Think Inclusive

Dr. Jenna Rufo is an author, educator, and inclusive education consultant who founded empowerED School Solutions to help districts implement inclusive practices. She previously served as a special education administrator, director, and assistant superintendent, after beginning her career as an inclusion facilitator. Her work is deeply informed by her sister, Nina, who has multiple disabilities. Dr...

Michael McSheehan is the owner and lead technical assistance provider at Evolve and Effect, LLC. He partners with schools, districts, and state agencies nationwide to strengthen inclusive education by braiding MTSS (Multi‑Tiered System of Support) and UDL (Universal Design for Learning). His path started in speech‑language pathology with a focus on augmentative and alternative communication, and g...

Janice Fialka — Author, social worker, and longtime activist; mom of two adult children, including Micah, who lives interdependently in Syracuse and was featured in the film Intelligent Lives . (Emma—her daughter—is a school principal in Boston.) Sara Jo Soldovieri — Doctoral student at Syracuse University studying inclusive special education; inclusive special educator by training; previously cre...

Emily Ladau — Disability rights activist, writer, and speaker; editor‑in‑chief of the Rooted in Rights blog; co‑host of The Accessible Stall podcast; and author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally . Emily Ladau joins Tim Villegas to unpack what meaningful allyship to disabled people looks like in everyday life, why language matters, and how multiple disabil...

Genia Stephen — founder and host of the Good Things In Life podcast. She supports families to help kids with intellectual disabilities build inclusive lives at home, school, and in the community. She’s also a midwife with 10+ years’ experience working with families, including those welcoming a child with a disability. Tim talks with Genia Stephen about why podcasting is her go‑to way to bring disa...

Eric Garcia is a journalist and the author of We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation . He has worked at The Washington Post , The Hill , Roll Call , National Journal , and MarketWatch ; his writing has appeared in The New Republic , The Daily Beast , The American Prospect , and Salon . He currently serves as Senior D.C. Correspondent for The Independent and is active on X/Twitter at @E...

Marilyn Friend — Renowned expert on co‑teaching and inclusive practices; author of practitioner books including Co‑Teach and Specially Designed Instruction for Co‑Teaching . She emphasizes co‑teaching as a service delivery option that embeds specially designed instruction in general education classrooms. Learn more at coteach.com or reach her at marilynfriend@marilynfriend.com . Host Tim Villegas...

Sarah Wishart is the Creative Director at EachOther, a UK human-rights journalism charity, where she leads both the editorial and film teams. With a background in theatre/performance and communications in the education/media space, she focuses on storytelling that centers lived experience. In 2020 she launched Excluded , a youth-led feature documentary about school exclusion in the UK that elevate...

Wyatt Oroke (often “Mr. O”) is a nationally recognized Baltimore educator known for his work in social justice and literacy. He teaches 7th–8th grade English and Honors English at City Springs Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore City. Honors include 2020 Baltimore City Teacher of the Year and 2021 Maryland Teacher of the Year , with additional recognition from Johns Hopkins, the University of Ba...

Melissa McCullough is the Director of Early Childhood for the East Moline school district in Illinois, a pre‑K–8 district of about 2,700 students with roughly 200 children in its early childhood program. She started her career as a school social worker in an inclusion‑first district, brings that mindset to her current role, and is also a parent of three boys who are hard of hearing—experience that...

Eddie Fergus is an associate professor of urban education and policy at Temple University. A former high school teacher, program evaluator, and community school program director, his research focuses on the intersection of education policy and outcomes, with specific attention to Black and Latino boys, disproportionality in special education, suspensions, school climate, and access to advanced cou...

Megan Gross — Special education teacher (14 years) and teacher on special assignment supporting inclusive practices and leading professional learning for K–12 teams in the Poway Unified school district . 2017 California Teacher of the Year and co‑author of The Inclusion Toolbox (with Dr. Jenny Kurth ) and ParaEducate (with Renay Marquez ). Nancy Brundrett — Special education instructional assistan...

