Special Education- Meet the Team

 JP Williams

406-444-4426
State Director of Special Education

Work-Related Duties:

1. Works with other state agencies to ensure services for students with disabilities are coordinated and provided effectively and efficiently.
2. Provide operational management functions authorized by executive, staffing resources, manager office, provide oversight for project and program resources.
3. Prioritizes services and funding among OPI and special education programs.

JP joined the OPI in June of 2022. JP has worked as a teacher and school leader over the past 18 years in Nevada and Montana. His passion lies in creating and celebrating student and teacher success with an emphasis on team building and positive community engagement. JP holds a master's degree in Education/Special Education, as well as a master's degree in Educational Leadership. JP’s educational philosophy is that every student, in every classroom, deserves every opportunity to learn and succeed. His favorite quote, “Don’t give up… don’t ever give up!” - Jimmy V.

 Danni McCarthy

406-444-0452
Fiscal & Reporting Manager

Work-Related Duties:

1. Oversees Egrants for Part B subgrantees
2. Fiscal and Data Reporting Manager Part B
3. Overseeing Fiscal Part B program allocations

Danni McCarthy is the IDEA Fiscal and Data Reporting Manager. During her time with the OPI, Special Education Unit, she has held many positions. Before coming to the OPI, Danni was a special education teacher for seven years. She currently holds her Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S) in Educational Leadership.

 Kelley Brown

406-444-5661
Administrative Assistant

Work-Related Duties:

1. Provide Administrative Assistance and Support
2. Assist the SPED Unit Team Members
3. Event Coordination and scheduler of events for SPED

Kelley has worked at OPI since December of 2013 and as Administrative Assistant in Special Education since February of 2015. Montana is the 7th state she has lived in and is the longest she has lived in any state having moved here in 1998. She loves to be outdoors communing with nature, she loves her puppies (they aren’t really puppies, just small) and you will never find her without a book to read or a project to knit.

 Ty House

406-444-2504
Administrative Assistant

Work-Related Duties:

1. Processes discretionary grants
2. Processes and monitoring of contracts and requisitions
3. Editing

Ty House is an Administrative Assistant with the Special Education Unit. Ty specializes in Discretionary Grants and Contract Payments. She has been with the OPI since 2019. Ty is an avid trail runner with a passion for serving the students of Montana.

 Annette Viciedo Young

406-444-0299
Montana SSIP Director

Work-Related Duties:

1. Directs the MT State Systemic Improvement Plan
2. Manages the School Psychology, Speech/Language Pathology, and SPED Endorsement stipend programs.
3. Agency contact regarding paraprofessionals

Annette Viciedo Young She has 37 years’ experience in education. Annette has taught all grades K-12 as well as worked in the Montana university system and Embry Riddle Aeronautical Institute as higher education faculty at associates, bachelor’s, and master’s levels. Prior experience also includes valuable time as an education consultant. Annette was one of the first 10 people to be hired by the MT Office of Public Instruction (OPI) in school improvement. She is recognized as a skilled facilitator of systems change.

 John Gorton

406-459-4281
School Improvement Unit Manager

Work-Related Duties:

1. Provides general supervision of all education programs provided to children with disabilities, including programs administered by other state or local agencies.
2. Monitors programs for children with disabilities to ensure consistency with the state education agency standards.
3. Organize, design and oversee the implementation of the monitoring process of local education agencies (LEAs) providing special education and related services to students with disabilities.

Currently the School Improvement Manager for the Special Education Unit of the Office of Public Instruction. John has served for 30 years in public education ranging from K-12 Special Education to School Administration as a Principal and as a Special Education Director.  He possesses background in 504, Gifted & Talented, and Curriculum. John currently works remotely with the OPI. 

 Mercee Cislo

406-437-2369
School Improvement Specialist

Work-Related Duties:

1. Respond to requests for information and/or services by the OPI staff, state agencies, groups or officials by conducting research and disseminating results, compiling resources, writing reports, and making presentations.
2. Provide advice to local, state, and national organizations on issues of compliance with state and federal regulations and school improvement activities relevant to Montana schools and statewide school improvement efforts.
3. Coordinate performance monitoring activities and school improvement planning with the activities of the CSPD Council, the Paraprofessional Consortium, the Montana Behavioral Initiative, and other appropriate groups. Perform other activities of the division as assigned.

Mercee spent six years as a self-contained life skills teacher. Her expertise falls within the guidelines of working with high incident students, high school transitions, alternative assessments, and community-based instruction.

 Alicia Herman

406-438-1363
School Improvement Specialist

Work-Related Duties:

1. Provides special education-related technical assistance and professional development to LEAs and other organizations or agencies to increase understanding of IDEA requirements and strategies leading to improved outcomes for students.
2. Conducts performance monitoring of programs used by local education agencies providing special education and related services to students with disabilities to ensure LEA compliance with federal and state requirements.
3. Provides guidance to local and state organizations on issues of compliance with state and federal regulations and school improvement activities relevant to Montana schools and statewide school improvement efforts.

