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Paul Barbato, Ed.D. (Chairperson), 4th term

Dr. Paul Barbato is the Director of Special Services and the Local McKinney-Vento liaison in the Dumont public schools. Dr. Barbato serves on the following: NJ Emotional and Behavior Program Quality Indicator (EBPQI) Panel (NJDOE), New Jersey Association of Pupil Services Administrators (Immediate Past President), New Jersey Special Education Administrators Association (Board Member), NJ Principal and Supervisors Association (Special Education Committee), and the Bergen County Special Services School District Advisory Committee (Board Member). Dr. Barbato was awarded the 2014 Special Education Administrator of the Year from NJASA, NJAPSA, and the Centris Group. Dr. Barbato is also a Board member of Dumont's Stigma Free Committee. Dr. Barbato serves as an Adjunct Professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey City University, and Hudson County Community College in New Jersey. Dr. Barbato is also a New Jersey Leaders to Leaders (NJL2L) and New Jersey EXpedited Certification for Educational Leadership (NJEXCEL) Mentor and teaches within the NJEXCEL and New Jersey Teacher Leader Certification (NJTLC) Programs of New Jersey Principals and Supervisor Association (NJPSA).

Jocelyn Gottlieb, Assistant Chairperson, 2nd term

Jocelyn Gottlieb joins NJ-SSEAC as a parent of children with a disabilities, including one with multiple disabilities and one who has a speech-only Individualized Education Program (IEP). After moving to Glen Ridge from California in 2015, she became involved in the Glen Ridge Association of Special Education (GRASE), which she co-chaired for two years. During that time, she developed an Abilities Awareness Week which was held across three elementary schools, engaging dozens of parents, multiple administrators, and teachers across buildings. The goal was to enhance students’ knowledge of various disabilities and to increase their appreciation of these differences among their peers. It was a first step to a larger goal of building a school community that supports all of its students equally, regardless of need. In 2020, she was elected to a three-year term on the Board of Education where she participated in the audit of special education programs. Professionally, Jocelyn achieved her master’s in business administration from Yale School of Management and received the Dean Scholarship Award for leadership academic promise, and professional potential. She has worked for Homes for the Homeless in New York City, financial consultation firms, and the Jewish Vocation Service (JVS). She is currently an Independent Consultant for Workforce Development as part of an Economic Stability and Mobility Initiative. Her experiences as a nonprofit leader, elected board official, parent, and district volunteer have given her a nuanced understanding of how public, nonprofit, and personal spheres intersect. 

Harold Abraham, Ed.D., 2nd term

Dr. Harold Abraham serves as a Chief School Administrator and Adjunct Professor at the graduate level, bringing extensive experience in special education from a variety of perspectives. He was honored with the 2018 Outstanding Achievement in Administration & Supervision Award for his groundbreaking programs in Pk-12 school settings. Harold holds a Doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction, a Master’s in Special Education, a second Master’s in Educational Leadership, a Bachelor of Science, and a Certificate in Educational Finance.In addition to his professional accomplishments, Harold is a member of the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education (NJCIE). As someone who identifies as a person with a disability, his lived experiences uniquely shape his advocacy and leadership. Harold has also been recognized for pioneering programs that benefit all students, including therapy dog initiatives, financial literacy partnerships, and social and emotional learning strategies. His dedication to inclusivity and innovation continues to enrich the educational community.  

Pam Brillante, Ed.D., 2nd term

Pam Brillante works in higher education at William Paterson University in the Department of Professional Counseling and Disability Studies.  As a previous County Supervisor for the New Jersey Department of Education as well as the Early Childhood Special Education Specialist, Pam has focused her educational career on working with, but not limited to, assistive technology, the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Wilson Reading Intervention, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Her advocacy, grant writing, and service to the special education community extends far beyond her work with the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NJAECTE), Council for Exceptional Children, and her development of the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale 3. Pam identifies her focus around the investment and collaboration of expanding high-quality early childhood programs and inclusive practices.

John Worthington, Esq., 2nd term

John Worthington attended the Rutgers University School of Law and is currently employed by LEGAL ONE as an Education Law Specialist, the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association/The Foundation for Educational Administration (NJPSA/FEA). John was also the previous Director of the Office of Special Education Policy and Procedure and Acting Director for the Office of Special Education. Prior to his leadership role at the New Jersey Department of Education, he was the Manager for the Bureau of Policy and Planning, Coordinator of Policy and Development, Director of State Board Appeals, Hearing Examiner, and Coordinator of Dispute Resolution. John is a current member of the New Jersey, Pennsylvania and United States Supreme Court, Third Court of Appeals, and United States District Court, District of New Jersey Bars.  John also identifies as a parent of a student with a disability.

