Think Inclusive

About The Guest(s): Lori Miranda is an advocate for inclusive education and the Director of Pre-K Exceptional Student Education (ESE) in Palm Beach County, Florida. She has been instrumental in implementing inclusive practices for young children with disabilities in the county's school district, Head Start programs, and community centers. Summary: Lori Miranda discusses the importance of inclusive...

About The Guest(s): Brad Cohen is an educator, author, and motivational speaker. He has Tourette Syndrome and has dedicated his career to advocating for individuals with disabilities. Brad has written a book called "Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had," and his story has been made into a movie. He has also worked as a mascot for the Atlanta Braves. Summary: Br...

About The Guest(s): Valerie Williams is the Director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education. She is passionate about early childhood inclusion and ensuring that all children have access to quality education. Summary: Valerie Williams, Director of OSEP, discusses the importance of inclusion in early childhood education. She shares a personal story abo...

About The Guest(s): Lori Boll is an inclusive education leader with a personal connection to individuals with disabilities. Her son Braden was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and an intellectual developmental delay, inspiring her to advocate for all children’s education. Lori has taught in international schools for over 25 years and holds two Masters degrees in Reading Education and Specia...

About The Guest(s): Jen Malia is a professor of English and a writer of children's books. She started out publishing literary criticism before transitioning to creative writing. Her interest in neurodivergence and autism led her to write personal essays and reported pieces on the topic. This eventually led to the opportunity to write children's books, including the "Infinity Rainbow Club" series....

About The Guest(s): Tim Harris is a motivational speaker, author, and former restaurant owner. He gained national attention when he opened Tim's Place, a restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, known for its friendly atmosphere and Tim's signature hugs. Tim has Down syndrome and has used his platform to advocate for inclusion and spread joy through his positive outlook on life. Summary: Tim Harris,...

Maya Chupkov (she/her) is the host of the podcast Proud Stutter and Media and Democracy Program Manager at California Common Cause. She advocates for people who stutter and works to raise awareness and build inclusive spaces through storytelling and policy. Maya Chupkov shares her journey of embracing her stutter and using podcasting as a platform for advocacy. She talks about misconceptions aroun...

About The Guest(s): Andy Arias: DEIA expert, national policy advisor, instructor at Georgetown University, actor, and producer. Diego Mariscal: Founder, CEO, and Chief Disabled Officer of 2Gether International, an accelerator that supports disabled entrepreneurs. Emily Ladau: Disability rights activist, author of "Demystifying Disability," and board member of Kids Included Together. Summary: In th...

Brooke Ellison — Disability rights advocate, author, and professor at Stony Brook University. Brooke became a ventilator-using quadriplegic at age 11 after being hit by a car, graduated from Harvard, and ran for the New York State Senate; her work matters because she pushes us to see disability as strength, redesign systems with universal design, and center disability across all policy areas. Broo...

Kayla Taylor — Writer, researcher, advocate, and parent; author of Canaries Among Us , she blends lived experience with research to help families understand learning differences, bullying, and anxiety and to push schools toward more caring, inclusive cultures. In this conversation, Kayla Taylor shares what she learned while raising a child navigating learning differences, bullying, and anxiety—and...

Andratesha Fritzgerald — Founder and lead consultant of Building Blocks of Brilliance; international speaker and author of Antiracism and Universal Design for Learning: Building Expressways to Success . Her work pushes schools to move from a culture of power to a culture of honor , combining UDL with anti-racism so every learner is seen, heard, and supported. Tim Villegas interviews Andratesha Fri...

Dr. Shelley Moore (she/her) — Educator, researcher, speaker, and storyteller based in Vancouver, BC. Shelley focuses on equity and inclusion for all learners; her work (including the bestselling One Without the Other ) helps schools design learning that’s accessible from the start, not retrofitted later. Season 11 kicks off with Dr. Shelley Moore breaking down the 5 Ps of Inclusive Education — Pos...

