Meet Empower ED!

Dr. Rufo is a dynamic leader who is passionate about inclusive education. She founded empowerED with a vision of creating school systems that meaningfully include ALL students. With a wealth of experience in K-12 education, Dr. Rufo understands both the challenges, as well as enormous potential, of our schools. As an Assistant Superintendent and Special Education Director for a large school district, she led the transformation of special education services from one of mostly separate classrooms to an inclusive service delivery model for students with disabilities. Prior to entering administration, Dr. Rufo served as a special education teacher, inclusion facilitator, and policy specialist for the Massachusetts Bureau of Special Education. Her professional experiences, coupled with graduate work completed at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education and training from the Carnegie Foundation in improvement science, have provided her with an understanding of both theory and practical implementation. Dr. Rufo has shared her knowledge at national and regional events, including The Atlantic’s Education Summit, the National Principals Conference, the Council for Exceptional Children's PA Conference, the Pennsylvania Literacy Conference, and the Pennsylvania Education for All Coalition. In four short years since founding empower ED, Dr. Rufo has supported systems across 17 states as well as Australia. She has worked on state-level projects in California, Arkansas, and New Mexico, and has provided training to special education administrators across Massachusetts. Dr. Rufo also serves as a consultant on special education-related issues to the U.S. Department of Justice and the California Department of Justice. Dr. Rufo has co-authored Reimagining Special Education: Using Inclusion as a Framework to Build Equity and Support All Students, Conquering Math Myths with Universal Design: An Inclusive Instructional Approach for Grades K-8, and The Way To Inclusion: Creating Schools Where Every Student Belongs. Dr. Rufo has also been published in AASA's School Administrator magazine on several occasions. Dr. Rufo was inspired to enter the field of education by her sister, Nina, who has complex support needs. She views education as her calling and is passionate about ensuring quality programs for ALL students.

As an instructional leader grounded in the “how” of inclusive education, Ms. Kate Small is a change agent dedicated to accessibility for all learners. Having served as a general educator, special educator, inclusion facilitator and instructional coach, she values the importance of collaboration and the impact it has on creating meaningful educational opportunities. Prior to joining the team at empowerED, Ms. Small taught in both urban and suburban settings. As an educational consultant, Ms. Small has supported systems change at the school, district, and state levels. She is a skilled professional developer who connects with audiences. Ms. Small is experienced in coaching the inclusive mindset, and is passionate about practices such as essentialization, Universal Design for Learning, co-teaching, and accessibility through technology. Ms. Small is currently pursuing her doctoral degree, and completed a Masters in Educational Leadership in 2018. Ms. Small has shared her expertise at the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s annual conference, the Syracuse Summer Leadership Institute, and the PBIS / MTSS Implementers Forum. She is committed to advocacy through partnership with marginalized groups and recently had the opportunity to provide oral testimony in support of Pennsylvania House Bill 726, piloting a Disability Inclusive Curriculum across the state.

A creative problem-solver with a firm belief in inclusive education, Ms. Megan Klementisz is committed to improving outcomes for students with disabilities. She has spent nearly two decades directly supporting students with disabilities in a variety of roles, most recently as an inclusion facilitator. Ms. Klementisz’s career includes employment in public school systems in both Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. In her current role as consultant, Ms. Klementisz has completed literacy assessments for students with complex needs, provided professional development and coaching to school districts, and served as a liaison to the New Mexico Public Education Department’s Special Education Transformation Team. Ms. Klementisz has expertise in creating meaningful inclusive experiences for students with the most significant needs. She is known to be a fierce advocate who keeps the student at the center of all conversations. Ms. Klementisz is a well-respected instructional coach who has been a driving force in increasing capacity for inclusive change.

Dr. Monica Ng is a seasoned educator and educational consultant with extensive experience in teaching and leadership. Holding a Doctorate in Educational Policy, Leadership, and Instructional Practice from Harvard University, Monica has been deeply involved in educational research and reform. Dr. Ng has collaborated on developing inclusive education research, and has worked on projects for the U.S. and California Departments of Justice, as well as school district-specific projects. Dr. Ng has also led professional development initiatives, including a statewide Response to Intervention (RTI) project where she supported 14 New York City schools in designing and implementing RTI frameworks over three years. She has served as a teaching fellow for classes on inclusive education, special education policy, federal education policy, school leadership, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) at Harvard. Prior to Dr. Ng’s work as a consultant, she spent thirteen years in preschool and elementary classrooms. She has also held leadership roles such as Writing Program Coordinator at the University of California, Berkeley’s Student Learning Center, and served as Project Coordinator for an AmeriCorps initiative focused on improving literacy across 16 Oakland Public Schools. Dr. Ng is a visionary thinker who seeks to improve schools at a systems level.

Dr. Kim Boyd is an educational leader with extensive K-12 experience who is committed to inclusive education. Dr. Boyd’s career in public education spans many roles, including that of general education teacher, literacy coach, professional development coordinator, building administrator at the elementary and middle school levels, and director of special education. Skilled in implementing intervention systems, Dr. Boyd believes that strong general education and special education programs go hand in hand. She has a practical and hands-on approach to supporting schools. Dr. Boyd is knowledgeable of best instructional practices and enjoys coaching teachers to design and implement effective lessons and classroom management techniques. She supports administrators with leadership for inclusion and analyzing data. Dr. Boyd envisions an educational system where all learners are effectively supported.

Dr. Frances K. Garner is an accomplished educational leader with extensive experience in special education, student services, and professional development. As a director of student services and assistant director of special education, she has led teams, developed intervention frameworks, and implemented professional development initiatives to support educators and enhance student outcomes. Prior to her work as an administrator, she honed her expertise in differentiated instruction and student engagement as a special education teacher in a variety of settings. With a strong academic foundation, including a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Immaculata University and a Master’s in Special Education from Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Garner has consistently demonstrated her commitment to inclusive education and effective teaching practices. She has shared her insights on mental health programming and inclusive education through multiple professional development offerings. Additionally, she was a panelist at SEE Learning: A World-Wide Initiative for Educating the Heart and Mind in Dharamsala, India, hosted by Emory University and the Office of the Dalai Lama and networked with educators from around the world. Dr. Garner is dedicated to fostering equitable learning environments that positively impact all students.

Eleanor (El) Hilbert spent her career serving as an administrative assistant for special education and student services in a public school system. This experience made El extremely knowledgeable regarding the ins and outs of special education. She understands the importance of quality programs for all students. In addition to El’s organization and attention to detail, she is student-focused and committed to supporting the education of students with disabilities.