Dr. Jennifer (“Jenny”) Kurth is an associate professor of special education at the University of Kansas. Her work centers on inclusive education for students with extensive and pervasive support needs, and she co-developed practical “participation plans” that general and special educators build together to support students in general education classes. Jenny Kurth makes the case that inclusive edu...

Alfie Kohn — Author and speaker on human behavior, education, and parenting; writer of 14 books and hundreds of articles; lectures at education conferences, universities, parent groups, and corporations. Known for Punished by Rewards and widely cited work challenging rewards, punishments, and behaviorist approaches in schools. In this episode, Alfie Kohn argues that rewards (“positive reinforcemen...

Katie Novak is an internationally renowned education consultant, practicing education leader, and graduate instructor at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. She designs and presents workshops on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), MTSS, inclusive practices, and more. She’s the author of several books, including UDL Now , Innovate Inside the Box , Equity by Design (with Mi...

Solo episode featuring Tim Villegas — host of Think Inclusive and Director of Communications at MCIE. In this episode, Tim shares his journey from teaching in self-contained (“segregated”) classrooms to advocating for inclusive education system-wide, including a later district-level role and his current work helping schools move toward inclusion. In “Why I Call Myself an Inclusionist,” Tim Villega...

Paula Kluth — Author/speaker known for Don’t We Already Do Inclusion? ; talks about “inclusion with a big I ” and why real inclusion means educating students together with smart personalization. Dan Habib — Filmmaker ( Who Cares About Kelsey? ); explains why effective inclusion hinges on strong leadership, a safe school climate, and tiered supports (PBIS). Julie Causton — Researcher/teacher educat...

Shelley Moore — Vancouver, BC–based inclusive education consultant, teacher, researcher, speaker, and storyteller. She’s the author of One Without the Other , a follow‑up to her TEDx talk “Under the Table,” and the creator/host of the Five Moore Minutes video series and companion podcast. Shelley works with school districts and community organizations across Canada and the United States. In this e...

Jennifer Spencer‑Iiams — Assistant Superintendent for the West Linn–Wilsonville School District (Greater Portland, OR). She co‑authored Leading for All: How to Create Truly Inclusive and Excellent Schools with Josh Flosi, and led districtwide transformation toward inclusive practices. In this episode, Jennifer Spencer‑Iiams shares how her district shifted from segregated models to inclusive school...

In this final episode of Season 7, host Tim Villegas explores the challenges and strategies surrounding the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) in special education. Amy Langerman shares her personal and professional experiences advocating for inclusive placements, highlighting stark differences between Arizona and California’s approaches. She discusses how systemic barriers and lack of support of...

In this episode of the Think Inclusive Podcast, host Tim Villegas speaks with Carol Quirk, an advocate for inclusive education and CEO of the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education. This meaningful discussion reveals the intricacies involved in promoting inclusive education for children with disabilities across the country. Tim and Carol delve deeply into the practices that bring educators, pa...

In this episode of the Think Inclusive podcast, Tim Villegas dives into the vital topic of inclusive education, underscoring its importance for all students, regardless of disability. Through a comprehensive discussion with Juanita Pritchard, an expert in intellectual disabilities, this episode unravels the intricacies of inclusion within the educational system. Tim shares his personal journey fro...

The Think Inclusive Podcast, hosted by Tim Villegas, dives into the pressing challenges faced by educators when teaching in inclusive classrooms. In this episode, education journalists Jackie Mader and Christina Samuels offer their unique perspectives on the preparedness of general education teachers to support students with disabilities. Through recounting field studies and personal experiences,...

In this thought-provoking episode of the Think Inclusive Podcast, host Tim Villegas delves deep into the complexities of inclusion, especially for LGBTQ individuals and those with disabilities, within the context of Christian educational institutions. The conversation begins with a look at Azusa Pacific University's fluctuating policies regarding same-sex relationships, highlighting the challenges...

In this eye-opening episode of the Think Inclusive Podcast, host Tim Villegas discusses the transformative power of inclusive education for students with disabilities. Through an in-depth look at a King 5 News investigation titled Back of the Class, the episode emphasizes the positive impact of integrating students like Sam, who has Down syndrome, into general education classrooms. The story illus...