Michael Boll — technology coach and educator who helps teachers learn and use AI. He leads professional learning, focuses on practical classroom use (brainstorming, lesson ideas, tutoring support), and thinks a lot about how to guide—not block—AI in schools. Michael also shares how parenting a son with profound autism shapes his views on learning and support. Tim and Michael unpack what AI can (an...

Tany Holzworth is a content designer for inclusive classroom tools at Microsoft. With a background in education and a passion for inclusion, Tany has worked to create tools and programs that support diverse learners and promote accessibility. In this bonus episode of Think Inclusive , Tim Villegas talks with Tany Holzworth , Content Designer for Inclusive Classroom Tools at Microsoft. Tany shares...

Carolyn is the CEO of the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE). She previously served as the Associate Superintendent for Cecil County Public Schools and has extensive experience in promoting inclusive education. Carol is one of the founders and former CEO of MCIE, having transitioned to Director of Special Projects in 2023. She has worked closely with school districts in Maryland and...

DJ Nicholson is an experienced educator and advocate for inclusive education. She has a background in special education and has worked with students with disabilities for many years. DJ is passionate about finding innovative ways to support learners with disabilities and believes that technology, including AI, can play a crucial role in creating inclusive learning environments. In this episode, DJ...

Luvy Jenkins is the Education Manager and Medical Outreach Manager at the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas (DSACT). With a background in special education, Louie is passionate about promoting inclusion and providing resources and support to educators and families of children with Down syndrome. Luvy Jenkins, Education Manager at the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas (DSACT), dis...

Oaklee Thiele is a young artist and disability advocate. She co-founded The My Dearest Friends Project with DisArt in March 2020 to create a public platform where disabled people could share their stories and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawrence Carter-Long is the Director of Communications for DisArt and has a background in disability advocacy. He joined the organization in 2022 and...

Beth Liesenfeld (she/her) — Occupational therapist and founder of The IEP Lab , where she equips parents with “insider” understanding of school processes and culture to make IEP teams more collaborative and child‑centered. She hosts The Parent IEP Lab podcast and offers online workshops and courses for families navigating special education. Host Tim Villegas talks with Beth Liesenfeld about why IE...

Raul Krauthausen is a renowned disability rights activist, social entrepreneur, and founder of the nonprofit organization Sozialhelden (Social Heroes) in Germany. For more than 15 years, Raul has worked to advance accessibility and inclusion through innovative projects and advocacy. He is best known for creating Wheelmap , a crowdsourced online map that identifies wheelchair-accessible places worl...

Susan Stone — Attorney and co-leader of the Student & Athlete Defense Group at KJK in Cleveland. Susan has over 30 years of experience advocating for students, with a focus on special education law and student discipline. She’s also a nationally published author and co-host of Real Talk with Susan and Kristina . Kristina Supler — Attorney and co-leader of the Student & Athlete Defense Grou...

Colleen Tomko — Parent advocate, artist, and president of Kids Together , an all-volunteer nonprofit promoting inclusion. A Penn State graduate and Partners in Policymaking alum, Colleen has dedicated her life to ensuring that all children, including her son Shawn, have access to inclusive education and community life. In this episode, Tim Villegas talks with Colleen Tomko about her lifelong advoc...

Adam Walker and Sanjay Parekh are the co-founders of https://togetherletters.com , a platform designed to help people stay connected without relying on social media. Both are seasoned entrepreneurs and podcasters—Adam co-hosts Tech Talk Y’all , and Sanjay brings years of experience in tech and community building. Together, they’re passionate about creating tools that foster authentic, private conn...

Mirko Chardin is the Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer at Novak Education. He previously served as the founding Head of School at Putnam Avenue Upper School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He co‑authored Equity by Design: The Power and Promise of UDL with Dr. Katie Novak and facilitates learning on topics such as implicit bias, microaggressions, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), restorative pra...

Dr. Kate de Bruin — inclusive education academic at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia). Her work focuses on evidence‑informed practices and policies that improve participation and learning for all students, with an emphasis on students with disabilities. She has taught in secondary and higher education, designs inclusive education coursework for Master’s programs, and serves on the academic...