pakkala has also completed the advanced certification program in Educational Leadership from Southern Connecticut State University.

She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT, as an instructor in the school's Master of Special Education Program, teaching courses including assessment, learning adaptations, and reading instruction.

For nearly two decades, Molly Collins has helped identify and address the unique educational needs of children with a wide range of disabilities. She spent 18 years as a special education teacher developing deep insight into the educational and emotional challenges families often face in securing the support their children need. In particular, her emphasis has been on working to integrate pre-school/ elementary students on the autism spectrum into inclusion settings. This passion for empowering families is what led her to focus on special education advocacy.

Throughout her career, Ms. Collins has had extensive experience with the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, educational evaluations, eligibility determinations, data analysis and progress monitoring, and collaborative problem-solving within teams. She has served as an IEP case manager, partnered closely with multi-disciplinary teams, trained other educators in inclusive instructional practices, and helped coach school staff in developing individualized supports that help students succeed.

Her collaborative, solutions-focused approach helps families understand their child's educational rights while fostering productive partnerships with school teams.

Ms. Collins professional experience includes positions within Denver Public Schools, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 in Illinois, and Northbrook School District 28 in Illinois, where she built and expanded the district's first communication-based early childhood classroom for preschool students on the autism spectrum. She has presented professional development on inclusive practices and served on district leadership committees to support other educators in creating meaningful opportunities for students with disabilities to learn alongside their peers.

Ms. Collins holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan and a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Colorado.

Catherine Scholl brings a unique and deeply personal perspective to educational advocacy, grounded in extensive experience with special education, Individualized Education Programs, and Section 504 Plans. As a parent of two students with disabilities, a special education teacher and advocate, Catherine has experienced the process from multiple perspectives. This allows her to understand families' concerns while also recognizing the responsibilities and perspectives of school teams.

Catherine holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Education. She also holds multiple professional certifications, including Students with Disabilities (C-SWD) and Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist + Practitioner (C-SLDI). Catherine is CERI/IDA certified, and earned an Orton-Gillingham Teacher Graduate Certification through Fairleigh Dickenson University (an IMSLEC-accredited program).

As a special education teacher in the public school system, Catherine served as a case manager for students with a wide range of disabilities, including Specific Learning Disabilities, ADHD, Speech or Language Impairments, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disabilities, and Emotional Disabilities. She developed a particular expertise in evaluating students suspected of having dyslexia, and conducting comprehensive case reviews to support the development of appropriate, measurable, and actionable IEPs. Her experience includes classroom observations, record reviews, academic evaluations, progress monitoring, and participation in school-based meetings.

Most recently, Catherine expanded her work beyond individual student advocacy to include parent and educator education. Through this work, Catherine helped translate complex special education, evaluations and literacy concepts into practical, accessible information for families and educators. This experience further strengthened Catherine's commitment to empowering families with the knowledge and tools they need to participate confidently and collaboratively in the special education process.

Catherine is a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA).