How long have you worked at Buffalo State College and, if applicable, what other areas have you worked/positions have you served in at the college?
My time at Buffalo State actually began as a graduate student. My son was diagnosed with autism in 1997 and I became very interested in special education. In 2001, I started in Buffalo State’s exceptional education program as a graduate student. In December of 2003, I graduated with a master’s degree in exceptional education and began working as an early childhood special education teacher.
A few months after my graduation, I began teaching part time as an adjunct professor in the Exceptional Education Department. In 2007, I became a student again, going back to school to join the joint doctoral program in special education offered by UB and Buffalo State. I graduated in August 2012 and began as an assistant professor in a tenure-track line just a few days later.
What motivates you to provide excellent services for your colleagues, students, and supervisor?
Ultimately, I am driven to excellence because I want to provide the best possible opportunities for children with disabilities. I was fortunate to see the difference that an effective special-education teacher can make in the lives of children and their families because of my son’s educational experiences. Kevin’s projected future was bleak. Because of his wonderful and highly-trained special education teachers, school was a very positive experience for him. He graduated in 2017 and is now involved in his community as a volunteer. I witnessed all of this and wanted to ensure the same type of successful outcomes for as many children as possible, in WNY, across the State, or anywhere our graduates are teaching. I want to do whatever I can to make our college as strong as possible so that we can continue to provide high-quality education and meaningful training for our students.
What personal philosophy about working with others guides your day-to-day work?
I’ve never really thought about my personal philosophy until just recently. I participated in the Emerging College Leaders (ECL) program this past year with the goal of learning how to maximize the strengths and skills of my co-workers. The ECL experience was incredibly powerful and helped to guide and inform my career as a professional. I also want to do all I can to provide support, programs, and opportunities for children with disabilities and their families. Much of what I do in my day-to-day work revolves around identifying unmet needs in our community and then working to create programs or services to meet those needs. I am passionate about service in all its forms and it drives what I do. I am professionally fulfilled by service in all its forms—to my department/colleagues, to the School of Education, and to our institution—and truly love providing service to my community.
What do you do when you are not working?
I like to spend my spare time with family and friends, getting to together to watch the Bills or Sabres, eat good food, and enjoy each other’s company. I also like to be involved in my community, hosting programs for children with autism, their families, and invited guests. Although it is incredibly time-consuming and labor-intensive, it is very rewarding to me as a professional.
Please describe how the nominee consistently performs "Acts of Kindness."
In her statement for a recent promotion to associate professor, she stated, "There is simply no greater purpose in life than to service and support others." She is known in our community as a champion for families with children on the autism spectrum. Her work with the Explore and More Children's Museum creating "Au-some Evenings" for families with autistic children was far above and beyond her role in teaching exceptional education. This is only one of the ways she contributes to the community. As a member of the Child Care Resource network of Western New York and director of the Musi-connect program in Getzville, she is the "face" of Buffalo State in multiple community activities. She is our Professional Development School (PDS) liaison to Gerard Place, a haven for families in trauma who have children with disabilities. In addition to these continuous acts of kindness in the community, her door is always open to our students. She serves as the associate chair for graduate students in the Exceptional Education Department and is the main adviser for the early childhood/exceptional education 4 + 1 program.
Please describe how the nominee consistently demonstrates "Campus Engagement and Representation."
As a graduate of Buffalo State's master of science in education in exceptional education and of our joint doctoral program with SUNY Buffalo, she is a Bengal from start to finish. She can be counted on as a willing and consistent representative for her department and for the School of Education (SOE). She has been a senator, representative on the PDS Advisory Committee, a Teacher Education Council representative, and a member of the College Senate Curriculum Committee. She co-chairs the awards committee of the Exceptional Education Department. Their annual awards ceremony is a rich testimony of the support she and her colleagues provide to our exceptional education majors. She serves as faculty co-adviser for the Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) and Best Buddies, two student groups dedicated to service for children with special needs. She is the School of Education PDS partner for the Buffalo State Child Care Center. She voluntarily worked with colleagues in the Psychology and Social Work departments to apply for a certificate in Child Advocacy Studies Training (CAST) a program for multiple professionals who seek to support children and families as they confront the social services and legal systems. She has been a faculty mentor for undergraduate and graduate research. She is a consistent volunteer for Open House, Orientation, and advisement and is a host for "open classroom" visits of potential students to campus. As an ambassador for the college, she is continuously sought by community groups for her expertise in autism.
Please describe how the nominee consistently demonstrates "Positivity."
