State law (NJSA 18A:46-2), provides that the Commissioner of Education shall appoint and work with a council of no more than fifteen members. The members of the Council work in collaboration with the director of the Office of Special Education. In addition, there are several resource representatives from various state agencies. Appointments to the council are made in accordance with guidelines established in P.L. 94-142 and the reauthorized IDEA amendments. Members are appointed for a minimum of two-year terms that can be renewed for a maximum of three terms. Each appointment to the council must be confirmed by the State Board of Education.

Dr. Paul F. Barbato – Chair
Director of Special Services
Dumont Public Schools
25 Depew Street
Dumont, NJ 07628
201-387-3086
ebarbato@dumontnj.org

Debora Esposito – Vice-Chair
Project Co-director: START Engaging Parents of Students with Disabilities in Schools
Statewide Parent Advocacy Network
35 Halsey St 4th Floor
Newark, NJ 07102
973-642-8100
desposito@spanadvocacy.org

Mark Brugger
Associated Director of Marketing & Development
Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County
1040 Spruce Street
Lawrence, NJ 08648
609-695-6060
bruggermd@comcast.net

Vikas Jain
Director of Consulting
Cognizant Technology Solutions
500 Frank Burr Blvd.
Teaneck, NJ 07666
925-984-9023
vickyjain@msn.com

Dr. Viviana Litovsky
Director
Westbridge Academy
60 West Street
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
973-429-8110, ext. 147
vivlit@westbridgeacademy.org

Andrea Moore
Learning Disability Teacher-Consultant
Sharp and Forest Elementary Schools
Camden City School District
1033 Cambridge Street
Camden, NJ 08105
AndreaMoore@camden.k12.nj.us

Lonjete Nias
Supervisor of Special Services
Neptune City Board of Education
210 West Sylvania Avenue
Neptune City, NJ 07753
ltgar@aim.com

Kristy Ritvalsky
Parent Member
Inclusion Facilitator
Coalition for Inclusive Education (CIE)
60 Park Place, Suite 208
Newark, NJ 07102
732-613-0400
kristy@njcie.org

Dr. Christopher Shamburg
Parent Member
Professor and Coordinator of the Ed.D. in Educational Technology Leadership
New Jersey City University
2039 Kennedy Blvd.
Jersey City, NJ 07305
201-200-3078
cshamburg@njcu.edu

Lynda Shanahan
Parent member
Special Education Teacher
Pennsauken High School
800 Hylton Road
Pennsauken Township, NJ 08110
856-662-8500
lynda.shanahan@gmail.com

Susan Vandermark
Parent Member
Special Education Teacher
Riverbank Charter School of Excellence
1300 Hornberger Avenue
Roebling, NJ 08554
609-499-4321
vandermark@riverbank.charter.k12.nj.us

Kerri Walsifer
Parent Member
Director of Special Services
Tinton Falls School District
658 Tinton Falls Avenue
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
732-460-2411
kwalsifer@tfschools.org

Dr. Patricia White
Parent Member
Retired Assistant Professor of Medicine at New York Medical College
973-879-2373
patwhiteflatley@comcast.net

Resouce Representatives