Amanda Zbacnik, Ed.D. (she/her)

Amanda Zbacnik, EdD, is an expert in special education. She has teaching experience in K-12 schools and higher education as an associate professor of special education. As a previous special educator, Dr. Zbacnik worked with individuals in multiple disability categories: ID, OHI, EBD, SLD, ASD, and MD. At the high school level, Dr. Zbacnik focused on transition for students with special needs and collaboration with multiple stakeholders (therapists, paraprofessionals, and community transition agencies). Dr. Zbacnik volunteers in equine-assisted therapeutic activities, has served as the president, president-elect, and current treasurer of WI- CEC, and co-published the book, “Educators for Diverse Classrooms: A Case Study Approach to Equity and Inclusion in Education” in 2020.

To contact Amanda, please email her at azbacnik@uwsuper.edu

Staci Gilpin, Ph.D. (she/her)

Welcome to our open textbook. Amanda and I are excited to share this resource with you. I was born in Sioux City, Iowa, which occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Yankton Sioux. Growing up on a family farm in rural northwest Iowa is one part of my identity that continues to impact me professionally. This experience, as well as the unique assets and needs of rural America, is always on my mind. It is what drives me to advocate for quality online instruction to provide access to higher education for those who live in rural areas, address related teacher shortages, and nurture diversity in all educational spaces. I currently reside in Duluth, Minnesota, on land that was cared for and called home by the Ojibwe people, before them, the Dakota and Northern Cheyenne people, and other Native peoples from time immemorial. My husband and I love sharing the great outdoors with our miniature schnauzer.

My career spans three decades, with many experiences in urban and rural K-12 schools, including teaching students with emotional/behavioral disabilities, elementary classroom teachers, instructional coach, and special education administrator. During this time, I worked in some schools that served large populations of Indigenous students. As a result, digital spaces can provide equity and access for students from historically underserved groups and create spaces that welcome those with diverse backgrounds into K-12 classrooms.

To contact Staci, please email her at stacisparksphd@gmail.com