Alicia Herman is a Special Education School Improvement Specialist with the Montana Office of Public Instruction. In this role, she is able to support administrators, educators, parents, and students across the state through implementation, evaluation and dissemination of information pertaining to special education. She is committed to improving outcomes for all students by supporting academically engaging learning experiences that foster creativity and curiosity. Alicia earned her M. Ed from Montana State University - Billings and her B.S. in Education from Montana State University- Bozeman. She has called Montana home since 2001 and enjoys exploring the Yellowstone River with her husband and three children.

 Chris McCrea

406-444-3864
School Improvement Specialist
 

Work-Related Duties:

1. Attends the mock monitoring to understand the Federal monitoring requirements
2. Supports the special education team in preparation for the federal monitoring
3. In-person to build support and relationships with OPI staff ahead of the federal monitoring

Chris is a School Improvement Specialist and part of the compliance monitoring team for the Special Education Unit of the Office of Public Instruction. Prior, he worked for 20 years as a teacher in Montana, Arizona and the Middle East, with 15 years in special education in the middle and high school settings. During this time, he worked primarily with students with intellectual disabilities. While overseas, he taught students with special education needs and English as a second language. His focus of instruction included differentiated instruction, transition planning, alternate assessment, and independent living skills. He enjoys spending time outdoors with his family exploring all that Montana has to offer and is also a high school and college football official.

 Katie Mattingley

406-437-3874
School Improvement Specialist
Autism Specialist

Work-Related Duties:

1. Develop and provide special education-related technical assistance and professional development to LEAs and other organizations or agencies.
2. Provide advice to local, state, and national organizations on issues of compliance with state and federal regulations and school improvement activities relevant to Montana schools and statewide school improvement efforts.
3. Establish and maintain professional interactions representing the goals and objectives of the Superintendent and the Office of Public Instruction on task forces, advisory groups, and boards.

Katie is a School Improvement Specialist and Autism Specialist for the Special Education Unit of the Montana Office of Public Instruction.  Katie earned her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Idaho State University in 2007 and worked as a school-based therapist for 10 years prior to moving into private practice and consulting. Her clinical work primarily focuses on coaching families and individuals experiencing difficulties related to autism spectrum disorders, Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and ADHD.   Through the Montana Autism Education Project and Special Education Unit, Katie continues to support school teams in best practices for behavior management, functional and social communication, and in utilizing data to drive intervention for students receiving special education services. 

 Desiree Johnson

406-431-1081
School Improvement Specialist
 

Work-Related Duties:

1. Provides special education-related technical assistance and professional development to LEAs and other organizations or agencies to increase understanding of IDEA requirements and strategies leading to improved outcomes for students.
2. Conducts performance monitoring of programs used by local education agencies providing special education and related services to students with disabilities to ensure LEA compliance with federal and state requirements.
3. Provides guidance to local and state organizations on transition planning.

Desiree is a School Improvement Specialist and part of the compliance monitoring team for the Special Education Unit of the Office of Public Instruction. She’s earned a BS in Communications and an MAT in Special Education. Before joining the OPI, she taught special education for 14 years where she developed a strong background in transition planning and Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) and created a work experience program to serve students with disabilities. She has also enjoyed working as a Community Rehabilitation Provider for Voc Rehab and teaching communications courses as an adjunct professor for Dawson Community College. She looks forward to serving students, families, and educators through the OPI.

 Tammy Lysons

406-431-2309
Continuing Education & Technical Assistance Unit Manager

Work-Related Duties:

1. Director of the MT State Personnel Development Grant from OSEP: Montana's Tiered System of Supports
2. Coordinator of the OPI Summer Institute, High School Forum, and Youth Days events
3. Comprehensive System of Professional Development (CSPD) State Coordinator, OPI Higher Education Consortium Lead, and Supervisor over Gifted and Talented State Grant and Programs and Montana Autism Education Project

Tammy Lysons is the Continuing Education and Technical Assistance Manager in the Special Education Unit. While Tammy started this new position in 2022, she has been with the OPI since 2019, previously serving as the Title IV-A SSAE Program Manager in Coordinated School Health. Tammy brings 16 years of experience in Montana schools as a K-8 classroom teacher at every grade level, Title I Director, 504 Coordinator, and K-8 Principal. Tammy has a B.A. in Elementary Education and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, both from the University of Montana.

 Doug Doty

406-459-5303
Autism Specialist
 

Work-Related Duties:

1. Provides leadership and direction for the design and implementation of district special and general education services to students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and significant behavioral challenges.
2. Creates and provides training to educators, administrators, parents and others.
3. Provides and coordinates consultative services to schools serving IDEA-qualified students with autism and/or behavioral diffidifficulties

Doug Doty is the Statewide Coordinator for the OPI Montana Autism Education Project (MAEP) of the MT OPI. The MAEP has autism specialists and trainers across MT who provide training and consultation to public schools. Doug has also served as a special education Improvement Specialist for the MT OPI, providing technical assistance and training in compliance with state and federal regulations. Previously he was an okapi at Zoo Montana and has also worked for the MT Developmental Disabilities Program.

