Dr. Curtrina Jones
"Alabama Literacy Act for Families"
The Alabama Literacy Act for Families presentation provides an initial understanding of the Alabama Literacy Act. It will explore and explain the implications the Literacy Act has on
classroom instruction and students’ growth and achievement. It also provides resources and
activities parents can access that promote literacy at home.
Dr. Curtrina Jones currently serves as a Regional Literacy Specialist with the Alabama Reading Initiative of the Alabama State Department of Education. She spent 9 years in the classroom teaching second and third grade students in Alabama and Georgia. After her years as a classroom teacher, she became a Local Reading Specialist to broaden her impact for supporting and improving student literacy achievement. After working as a Local Literacy Specialist, Dr. Jones moved into the role of a Regional Literacy Specialist, where she has supported some of the lowest performing schools in the Birmingham area to improve their reading achievement scores. Her greatest desire is to help build collective efficacy among teachers through supporting local reading specialist and empowering students with lifelong strategies that will propel their abilities to decode and comprehend – Until All Can Read! Dr. Jones received her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from Wright State University. She then went on to receive her Master’s degree in Education from Walden University, and her Doctoral degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.



Jennifer McInerney, McInerney Law Firm
"Planning for Your Child’s Future When you Are Gone: What Every Parent
Should Know"
When you have a child or loved one with special needs, you worry about how they will live
independently and/or what the future will look like when you and your spouse are no longer
living.  If your loved one (family member) is living with a disability, it is critical that you properly and adequately plan for his or her needs. Attorney Jenny McInerney will present to parents and family members providing a variety of tools that exist to create a full and robust plan for their children when they pass away. Come and learn more about SNTs (a special type of trust called a special needs trust) and ABLE accounts and how the two can help your child's future in many unique ways!
Jenny McInerney graduated from UAB with honors in 2001. She has a B.A., M.A., J.D., and a LL.M. She is licensed to practice law in Alabama and Mississippi. Her practice is devoted to helping families as well as small businesses plan for the future. Her passion is for special needs planning. Jenny is active in the community. She is a member as well as sitting board member for many special needs organizations. In her spare time, Jenny is a den leader for Troop 320-Tigers. She is the author of the blog for Alabama's ABLE program. Lastly, she has three children, three rescue dogs and she is married to Kenny.




Katherine Gorham, VHCS Special Education Parent Advisory Council Chairperson
AND Kelly Rainer, Co-Chairs, VHCS Special Education Advisory Council
"What is a SEPAC and How to Start One in Your School System"
This presentation will provide an overview of Special Education Parent Advisory Councils
(SEPACs), highlighting their role in fostering collaboration between parents, educators, and
administrators to support students with special needs. Attendees will learn the essential steps to establish a SEPAC in their own school system, from building a core team to engaging
stakeholders and developing actionable goals. Whether you're a parent, educator, or community member, this session will offer practical guidance on how to create an effective SEPAC that empowers families and enhances special education services.
Katherine Gorham and Kelly Rainer serve as the Co-Chairs of the Vestavia Hills City Schools Special Education Advisory Council, where they work closely with educators, parents, and administrators to advocate for the needs and rights of students requiring special education services. With a passion for inclusive education, Katherine and Kelly have been instrumental inleading initiatives that promote a supportive and equitable learning environment for all students. As Co-Chairs, they collaborate on policy development, resource allocation, and program improvements that address the diverse challenges faced by the special education community. Their commitment to fostering open dialogue and active participation among stakeholders has strengthened the council’s impact on the district’s special education efforts. Katherine and Kelly’s dedication to special education is rooted in their long-standing involvement with local schools and personal experience as parents and advocates. Katherine has held many leadership positions with local non-profit organizations and is currently the president of the board of Down Syndrome Alabama and the president of the board of Vestavia Hills Parks and Recreation Foundation. Kelly has also been very involved with community organizations, coaches track at Vestavia Hills High School, and owns and runs a business with her husband, Matt.
Both Kelly and Katherine’s commitment to this work is deeply personal, as they are the mothers of sons with Down syndrome. Their experience as parents has given them unique insight into the challenges and opportunities within the special education system, driving their passion for fostering inclusive, supportive environments.


Dr. Jennifer Sheehy-Knight
"Using Visual Supports to Reduce Challenging Behaviors"
This presentation will review different types of visual supports and how to use them to address and reduce common challenging behaviors exhibited by children with autism or other neurodevelopmental conditions.
Jennifer Sheehy-Knight is a licensed psychologist who has served children and adolescents in Birmingham, Alabama and the surrounding areas for over 20 years providing therapy, assessment, and consultation. She treats a wide range of clinical conditions but specializes in neurodevelopmental disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), disruptive behaviors in young children, and anxiety disorders. Dr. Sheehy-Knight received her doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi and completed her internship in Clinical Child Psychology at the Children’s Hospital in Ohio (now Nationwide Children’s Hospital) and The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Dr. Sheehy-Knight was a Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) postdoctoral fellow at the Clinical Center for the Study of Development and Learning (CDL), University of North Carolina. Dr. Sheehy-Knight worked as a psychologist for more than a decade at Children’s of Alabama. During that time, she created and/or co-developed multiple programs to better serve vulnerable youth and neurodiverse individuals including specialty outpatient clinics, an outpatient support program to reduce stress related to hospital visits, hospital staff trainings, and parent training workshop series. Dr. Sheehy-Knight also was the creator and lead clinician of an intensive consultation program at Children’s of Alabama designed to assist inpatient children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities and/or autism. As an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Psychology, she has enjoyed training multiple graduate students and continues to supervise and foster the next generation of clinicians. Furthermore, Dr. Sheehy-Knight proudly was part of the initial planning committee for the Region V Regional Autism Network (RAN) Community Education Workshops (CEW) and currently continues to present CEW workshops during the year. In late 2021, Dr. Sheehy-Knight ventured into private practice co-founding Alabama Developmental and Behavioral Specialists (ADBS) with Dr. Bauman. The ADBS clinic specializes in providing diagnostic assessment and treatment for youth with a focus on neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and emotional issues.


Ginny Bastar and Reed Johnson
"Understanding the Importance of Employment"
Together, we will discuss the value of employment for individuals with disabilities.
Ginny Bastar is a Birmingham native. She earned a degree in special education from the University of Alabama and went straight to working in social and recreational programming for individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities.  She recently started a new career at Bitty and Beau's Coffee in Birmingham. Ginny is married to her high school sweetheart, John, and they have two children (Mary Patton and Charlie).
Reed Johnson is a young adult and valued employee at Beau's Coffee who has Down Syndrome.