Sometimes we forget that diversity and inclusion are cornerstones of work with children, adolescents, and families who have members with special needs. Her work with community agencies and families spills into her work with students at Buffalo State. As a graduate adviser, her door is always open. As a mentor for projects at both the undergraduate and graduate level, she goes the extra mile, but perhaps the best testimony to this quality comes from a former student:
"I wanted to say a huge thank you for everything you have done for me these past four years. Not only were you someone I looked up to, but you were also someone I could talk to and get advice from with anything. Thank you for always believing in me with everything I do, and for always being such a positive influence on me."
Please describe how the nominee consistently demonstrates "Student-Centered Service."
She is sought out by our students. Her gentle, yet well-informed demeanor made her an ideal choice as the graduate associate chair for the important programs in the department. Her leadership in this area led to the first 4 + 1 program in early childhood (undergraduate) with exceptional education (graduate), a program that has helped the School of Education log some of the highest retention and graduate enrollment rates on campus. As part of her dossier for promotion, her students responded to her teaching and advisement. Student evaluations are some of the highest in the SOE averaging 4.8 or higher on a 5.0 scale.
Student comments
"She is a caring teacher. She is very wise and knows her craft. She is very quick to respond to emails, which every college student depends on."
"Her passion for educating people and advocating for people with disabilities is admirable. The personal value that comes from her teaching this course makes it interesting and worth coming to every week."
"She is the best instructor I have had here at Buffalo State."
Please describe how the nominee consistently demonstrates "Collaboration."
As described above, she is generous with her time and expertise. Wherever she sees that her expertise can meet the needs of the faculty, the students, or the community, she is first to volunteer. As PDS co-directors for 2018, Pixita del Prado Hill and Susan McMillen wrote in their recommendation letter for her tenure, "She is an excellent collaborator, meeting all deadlines and ensuring that all submissions are of extremely high quality...We believe she fully meets the goals of PDS to be an engaged teacher and scholar whose teaching, scholarship, and service work together to improve the field of teaching.
She was the 2016 recipient of the "Outstanding Faculty Commitment to Service-Learning Award."
She has been a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellow (2015) and is currently participating in the leadership training program run by the Equity and Campus Diversity Office.
Please describe how the nominee consistently "Embraces Change."
She was the first to recommend a 4 + 1 undergraduate-to-graduate pathway that would capture the importance and relevance of educating teachers of young children beyond classroom practice and into early intervention and service for students with special needs. This program was the first of its kind. Her work on this was critical to its eventual success. Since that pathway was established, more 4 + 1 pathways have been recommended to help teacher education benefit from undergraduate to graduate avenues for multiple certifications in high-needs areas. She has created and is offering an online course this summer to focus on serving special needs students in middle schools. This is an area that has been largely folded into either the 1-6 extension programs in childhood or the 7-12 extensions in secondary subjects. This addresses the need for this in the state. She has offered workshops and consultancies on autism whenever asked. She teaches classes on Saturdays. She continuously finds ways to add value to our programs and to bring effective teaching to our students in ways that match their needs. She was one of the first to suggest our PDS expansion to community agencies, not just schools, thus adding Gerard Place to our list of partners. She is adept at teaching with technology, and in 2017 received Buffalo State's Affordable Learning Materials Initiative Award for Exceptional Innovation in Affordability.
Kathy is a tireless advocate for children with special needs. She sits on the board of directors for several community organizations that serve children and their families including the Buffalo State Child Care Center and the Child Care Resource Network. She is also instrumental in the offering of “Au-Some Evenings at Explore and More Children’s Museum” to children with autism spectrum and sensory disorders and their families. She is a member of the Commissioner’s Advisory Panel for Special Education at the New York State Education Department and serves numerous other community agencies including HelpMeGrow WNY, Gerard Place, the Local Early Intervention Coordination Council in Erie County, and the Summit Center in a variety of ways.
She also shares her passion for serving children and their families in the community with her students by incorporating service-learning into all of her courses. In this way, Kathy is able to serve as a role model to her students by demonstrating the positive influence that civically-engaged educators can have on their communities. I am sure that this influence is being paid forward by many of Kathy’s current and former students.
As a colleague, Kathy is enthusiastic and collaborative. She is an incredibly engaged member of the Buffalo State community and her contributions to the numerous committees on which she serves are valued. She contributes creative and thoughtful ideas and always recognizes the efforts of others with whom she is working.
I consider myself to be incredibly fortunate to be able to collaborate so closely with Kathy. Her enthusiasm and caring attitude have enriched me as well as other faculty and students. We are fortunate to have her as a member of the Buffalo State community!
