AC21 - E3 - Promoting Equity and Improved Outcomes Through the Use of Implementation Science: Research Practice Partnerships

Meghan Johnson currently serves as the Director of Alaska's Quality Rating and Information System (QRIS) Learn & Grow. Meghan has a Master's degree in Early Intervention from the University of Oregon and an Infant Parent Mental Health Post Graduate Certificate from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Meghan has worked at both the state and local level with Part C, special education, parent education, and higher education. Meghan is passionate about the development of quality early childhood systems to align goals, funding, streamline supports and resources, and the application of research to practice strategies to benefit early childhood programs, educators, children, and their families.

Sondra Stegenga, Ph.D., M.S., OTR/L is Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Utah. She has over 20 years of experience in the fields of health and education serving individuals across the lifespan. She has provided services and supports to children and families as a home visitor, occupational therapist, early intervention program administrator, and state council member across a range of environments including early intervention, schools, and hospitals. She holds a Bachelor of Science in behavioral science, Master of Science in occupational therapy, a Master of Education in educational leadership - special education administration, and a Ph.D. is Special Education - Early Intervention. She also holds certifications as a Special Education Director and Elementary Principal. She has been involved with local, state, and collegiate councils, workgroups, and advisory boards to improve practices for young children with disabilities throughout states in the United States (e.g., Michigan, Oregon, Utah). Overall, her work and research are centered on improving outcomes for individuals with disabilities and their families through implementation and scale-up of evidence-based practices. This requires an equity-focused and family-centered approach. Due to this focus, her research focuses heavily on three main areas: (1) interdisciplinary and interagency collaboration, (2) research to practice - implementation science and policy for scaling-up EBPs in family-based systems, and (3) early social emotional assessment and intervention related to school readiness and long-term outcomes.

Erin Kinavey Wennerstrom, M.Ed., LPC, IMH-E(R), is co-owner and principal of Raviant LLC, a Eugene, Oregon-based organizational development, consulting, and coaching firm that provides research design and analysis, strategic planning, and program evaluation and continuous quality improvement services to businesses and non-profits. She has worked in early childhood education as an educator, administrator, and clinician for more than 20 years, and currently provides Reflective Supervision/Consultation to agencies in the pacific northwest (Oregon and Alaska).   Erin’s research combines her experience as an early childhood special education teacher and mental health clinician. Current projects include examining burnout and secondary stress in lead teachers across early childhood education settings; teacher preparation and supports; social and emotional assessment and intervention, and; the use of implementation science strategies to prepare for and scale-up evidence-based practices and innovations.   Erin earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and languages (Russian and Spanish) from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. She holds a Master of Education in both Early Childhood Special Education and Counselor Education from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She is a certificated ECSE teacher and a licensed professional counselor (LPC). She is currently a doctoral candidate in early childhood special education at the University of Oregon; her dissertation explores teacher stress, burnout and coping mechanisms within these settings.