Dorothy McMullin, Ph.D., 2nd term

Dorothy McMullin is employed and tenured with Elizabeth Public Schools. She currently holds the rank as the Director of Special Projects. Some of her responsibilities include oversight of nursing, coordinating early intervention services, K-3 literacy interventions, and local policies around intervention and referral services (I&RS). She is currently driving her district’s alignment for I&RS to the New Jersey Tiered Systems of Support (NJTSS) model, which includes conducting trainings and building capacity across all grade levels. She has had experience collaborating with the NJDOE on several projects including the Facilitated IEP Program Pilot and the IDEA Data Center partnership for reducing disproportionality. She reflects on her experience as an adjunct professor at both New Jersey City University and William Paterson University for Learning Disability Teacher Consultant (LDT-C) Preparation courses. Dorothy is also a parent of a student with comorbid disabilities and another with a speech-only Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Elizabeth Alves, 2nd term

Elizabeth Alves currently holds the position as the Treasurer and Scholarship Chair for the Learning Disability Association of New Jersey (LDANJ). She also works full-time as the Engagement Specialist for out-of-district program, Benway School. She provides coaching and professional development with a focus on person-centered approaches and transition programming. She also had experience as a Developmental Interventionist. This position allowed her to provide counseling and training for parents with a focus on educational programming, rights, and opportunities for community support. Elizabeth obtained her Masters in Special Education with endorsed Supervisor and Early Childhood Certificates. Elizabeth also identifies as a parent of a student with a disability. 

Margaret McDonald, Ed.D., 2nd term

Margaret, or Peggy, McDonald, is the former Assistant Commissioner and Director of the Office of Special Education Programs at the New Jersey Department of Education. She currently represents the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association/Foundation for Educational Administration (NJPSE/FEA) as the Coordinator of Special Projects. She has a foundation as a teacher and leader in the field with vast knowledge of federal and state policy and procedure. Prior to her work at the state level, Peggy was a Consultant for students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, School Audiologist/Speech Correctionist, and Teacher of the Deaf. She was an Adjunct Professor for the Kean College of New Jersey and Union County College for Deaf Education. Her educational certifications span across general education, special education, administrative, and consultative (LDT-C) levels. 

Scott Longazel, 2nd term

Scott Longazel is a previous graduate of Lafayette College, Harvard, Centenary University, Villanova, and New York University for Architecture, Management, Business Administration, Project Management, and Engineering. Scott’s representation for NJ-SSEAC highlights the community of parents with children who have a disability. His son, Logan, was diagnosed pre-delivery with Down Syndrome and was expected to have various complications, but is presently flourishing in Kindergarten.  Professionally, Scott is an Associate Director for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, where he leads the project management office.  His work experiences and education in engineering, construction, real estate, and business have exposed him to many different opportunities to improve our society. His highlights include the use of empirical data to drive decisions through logical frameworks. A few professional accomplishments include the successful planning and execution of the U.S. Government's American Recovery Reinvestment Act funds, the planning, design, construction, and commissioning/validation of a COVID Testing Laboratory for the City of New York, and the delivery of over $2 billion in design and construction. Scott has consulted for City, State, and Federal Agencies and understands the dynamics and political scape, while also expanding his role in consultation and management of projects for life science companies, schools and higher education. 

Cynthia DeFina, Ph.D., 2nd term 

Cynthia DeFina has a twenty-year tenure in the New Jersey Association of School Psychologists (NJASP). She was appointed as the youngest president of NJASP to date. She earned a Ph.D. in Psychology and wrote her dissertation examining special education service for a district’s preschool program over the course of several years. In 2021, she was the keynote for New Jersey City University’s (NJCU) Pedagogy Day, discussing topics related to the special education population during the Pandemic. Additionally, she presented to NJCU’s Educational Leadership cohorts on Equity and Social Justice: Supporting Schools. Her voice for NJ-SSEAC is driven by her passion for guidance and research on retention rates, student engagement, the pandemic’s impact on young children and creating goals and strategies to address equity and social justice in special education. Cynthia currently acts as Supervisor of Special Education for Secondary Education in Sayreville, NJ and coordinates Extended School Year “Camp XL” for over 400 students in Sayreville School District. Cynthia is also an Adjunct Professor for Seton Hall University and New Jersey City University. Her professional affiliations include the Council for Advancement and Support in Education (CASE), Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Innovations in Special Education Technology, New Jersey Principal and Supervisor Association (NJPSA), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and New Jersey Association for School Psychologists (NJASP). 

