Julie Hickey is the Education Director of The Benedictine School, serving students with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities. She holds a Master’s in Special Education from Wilmington University and is certified in Special Education and School Administration by the Maryland State Department of Education. With 23 years of experience, Julie has served in direct care and leadership roles and provided training to educators, parents, and first responders.

Helen Bosch is a recently retired leader in special education and adult disability services with more than three decades of impact at Vista Life Innovations, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to empowering adults with disabilities through real-world training and meaningful community connection. As CEO, she led the organization through significant growth and expansion, transforming it into a program that serves individuals from across the country. Under her leadership, Vista earned accreditation from the National Commission on Accreditation of Special Education Services (NCASES), reflecting a strong commitment to quality and best practices. Helen has also served on numerous national and statewide boards and committees focused on advancing community inclusion, neurodiversity, and expanded opportunities for adults with disabilities, and in retirement, she continues to support leadership development and organizational capacity building for the next generation of nonprofit leaders.

Shannon Clark is the Executive Director of Trousdale School in Tennessee and has served as an NCASES Commissioner since 2020. She holds a BS in Accounting and is a licensed CPA. Shannon also serves on the NCASES Executive Committee and NAPSEC Conference Committee, and previously contributed to Tennessee’s Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities as a Licensure Review Panel member.

Sue McLendon is Associate Vice President of Arrow Child & Family Ministries and The Arrow Center for Education Schools. She supports school leadership and holds a Master of Education from Loyola University and an administration license from Towson University. Sue chairs the NCASES Standards Committee and serves as a Commissioner. She is also Immediate Past-President of MANSEF and contributed to the successful passing of Maryland’s nonpublic teacher pay parity act.

Patrick Seay is Assistant Vice President at Kennedy Krieger Institute, overseeing school admissions, compliance, and transitions. He also teaches a state-approved course on Special Education for School Social Workers and serves as a liaison for the Maryland Online IEP system through MANSEF. Patrick holds a Master’s in Special Education and a Certificate in School Administration from Loyola University and has over 20 years of experience in the field.

Ken Berger is President of NAPSEC and CEO of Spectrum360, with decades of leadership in nonprofit and special education services. He serves on the boards of NJASEPS, the Alliance of Special Education Schools of Northern NJ, Grafton Integrated Health Network, and Able Angel. Ken co-hosts The Nonprofit Fix podcast, addressing challenges in the nonprofit sector and advancing impactful practices.

Colleen Rowan-Valentino is Principal at Bancroft, overseeing multiple educational programs, including Bancroft School at Voorhees Pediatric Facility and Kohler Academy. With over 30 years in special education and compliance, Colleen has played a key role in expanding Bancroft’s accredited services under NCASES.

Dr. Gregory Zink began his career in special education in 1978 and has held roles as a teacher, administrator, and director across public and private programs in New Jersey. He served as an NCASES Commissioner from 2011–2022, chairing both the Standards and Process Committees, and returned to the Commission in 2025. His expertise includes developmental disabilities, curriculum, behavioral support, and educational leadership.

Catherine Decker is Director of Student Services at St. Coletta of Greater Washington, managing admissions, compliance, transportation, and support services. She has over 18 years of experience and holds a Master’s in Special Education with a focus on adapted curriculum.

Jennifer McGlothlin-Renault is Senior Vice President of Maryland Operations at Arrow Child & Family Ministries. She oversees Special Education, Foster Care, and Residential programs, and holds dual Master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology and Education. Jennifer serves as a Commissioner for NCASES and has held board leadership roles with CBH, MARFY, MANSEF, and Maryland Nonprofits.

Dan Petrie is CEO of Mountain Valley Child and Family Services and Mountain Valley Academy in California. With over 35 years of service, Dan leads residential and educational programs for special education students. He is an NCASES Commissioner and chairs the Education Committee for the California Alliance of Child and Family Services.

Chris Hanudel is the Quality Assurance and Compliance Officer at ACCEL International, a leading provider of special education and therapeutic services for children and adults with developmental disabilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He leads the design and execution of ACCEL’s integrated operating and assurance system, translating strategy into measurable daily operations while ensuring compliance with rigorous external standards. Under his leadership, ACCEL became the only institution outside the United States to earn dual accreditation from NCASES and CARF, reflecting a unified enterprise framework that aligns policy, performance measurement, internal audit, risk management, ethics, and accreditation. Chris also pioneered the organization-wide OKR and KPI structure and previously led the development and launch of ACCEL’s Outpatient Clinic. A Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist with a Master of Administration from Northern Arizona University, he brings over 18 years of leadership experience across clinical services and operations in the U.S. and Gulf region, working closely with executive leadership while contributing thought leadership on quality assurance, accreditation, accessibility, and inclusive education.

Danielle Damm has served as Executive Director of NCASES since 2018, leading its mission to promote excellence through voluntary accreditation. A former congressional staffer and government relations expert, she has advised national leaders on education and human rights. Danielle holds a master’s in Diplomacy, a graduate certificate in Intelligence Studies, and a bachelor’s in International Studies.