Laura Guillion
ARLINGTON,VIRGINIA
Summary
- SPECIAL PROGRAMS and DISABILITY EDUCATOR and PRACTITIONEER Profile
- Comprehensive experience with state and federal program, specializing in the development and implementation of proactive racial and social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in support of and alignment with the directed strategic plans.
- Advise agency heads and directors on emerging special program trends; proven ability to lead organizations through assessments, compliance, turnaround, critical reviews, and corrective action strategies.
- Skilled in recruiting and managing high-performance teams.
- Technical assistance, change management, organizational effectiveness, stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and critical thinking experience to support high-priority projects
- Skilled in organizational assessment, strategy and implementation leading practices to improve knowledge-based decision-making and shared learning related to special emphasis programs.
- Well versed in intercultural business communications.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Special Education Practitioner
Arlington Public Schools
Arlington, Virginia, VA
01.2002 - Current
- Planned and directed special education programs in the Arlington Public School System, targeted at the high incidence and low-incidence special needs populations in various high school settings
- Researched, developed, and delivered educational content designed to meet the Virginia State Board of Education Standards of Learning, to special needs students identified in accordance with established laws
- Developed, coordinated, and lead student individualized educational and transition plans to facilitate the development and implementation of secondary and post-secondary training objectives and their corresponding activities in multiple locations with public agencies, vocational, higher education, community organizations and state institutions for secondary students with disabilities
- Instructed students in the academic subjects of algebra and geometry, various technological usage, executive functioning, self-advocacy and self-determination and appropriate professional and personal social interaction skills
- Ensured special education programs were following county, and state diversity and inclusion policies, standards, and goals
- Interviewed staff and students, collected, and compiled multiple forms of student data across all of the county high schools to determine student eligibility to be a candidate in two of seven Arlington County public school alternative programs for students with and without disabilities
- Worked with related service providers and specialists to ensure that disability services which are specified and provided are following the individual education plan and applicable county, state and federal guidelines and laws
- Communicate both, formally and informally with organizational personnel, administrators, and work unit members to facilitate interpersonal communications among participant, to ascertain program related problems, conflict, and issues, and to ensure the quality of delivered services, and to prevent problems that adversely affect student morale and organizational productivity
- Applied knowledge of childcare and/or special education programs at the federal, state, county, level to develop actionable recommendations, which target identified populations, designed to improve the availability of high-quality inclusive programs which enhance delivered services
- Investigated and analyzed work-related problems to determine effective remediation techniques, such as job skills training or personal intervention, to resolve human relation issues among peers and subordinates
- Fostered social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development of special needs student by providing a broad challenging and academically rigorous curriculum, tailored to their individual needs, especially those with English language deficiencies
- Facilitated and modified student’s development using theoretical resources
- Provided leadership in the identification of best special needs practices, staff development, and on-going program evaluation
- Reviewed due process rights, and procedural safeguards pertaining to compliance with the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2001
- Facilitated and conducted training to instruct organizational managers, supervisors, and workers on compliance with the Individual with Disabilities Education Act; human relations skills that relate to implementation and management of Special Education Life Skills Programs; including conflict resolution skills, interpersonal communications skills, and effective group interactive skills.
Commission Peer Reviewer
International Accreditors, Continuing Education and Training
Sterling, VA
01.2019 - Current
- Subject matter expert working collaboratively with other reviewers to conduct continuing education application evaluations for continuing education and training programs that seek initial accreditation or reaccreditation certification from the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training accreditation body
- The IACET Peer Reviewers, collectively known as the IACET Commission, are experts in continuing education and training (CE/T) who direct and administer the process by which organizations are approved as Accredited Providers
- The accreditation process entails assessing applications, collaborating with applicants to address questions, application gaps, and conducting application interviews to verify the accuracy of information provided in the accreditation application
- The IACET Commission is a force that is pivotal to the accreditation and reaccreditation of IACET Accredited Providers worldwide
- Conducting research to establish quality goals and standards for individual request
- Often required to utilize individual judgement and build upon minimal instruction to work directly with applicants’ organizations and to identify and promote positive outcomes and solutions for the client, truly owning their own product.
Director
American Federation of Government Employees Council
Washington DC
01.2013 - 01.2018
- Inclusion and Disabilities Programs
- In this role, I served as the Council President’s chief consultant on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the U.S
- Department of Housing and Urban Development, by leading the development and implementation of proactive racial and social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in support of and alignment with the Departments’ strategic plan
- By partnering with Agency leaders, union leadership and internal and external constituents, I ensured programming supports the Union's values and strategic goals and creates a climate that is welcoming, inclusive, respectful, and free from discrimination, intolerance, and harassment
- I served as a member of the Union's contract negotiating team as a subject matter expert
- Researched, developed, recommended, and executed creative strategies to foster the Council's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals
- Reviewed practices and policies to assess and analyze the extent to which they supported or hindered the Departments’ DEI goals
- Collected and analyzed statistical data to evaluate the Council’s populations in accordance with diversity standards and goals
- Developed and/or acquired training and development to aid DEI and retention initiatives throughout the Councils membership
- Provided strategic direction and support for training and professional development in the areas of cultural and racial differences, civility in the workplace, and other topics designed to increase awareness and support of equity, inclusion, and anti-racist values
- Acted as liaison with agency programs concerning affirmative action and equal employment opportunities
- Coordinated with HUD’s Equal Employment Opportunity Office on the development, implementation, and regular use of data tools such as MD-715 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program status report, and other climate surveys, demographic studies, and benchmarking studies
- Reviewed literature to glean knowledge of DEI related issues, revised legislation, and best practices
- Provided training and policy updates to Council officers and membership to ensure legal compliance
- Completed the annual diversity report to communicate outcomes pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts by the Council
- Designed and implemented metrics, monitoring, and reporting systems to effectively benchmark Agency and Council progress in DEI strategies
- Communicated progress on institutional DEI strategies via the Union’s Annual DEI Report
- Facilitated the successful completion and submission of the Union’s annual DEI benchmarking surveys
- Participated in comprehensive institutional planning for improving accessibility for members with disabilities.
