Northwest Regional Comprehensive Center
NWRCC Events
Response to Intervention: Evaluating RTI Initiatives
Speaker Biographies
Michelle Duda
Dr. Duda began her career with a psychology background (B.A., University of Western Ontario, 1999) and focused her work in the field of applied behavior analysis (Behavioural Science Technology (BST) Diploma, St. Lawrence College 2000; M.A., Applied Behavior Analysis, University of South Florida, 2002). Since then, Dr. Duda earned a Ph.D. in special education (University of South Florida, 2005) with a specialization in early childhood education and positive behavior support (PBS).
In addition to her status as a senior-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Dr. Duda is an assistant research professor at the University of South Florida where she serves as a member of the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) and the Center for State Implementation and Scaling-up of Evidence-based Practices (SISEP). Dr. Duda is also a Co-Coordinator of the SAMHSA Science to Service Implementation Award Program.
Dr. Duda has over eight years of experience conducting applied research and supporting children and their families within natural environments (e.g., home, school, community) and measuring the implementation of these innovations. She also has extensive clinical experience and has developed/provided training to local service providers, pre-service teachers, advanced doctoral students, and families. Her research has been presented at the local, state, national, and international levels. Dr. Duda has authored a number of peer- reviewed articles and has created several family-focused informational brochures, data collection tools, training modules, and behavior supports.
Edward Shapiro
Edward S. Shapiro, Ph.D., currently is a professor of school psychology and director for the Center for Promoting Research to Practice in the College of Education at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is the 2006 winner of the Senior Scientist Award given by the Division of School Psychology of the American Psychological Association in recognition as a senior member of the field who has provided a sustained program of outstanding theoretical and research activity. He has also recently received the Eleanor and Joseph Lipsch Research Award which is given to a faculty member at Lehigh University in recognition of their research contributions. Last year, he was recognized by the Pennsylvania Psychological Association for distinguished contributions to the field of school psychology in the Commonwealth. He is the author or co- author of 10 books including his most recently published third edition of Academic Skills Problems: Direct Assessment and Intervention, and the Academic Skills Problems Workbook (revised edition), both by Guilford Press.
Dr. Shapiro is best known for his work in curriculum-based assessment and non-standardized methods of assessing academic skills problems. Among his many projects, Dr. Shapiro co-directs a federal project focused on the development of a multi-tiered, Response to Intervention model in two districts in Pennsylvania. Over the past five years, Dr. Shapiro has been working as a consultant with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to facilitate an effort to establish progress monitoring systems for students in special education and is currently collaborating with the Pennsylvania Department of Education in developing and facilitating the implementation of the Response to Intervention methodology for the state.
Dave Weaver
With more than 30 years of professional experience, Dave Weaver brings a wide range of skills to evaluation and technical assistance projects. He is accomplished at designing and implementing program evaluations and research projects that involve instrument development, data collection, qualitative and quantitative data analysis utilizing conventional tools and geographic information systems, and the presentation of findings to address clients' needs. He has extensive experience developing and conducting professional development sessions for educators, including forums, seminars, presentations, and support groups. His expertise also includes providing technical assistance to state and local education agencies on mathematics and science reform, program evaluation, and data management; and developing multi-user information management systems for a variety of custom applications including Web-based data collection and reporting.
As a senior research associate at RMC Research Corporation, Mr. Weaver is responsible for a wide variety of evaluations in the areas of science, mathematics, and technology education. Currently, Mr. Weaver serves as the evaluator for the Northwest Regional Comprehensive Center, which provides technical assistance to 5 state education agencies regarding implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act; the Oregon Mathematics Leadership Institute, an initiative to train a cadre of teacher leaders in mathematics; Washington State's Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) project; Across the Sciences, an online science teacher training series developed by Oregon Public Broadcasting and Biological Sciences Curriculum Study; Partners in Discovery, a graduate fellowship project funded by the National Science Foundation; and MASE K-5, a technology-focused local systemic change project in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also directs an experimental research study, funded by the National Science Foundation, on the effectiveness of the Observing for Evidence of Learning professional development model in secondary science instruction.
Mr. Weaver earned a B.S. in Mathematics and a M.S. in Mathematics Education from Portland State University in Oregon. Upon completion of the bachelor's degree, he served as a mathematics and computer science teacher for 8 years at Mt. View Intermediate School in Beaverton, Oregon. During this time Mr. Weaver also served as the department chairperson, taught numerous college credit courses for district staff, and served on curriculum development committees.