Currently serving as a special education coordinator and intervention teacher at his middle school work site, Dennis oversees compliance for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and implements data-driven interventions for diverse learners. His expertise includes Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and culturally responsive pedagogy, impacting over 250 students annually.

In addition to his work in public education, Dennis has collaborated with international organizations, including the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in New York as an Academic Lead Teacher for the Newcomer Youth Summer Academy, delivering linguistically supportive and trauma-sensitive instruction to multilingual refugee youth. His global perspective is further enriched by his service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Albania, where he led community-based education initiatives.

Dennis holds multiple advanced degrees, including master degrees in intellectual disability/autism, international policy management, and urban studies, as well as specialized certifications in teaching English to speakers of other languages and community leadership. He was recognized as a peace teacher by the U.S. Institute of Peace and has completed leadership training with Atlas Corps.

Combining research and practice, Dennis is passionate about leveraging education as a tool for social change. His work focuses on developing equitable systems, fostering inclusive learning environments, and empowering students to navigate and resolve conflicts peacefully.

Resumé

Professional Summary

Educator with 11+ years of experience in accessibility, language acquisition, and special education policy support with expertise in designing academically and culturally responsive instruction for diverse learners. Adept at aligning instructional practices with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and the science of reading to drive measurable improvements in student outcomes. Skilled in program development, policy analysis, and stakeholder engagement.

Core Expertise

• Curriculum Design: Adapting curricula to meet the needs of diverse, multicultural learners.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Leveraging education data analytics to improve student outcomes.
• Policy Reform Analysis: Evaluating programs and instructional practices for effectiveness.
• Program Development: Implementing multi-tiered instructional frameworks.
• Restorative Practice: Resolving conflicts through mediation and trust-building.
• Stakeholder Consensus-Building: Facilitating collaborative decision-making processes.

Professional Experience

Special Education Coordinator/Intervention Teacher/Special Education Teacher,
New York City Department of Education, 09/2013—Present

• Conduct policy compliance reviews, ensuring 70+ IEPs annually adhere to policy mandates.
• Develop data-driven accessibility and special education programs for 250+ middle school students.
• Facilitate consensus among parents, administrators, and teachers on education plans and services.
• Provide intervention and targeted support services utilizing multisensory learning methodologies.

Academic Lead Teacher, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Summer 2023, 2024

• Led trauma-informed and linguistically supportive instruction for 100+ multilingual youth.
• Implemented tiered support framework, improving academic and social-emotional outcomes.

Formative & Volunteer Experience

Board Secretary, Friends of Albania, 10/2019—Present

• Strengthen community engagement through targeted outreach strategies.

E-Learning Developer and Content Creation Intern, Flexi Solutions LLC, 11/2024—Present

• Designed interactive lessons and instructional resources to achieve K–12 learning needs.

Youth Tutor Volunteer, International Rescue Committee (IRC), 01/2023—Present

• Tailor instructional strategies to meet the unique needs of refugee learners.

EducationUSA Intern, U.S. Department of State, 09/2023—05/2024

• Created digital informational guides to support international graduate school applicants.

Education

• M.A. in Urban Studies, 06/2025, CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies
• Adv. Cert. in Community Leadership, 06/2023, CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies
• Adv. Cert. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, 05/2023, Mercy University
• M.S. in International Policy Management, 05/2023, Kennesaw State University
• M.A. in Intellectual Disability/Autism, 05/2017, Teachers College, Columbia University
• M.Ed. in General Education, 06/2009, University of California, Riverside
• B.A. in English and History, 06/2008, University of California, Riverside

Teaching Certification

New York State Professional Teaching Certificate

• Grades 1-6: Childhood Education
• Grades 7-12: English Language Arts, Social Studies
• Grades K-12: English to Speakers of Other Languages, Students with Disabilities

Teacher Training

• Crafting Inclusive Lessons for Linguistically Diverse Learners (7 hours), 01/2025, NYSUT ELT
• Science of Reading Fundamentals (35 hours), 12/2024, SUNY New Paltz
• Rejuvenating Our Praxis Conference, 11/2024, Teachers College
  (Presenter of “Workshopped to Death: Structured Reading at the Secondary Level”)
• Modern Classroom Mentorship Program (30 hours), 07/2024, Modern Classrooms Project
• Teaching Deliberative Democracy (10 hours), 05/2023, Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College

Compliance & Standards Certification

• Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Certificate, American Red Cross
• HSR for Social and Behavioral Faculty, CITI Program
• Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) for CUNY Researchers, CITI Program

Leadership Training

• Peace Teachers Program (21 hours), 08/2024, U.S. Institute of Peace (Named 2024 Peace Teacher)
• Virtual Leadership Institute (100 hours), 02/2023, Atlas Corps
• Global Education Diversity and Inclusion (36 hours), 09/2022, Diversity Abroad

Technology

• Communication: Google Meet, Slack, Zoom
• Data Analysis: Dedoose, IBM SPSS, Jamovi, NVivo
• Design: Canva, Figma
• Education: Canvas, Google Classroom
• Productivity: Google Workspace, Microsoft 360
• Web Development: HTML/CSS, WordPress

Interests

• Comparative and Multicultural Education
• Intergroup Conflict and Peacebuilding
• Political Economy of Education and Labor