Jennifer Vecchiarelli, 2nd term

Jennifer Vecchiarelli is the current Assistant Superintendent of Special Services in Bayonne School District. With a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, Jennifer is currently pursuing her doctoral degree. Jennifer’s professional experience includes being a special education teacher at the secondary level and a building principal. Her varied roles led to progressive planning for graduation rate improvement planning during the transition into her administrative tenure. Jennifer also serves as a mentor for new administrators through the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA). Her “no limit” mantra for special education focused her work on discipline intervention, transition planning, alternative program development, and technology professional development for educational systems and differentiation. 

Sonya Bertini, 1st term

Sonya Bertini is a current adjunct professor at Rowan University in Southern New Jersey. She also sits as an executive board member on the NJ Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (NJTESOL)/NJ Bilingual Educators (NJBE) Association. Sonya’s professional background includes over forty years of experience teaching bilingual students with a focus on supporting students who identify as “twice exceptional” (i.e., multilingual learners who identify with a disability). She was both a general education teacher and a self-contained special education teacher. She joined the executive board of the NJTESOL/NJBE Association in 2010, where she participated on a Special Education Interest Group. In 2012, she went on to become a certified and acting Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDTC) on Vineland Public School’s child study team. During this time her work focused on evaluating students who identified as being multilingual with a suspected disability. Additional professional activities included being appointed to the NJDOE Bilingual Advisory Committee in 2003 and 2019, serving on the Spanish Review committee for NJASK in 2004 and 2008, and, in 2016, sitting on the WIDA ACCESS 2.0 Standard Setting Panel to advise on the proficiency level cut scores for all domains.  In 2019, she received the New Jersey Department of Education’s Exemplary Educator Award and, in 2024, received a commendation from the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater in Virginia for her work in developing lesson plans for Defiant Requiem Foundation and the Leo Baeck Institute.

Diane Perez, 1st term

Diane Perez is a parent of a 16-year-old with Autism. She is currently a nursing manager in Atlantic Health Care out of Morris County. She initially began her advisory experience following her exploration and development of a Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG) in Jefferson Town, with the support of SPAN Parent Advocacy Network. During her five years as chair of the SEPAG, she worked collaboratively with the Director of Special Education to improve parent and family engagement for students with disabilities which later was the catalyst that appointed her to the Jefferson Town Board of Education. She is currently in her 2nd term on the board. She was recommended to also sit on the Educational Services Commission for Morris County which she is now entering her 3rd term. Her experience as a parent of a child with disabilities has evolved over time. Her recent focus has been on reinforcing transition services to begin in middle school and was successful in her advocacy in Jefferson to create a middle school transition coordinator position to strengthen partnership with DVRS at an earlier age.

Amanda Villamar, 1st term

Amanda is a parent of two students with disabilities. Her life experiences include being an individual with a disability and growing up with a sibling who was diagnosed with Autism. Amanda herself was diagnosed with dyslexia. Professionally, her career started in early intervention and social work. When she became a parent, her priorities shifted. Before becoming an independently contracted special education advocate serving families that have children with disabilities, she worked at SPAN as a program coordinator and trainer. Amanda communicates a passion for “helping families and professionals build a bridge rooted in collaboration and creative problem-solving”. She recently sat on the Emotional and Behavior Program Quality Indicators (EBPQI) panel facilitated by the Office of Special Education. Her priorities were identified in the area of Least Restrictive Environment and Transition Services.

Gladasia Trotman, 1st term

Gladasia Trotman is a seasoned education professional with over two decades of experience at North Star Academy Charter School of Newark, where she currently serves as Senior Manager of Special Education. Beginning as a Middle School Special Education Teacher in 2006, Gladasia's journey evolved through roles including Director of Special Education Compliance/Learning Disabilities Teacher-Consultant and Special Education Instructional Leader/Coordinator. Her expertise encompasses developing and supervising Child Study Teams, managing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and ensuring compliance with federal and state mandates. Gladasia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary and Special Education and African American Studies from Syracuse University, a Master of Arts in Education Leadership, Management, and Policy from Seton Hall University, and a Post Master’s Certification as a Learning Disability Teacher-Consultant from Montclair State University. She possesses certifications in Standard New Jersey Elementary Education (K-5), Standard New Jersey Special Education (K-12), Standard New Jersey Supervisor, and Certificate of Eligibility Principal, reflecting her commitment to enhancing educational opportunities for students with disabilities through structured support and rigorous academic standards.