 Anne Carpenter

406-465-0922
Program Support Specialist
 

Work-Related Duties:

1. State CSPD Director, managing and approving CSPD grants and providing guidance to CSPD Coordinators. Conduct and facilitate a monthly meeting with the coordinators as well as two in-person meetings per year.
2. Create and provide professional development opportunities to educators, paraeducators, administrators, and parents in the areas of MTSS and Special Education. This includes facilitating a Community of Practice, writing courses for the Montana Learning Hub, and participating in the organization of OPI Summer Institute, MTSS Youth Days, and MTSS High School Forum.
3. Participate in several councils and other OPI initiatives such as the SPDG Evaluation Team, Rural Institute Consumer Advisory Council, Montana Safe and Supportive School group, SPDG conferences, Capacity Building Institute, and other groups as assigned.

Anne Carpenter is a new Program Support Specialist for the Special Education Department. Anne holds a Master of Education Degree from the University of Montana- Missoula. Her major area of study was in special education. She also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Peru State College, NE. She has previously worked as an Early Childhood/Elementary Teacher, Inclusion/Program Specialist for the DPHHS Child Care Unit, a Developmental Disability Case Manager and recently as a Pre-ETS Specialist for the Montana Vocational Rehabilitation Program. She brings lots of experience to her current role where she is dedicated in developing training opportunities that will motivate and inspire SPED teachers, families and communities.

 Jackie Ronning

406-438-0522

Gifted & Talented MTSS
Program Support Specialist

Work-Related Duties:

1. State Director of Gifted and Talented Programs
2. MTSS Program Support Specialist for the State Personnel Development Grant
3. Supports Professional Development Activities of the Agency, including OPI Summer Institute and High School Forum

Jackie joined OPI in 2023 as the Gifted and Talented Director and MTSS Program Support Specialist in the CETA Unit of Special Education. Jackie believes in strong systems and instructional practice that is grounded by evidence and supported by data. She comes with 20 years of experience in education. She has taught preschool, kindergarten, first grade, elementary music and character education. In addition to teaching, Jackie has been a high school class advisor, a student council advisor, a preschool coordinator, a K-12 counselor, and a volleyball coach. For the past 5 years, she has been the Literacy Coach/ Assessment and Intervention coordinator for a K-12 school. Jackie led the school leadership team for the MCSDLP grant and was a member of their MTSS team. She enjoys camping in the Beartooth Mountains, gardening and spending time with her husband, children, and pets.

 Lucy Beltz

406-431-4654

Early Learning and Special Education Specialist

Work-Related Duties:

1. Technical assistance for early childhood education programs for children with and without disabilities.
2. State 619 Coordinator.
3. Additional projects managed include: Hearing Conservation Program (HCP), Training and Assessment Systems for K-12 Educational Interpreters (TASK12) and Braille Transcription Program.

Lucy Beltz is the Early Learning and Special Education Specialist in the Special Education Unit. From Chicago to Vanuatu to Montana, she brings twenty years of experience in education. She has a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Advanced Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor's in Art Education. Her passion lies in coordinating culturally responsive practice in education and health to rejuvenate culture, environment, and climate striving for a community of people appreciated for their value and supported to be active participants; moving away from a culture of helping to a culture of understanding, acceptance, and support.

 Anne Rainey

406-594-5214
Data Accountability Specialist

Work-Related Duties:

1. IDEA Part B Data Manager
2. Oversees all SPED Data
3. Special Education Data Manager's Affinity Group (SEDMAG) under the auspice of the National Association of Directors of Special Education (NASDSE)

Anne Rainey is the IDEA Part B Data Manager in the Special Education Unit. As the IDEA Part B Data Manager, Anne is responsible for overseeing all special education data – this includes data submitted to the US Dept of Education/Office of Special Education Programs through the EDFacts Reporting System, the EMAPS Reporting System, and the SPP/APR. She was instrumental in founding the Special Education Data Manager’s Affinity Group (SEDMAG) under the auspice of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) in 2015.

 Shara Blair

406-444-0685
Research Analyst/Data Specialist

Work-Related Duties:

1. Provides support to Montana schools for Special Education records and data collection/reporting in AIM
2. Analyzes education records data for quality assurance and integrity to enable effective agency decisions and reporting
3. Develops and presents documentation or materials as needed to support data collections and reporting systems

Shara joined OPI in January 2023. She holds a Business Administration degree from the University of Montana. She has been connected to K-12 education in some capacity since 2000. She has a passion for learning, collaboration and continual growth. She is proud to serve and support the administrators, educators, and staff that serve Montana schools, students and families. She and her husband, Dave, enjoy life in the Montana sun, waters and starry skies.