Speaker Biographies

Amy Dwyre D’Agati

University of Maryland, College Park

College of Education, Center for Transition and Career Innovation

Director, TerpsEXCEED

Amy Dwyre D’Agati, Senior Faculty Specialist in the College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park, is a staff member at the Center for Transition and Career Innovation. She has her MS in Rehabilitation Counseling/Supported Employment and Transition from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and her BS in Communications Studies and German from Northwestern University. Amy has been working in the field of Transition and Career Development for people with disabilities for nearly 30 years, providing direct employment services to students and their families, partnering with businesses, training transition personnel, and researching and implementing best practice strategies in the field. She established and currently directs UMD’s TerpsEXCEED program, an inclusive postsecondary college experience for students with intellectual disability (ID) who could not access college through traditional channels. In addition, she is the principal investigator for Transition Programs for Students with ID in Higher Education (TPSID), a national project funded by a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education. She is also a consultant and subject matter expert for ThinkCollege at UMASS-Boston and provided technical assistance on the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C)—a coalition of many universities across the country providing resources and technical assistance to various U.S. states and territories—and has provided technical assistance on numerous national model demonstration projects and various states. Amy has also worked on a variety of Disability Innovation Fund grants, including work on the Connecticut Pathways to Competitive Integrated Employment with the Connecticut state Bureau of Rehabilitation Services. Amy also has experience growing up with a sibling with an ID and coordinates her brother’s meaningful residential and community services.

Nicole Rabinowitz Edwards

Inclusive Networking

Chief Executive Officer

Nicole Rabinowitz Edwards is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Inclusive Networking, an organization that provides customized employment services to job seekers with disabilities and supports employers in advancing disability inclusion within their businesses.

Nicole is a graduate of the University of Kansas and began her career as a special education teacher, teaching in Kansas, Costa Rica, and Chicago. She received training in customized employment through Marc Gold & Associates (MG&A) and is currently an MG&A Associate, where she trains and certifies professionals pursuing Discovery certification.

Nicole is deeply committed to supporting job seekers in achieving meaningful, competitive, integrated employment. She provides innovative training and technical assistance to employers, providers, and partners, including small, mid-sized, and large corporate employers, to build more diverse, accessible, and inclusive workplaces.

Sherry Holloway

Bemidji State University

School of Nursing, Health, and Sport Sciences

Assistant Professor

Sherry Holloway is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing, Health, and Sport Sciences at Bemidji State University, where she also serves as the Program Coordinator for the Minnesota Developmental Adapted Physical Education (DAPE) Licensure program. She earned her PhD in secondary education with a focus on adapted physical education and sport from the University of Alberta in 2024.

Dr. Holloway brings over 33 years of experience in K–12 and higher education, including serving as a lead developmental adapted physical education teacher in the Bemidji Area Schools. Her work centers on inclusive physical education, teacher preparation, and the improvement of educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities. She has extensive experience in curriculum development, assessment, and the implementation of state and national standards in physical education.

A recognized leader in the field, Dr. Holloway actively contributes to professional organizations, presents at regional and state conferences, and engages in community-based initiatives such as Special Olympics and unified programming. Her research and professional efforts focus on advancing inclusive practices, preparing educators to meet the diverse needs of learners, and promoting lifelong health and wellness through physical activity.

Allison Jenson

Director of Accessibility Resources

Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College

Allison Jenson is the director of accessibility resources for Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College. She has been working in disability support for 20 years, starting with 16 years in special education. As a special education teacher and instructional coach, she specialized in intellectual disability and autism, focusing on students with co-existing behavioral needs. She holds a master’s degree from Hamline University and is a doctoral student at Minnesota State University-Moorhead. Outside of work, Allison is the parent of two kids and enjoys gardening, traveling, and reading.

Stephanie Nordstog

Program Coordinator

GainED

Stephanie Nordstog, EdD, JD, is the Program Coordinator for GainED (Growth and Achievement through Inclusive Education), an inclusive postsecondary education program at Normandale Community College. GainED is designed to expand access to meaningful academic, professional, social, and independent living college experiences for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She earned her EdD in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas, holds a JD from William Mitchell College of Law, an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and a BA in Speech Communication and Spanish from the University of St. Thomas.

Stephanie has more than 20 years of experience as a teacher and educational leader spanning higher education, K-12 education, advocacy, and systems improvement. Her work has focused on designing inclusive learning environments, strengthening systems of support, advancing equitable access through Universal Design for Learning, improving systems for marginalized clientele, and leading cross-functional initiatives that improve educational outcomes for students with diverse learning needs. Prior to joining Normandale, she served in district and school leadership roles, including Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) Coordinator, Interim Executive Director of Core Academics, principal, and assistant principal, where she led large-scale program development, professional learning, and compliance efforts. In addition to her administrative work, Stephanie serves as an adjunct faculty member, preparing future educators and educational leaders while supporting accessible and inclusive instructional practices. Her research examines the use of virtual reality to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion skills in professional education, with a particular interest in how immersive learning influences readiness to respond to bias in authentic settings.

Stephanie's work is grounded in the belief that meaningful inclusion requires thoughtful system design, collaborative leadership, and intentional support that enables every student to learn, belong, and contribute within their school and community.

Tim O'Neill

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development

Regional Analyst

Tim O'Neill is the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development's regional analyst for the seven-county Twin Cities region of Minnesota. He has a bachelor's degree in history and political science from St. Olaf College in Northfield and a master's degree in public policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Aaron Pierson

Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College

Access Specialist

Aaron Pierson is the Access Specialist at Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College and the Equity Advocate for the Minnesota Association on Higher Education and Disability (MN AHEAD). Aaron designed a culturally relevant accessibility/disability service model as Accessibility Specialist at Minneapolis College from 2016-26 and implemented an academic coaching program for neurodivergent learners staffed by interns from MinnState human services and social work programs.

Aaron presents regularly on accessibility issues to faculty, staff, and students, including the recent MN AHEAD Summer Seminar and an upcoming training for families of students with disabilities in conjunction with the PACER Center. Aaron holds the ADA Coordinator Certification from the Great Plains ADA Center and the University of Missouri.

Prior to 2016, Aaron spent 16 years traveling in Minnesota and the upper Midwest, presenting and training for the Science Museum of Minnesota with a specialization in creating educational experiences for diverse learners. Aaron lives on the East Side of Saint Paul in a small house with more dogs than people.