Our Team Members

Teresa Knapp is a School Psychologist and Program Specialist currently overseeing the preschool program for the Rincon Valley Partnership. Teresa has worked with the preschool population for 20 years, participating in multidisciplinary assessments, collaborating with the Regional Center to facilitate the transfer from Part C to Part B services, and consulting with classroom teams to support the overall development of each student. Teresa was also involved in the creation and implementation of the district’s two inclusion preschools, which first opened in the 2021/2022 school year.

Daymi Trowbridge works as a Program Specialist for the Butte County SELPA (since 2022). Daymi supports special education programs in 14 school districts, serving students from ages 3 to 22.  Programs include students with both mild to moderate and extensive support needs, early childhood special education, adult transition and one SELPA-run school, which is a program for students with significant social and emotional challenges. She started her career in education in 2006 as a School Psychologist and then in 2020 moved to special education administration as a Coordinator of special education programs overseeing the Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) program, school psychologists, and therapeutic classrooms within the Chico Unified School District. Areas of focus include building resiliency, trauma-informed practices, social emotional learning (SEL), suicide prevention/intervention, functional behavior assessment and intervention, and alternative dispute resolution. She also has advanced certification as a Nurtured Heart Approach Trainer since 2007 and certification in Crisis Prevention since 2022.

Daniel Mendoza is the Program Administrator for the Placer County Office of Education Early Childhood Education Department as well as an Adjunct Professor in the Human Development/ECE department at Sierra College in Rocklin, CA. Daniel supports the State Preschool Programs (CSPPs), Family Childcare Homes, Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Prior to becoming the Program Administrator, Daniel was a CSPP and Head Start teacher and site supervisor for over a decade, and has served as an Early Childhood Education Specialist providing professional development, coaching, technical assistance and implementation support across multiple CSPP and Head Start sites and programs. Daniel presents various workshops for professional development on a variety of early learning domains, including math, art, and inclusion. He is an advisory board member for CA First 5 Literacy (Placer County), Placer Arts League, Sierra College Early Childhood Education committee, and helps to facilitate the PCOE Father Literacy Group. Daniel has extensive experience identifying and implementing successful practices for early inclusion including models for collaboration across educational systems. Daniel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Pacific Oaks College with an emphasis in Trauma and Inclusion and a Masters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction in Early Childhood Education from Arizona State University.

Ilah Feeney is the lead special education administrator for the Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) infant and preschool programs. She maintains expert knowledge and experience in guiding teams involved in Part C to B evaluations, transitions, and initial preschool assessments in collaboration with district and community-based early childhood education partners. Ilah plays a key role in establishing initial services for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children with speech/language delays, developmental disabilities, and who are deaf or hard of hearing. Through her work as an early learning special education administrator, Ilah has built strong connections with community agencies such as Regional Center, Head Start, Healthy Families Solano, and numerous others that serve to wrap families in resources. These connections ensure families have access to education and services needed to support their child as they navigate the journey of parenting an exceptional needs learner. Ilah actively collaborates with SCOE’s Early Learning Department as a member of the Solano County-wide Center for Social Emotional Foundations of Early Learning (CSEFEL) Leadership Team; this work engages early learning teachers in professional development designed to support social-emotional development in young children. Lastly, Ilah is a member of the Inclusive Early Education Expansion Program in partnership with local districts and community partners to support increased inclusion opportunities; this involves collaboration to host interns and student teachers in SCOE early childhood special education programs in partnership with California State University, Sacramento. Ilah is whole-heartedly committed to early childhood special education.

Michelle Kjellesvig has been with the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) since 2001 as a credentialed teacher of students with varying developmental abilities, and currently, as an Assistant Director of Early Start Learning.  She has worked in the classroom with staff and students as well as served as a mentor for new teachers. Michelle recently moved from the classroom to her administrative position in the Early Start program.  In this position, she has collaborated with San Andreas Regional Center (SARC), Parents Helping Parents, medical providers as well as multiple districts in the county to ensure that the students and their families are given the detailed steps necessary for movement into services for Part B of IDEA.  Michelle has provided and supported Transition Training for educational staff, community providers and parents.  She has also been a part of the infant mental health collaboration with the regional center for over 2 years, and most recently, she was accepted into the Trainer of Trainers- Trauma Responsive Institute for Authorization for Early Childhood Providers.

Kristy Mabee has more than 25 years of experience working in Early Childhood Education. She is an SLP at the Stanislaus County Office of Education and has worked as a Program Specialist for preschool students with special needs, where she was responsible for C to B transitions for the Early Start program for several years. She has since transitioned into the role of Principal for Birth-5 programs. Kristy is responsible for the Early Start program and is very involved with the local regional center and has created student information systems to work collaboratively with the SELPA, CDE and Regional Center. Kristy has been integral in facilitating 80 C to B transitions. She works closely with Head Start and Early Head start programs in her county. In partnership with the regional center, Kristy also coordinates the intake/assessment process within her county. She is also the past President of the Stanislaus County Infant Committee and the Chair of the Region 9 Infant Services Committee.