Guest speaker
American Federation of Government Employees
09.2009 - 01.2018
- Completed coursework to certified as “highly qualified” under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (P.L
- No
- 107-110); in special education courses for: biology, secondary math, social studies, Life Skills Special education
- UVA coursework – Certified highly qualified in special education courses for: biology, secondary math, and social studies
- Courses were taken to assist students to maintaining skills in content areas and to remain in inclusive settings; minimize being transitioned into more restrictive placements such as self-contained programs that may not have SOL assessments, and which restrict the type of diploma standard that the student may be awarded
- To enable the analysis of skills attainment through reasonable and mandated accommodations, modifications and scaffolding to encourage progression into AP courses (which is a county initiative to increase minorities and special needs students matriculating into these courses)
- George Mason Coursework - Certified highly qualified in Life Skills Special education
- Courses were taken to assist students to gain and/or retain skills not developed in skills content areas as well as vocational skills; to assist Life Skills students to matriculate into self-contained classes and to develop social, communication and cognitive skills
- Additionally, English as Second Language coursework enabled me to effectively with my growing population of ethnic minority students who are in inclusive and self-contained programs, and to develop strategies that are accommodation based, like those utilized with the special need’s population
- Lastly, to collect and analyze research data and statistic data regarding bilingual and multicultural student who have special needs, and the outcomes as related best practices that have direct implication to the HILT (ESL learners) and other Hispanic and Asian (primarily Mongolian) students in inclusive program settings
- (AFGE) - National HUD Council 222 Activities, at district and regional workshops for AFGE and Council 222 regarding policies such as ADA, Section 504, and Section 508; characteristics of high-incidence disabilities; possible reasonable accommodations that could be integrated into various professional placements/settings [February 17th – DC/Federal Government union members at local labor relations workshop; April 21st- DC/Federal Government union members at local equal employment opportunity workshop; July 15th- HUD union members at HUD regional Labor Relations-Management workshop; August 5th- HUD union members at HUD regional Women’s and Fair Labor Practice
Independent Student Study
05.2009 - 09.2009
- This course enabled me to observe and assess federal agency compliance with federal disability policies such as ADA and Section 504 for employees with disabilities
- By request of the Director of Human Resources for U.S
- Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and AFGE Council 222 National President conducted and submitted an independent assessment, based on a barrier analysis regarding the interpretation of disability policies and implementation of disability services for employees with disabilities within the U.S
- Department of Housing and Urban Development, which resulted in a complete revamping of the agencies disabilities related programs.
Education
Ph.D -
Walden University
01.2024
Equal Employment Opportunity Programs Management Certification: Disability Program Management Certification -
California Federal School of Law
05.2011
American Federation of Government Employees Washington, DC Women’s and Fair Practices Manager Certification Diversity, equity, inclusion, and advancing the civil, human -
01.2007
Certification for highly qualified status -
University of Virginia
09.2005
Bachelor of Arts - Special (Mild/Moderate/Generic
George Mason University
01.2005
Certification for highly qualified status in English/Language Arts under the No Child Left Behind Act -
Trinity Washington University
01.2001
Master of Science - Educational Administration and Human Resources Management
Prince Georges County Public Schools Upper Marlboro
05.1997
Certificate, Training Needs Assessment -
Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans
06.1993
candidate; Teacher certification program as English Learner Educator -
George Mason University
01.0001
Affiliations
- National Educators Association, Council of Exceptional Children, Virginia Education Association, Arlington Education Association, Golden Key International Honor Society, Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Walden University Divine Nine Alliance, Commonwealth of Virginia - Postgraduate Professional License in:
- Emotional Disturbance grades: K – twelve
- Mental Retardation grades: K – twelve
- Specific Learning Disabilities grades: K – twelve Maryland State Board of Education - Advanced Professional Licensure in:
- Generic Special Education: grades K to eight
- Administrator I Page | 1
Timeline
Commission Peer Reviewer
International Accreditors, Continuing Education and Training
01.2019 - Current
Director
American Federation of Government Employees Council
01.2013 - 01.2018
Guest speaker
American Federation of Government Employees
09.2009 - 01.2018
Independent Student Study
05.2009 - 09.2009
Special Education Practitioner
Arlington Public Schools
01.2002 - Current
Ph.D -
Walden University
Equal Employment Opportunity Programs Management Certification: Disability Program Management Certification -
California Federal School of Law
American Federation of Government Employees Washington, DC Women’s and Fair Practices Manager Certification Diversity, equity, inclusion, and advancing the civil, human -
Certification for highly qualified status -
University of Virginia
Bachelor of Arts - Special (Mild/Moderate/Generic
George Mason University
Certification for highly qualified status in English/Language Arts under the No Child Left Behind Act -
Trinity Washington University
Master of Science - Educational Administration and Human Resources Management
Prince Georges County Public Schools Upper Marlboro
Certificate, Training Needs Assessment -
Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans
candidate; Teacher certification program as English Learner Educator -
George Mason University