Freda Kaprielian has been in the Early Childhood field for over 30 years, working with infants, families, and preschool children. She currently serves as the director of the KC KIDS Early Start Program in Fresno County and oversees Part C to Part B transitions and assessments to several school districts in the county. She started an intensive behavioral program specifically for young children with autism. Freda is an endorsed Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health (IFECMH) and Reflective Practice Mentor. She currently serves as President-elect of the California Association of Infant Mental Health. Freda trains locally and across the state on Early Childhood Special Education relationship-based practices, reflective practice, staff support and evaluation in Early Childhood, programs, and Caregiver support to enhance dyad interactions. She is a Circle of Security Parent Trainer.

Nathan Moreno has worked in the field of special education for the past 12 years, both as a special education teacher and administrator.  Currently, Mr. Moreno serves as the  Director of Special Education for the Guadalupe Union School District in Santa Barbara County.  Prior to that, Mr. Moreno served as the Director of Special Education for Soledad Unified School District.  His work in early education includes developing special education preschool programs and expanding the level of services and support being provided to preschool aged students.  His overall drive is towards more inclusive special education programs for all students, knowing that starting in preschool yields the best results.  On a professional level, Mr. Moreno has guest lectured at Mills College in their Doctoral Program, as well as presented at the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO), and the Bureau of Education & Research (BER).  Mr. Moreno is excited to be a part of CalECSE network and their goal in supporting LEAs, County Offices and SELPAs in the ongoing work of supporting preschool aged students with exceptional needs.  

Susana Avila-Salgado has been with the Imperial County Office of Education (ICOE) for over 15 years. She has a Master’s in Education and holds an Early Childhood Special Education Credential. During her time at ICOE, she has served as an early childhood special education teacher working with students ages 0-3 with moderate to severe needs and their families, for approximately 10 years, and is currently employed by SELPA as a Program Specialist. Susana has specialized in Early Intervention programs, embedded instruction, and services for infant/toddlers and preschool-aged students. She has had an ongoing partnership with our local Regional Center (San Diego Regional Center- SDRC) for over 12 years. Susan’s previous position required collaborating and meeting with Early Start service coordinators to provide Early Start services, while her current role is to assist the 17 member districts who are part of SELPA during Part C to Part B transition meetings. Susana is familiar with Early Start policies, local education agencies, teachers, and staff, as well as other partnering agencies and preschools within the county. She is fluent in English and Spanish and is able to provide staff development trainings for staff/agencies serving Early Start as well as providing workshops and trainings for the families in either language as requested by attendees.

Jordan Hulstrom has worked within the Early Childhood sector for many years. Currently he serves as the chair person for the Region 10 Early Childhood Committee where he partners with multiple local agencies to provide professional learning and development for Early Childhood educators across Region 10. Jordan also organizes quarterly Preschool Consortium meetings for Riverside County where Early Childhood educators provide up to date information regarding preschool aged students, best practices as it relates to part C to B transition meetings, collaboration with local regional center agencies, and the county office. Prior to working at the SELPA, Jordan supported Preschool programs as a Program Specialist, serving as the Administrator for Preschool Assessment teams, while supporting and developing preschool programs across the district and providing professional development.

Dr. Katherine Mahoney has worked in the field of Special Education, Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education for more than 20 years. Additionally, she has been an in-home provider for birth to 3 services, an administrator for Part C to Part B transition teams for thousands of students, a TK-12 Education Specialist and a Special Education Director. Katherine’s experience working in programs provided by the regional center, private agencies and local education agencies who partnered with Head Start, State Preschool, First 5, John Tracy Center, and others, has provided her a valuable range of opportunities. Working with families in their homes, in center-based programs, and a variety of natural settings, including school sites, has helped enhance her ability to understand families’ and staff’s needs. She has participated in many professional developmental opportunities, such as PITC, Preschool Learning Foundations trainings and Supporting Inclusive Practices trainings, to enhance her ability to support young students with disabilities and their families. Katherine’s doctoral work focused on the pivotal impact of administrators in creating cultures of inclusion. This was significantly influenced by her experience and belief that inclusive environments can and should be created and sustained, starting for the earliest ages.

Paula Miller has served as the Early Start Transition Coordinator at Whittier Area Cooperative SELPA (WACSEP) for 5 years, coordinating all Part C to Part B transitions for all six member elementary districts, and with four Regional Centers. She holds a Clear Level II Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential, as well as a M.A. in Early Childhood Special Education. Paula also holds an Inclusion Support certificate and CLAD certificate. She has taught Masters level courses at CSULA in the Early Childhood Special Education teacher training division. Additionally, she was a teacher in Early Childhood Special Education for 16 years. Throughout her career, she has often worked with the most impacted children, with a range of disabilities including but not limited to VI, DHH, ASD, ID, and OI, through LACOE, the local school district, and at the SELPA level. As a result of Paula’s experiences, she has come to believe that well trained staff and informed families make a huge impact in the outcomes for children with disabilities.