Spring Conference 2025

April 22

- April 24, 2025

Location

Delta Marriott Hotel

Address

201 S Shackleford Rd, Little Rock, AR 72211

Register Here

Hotel Reservation

Conference Agenda

Special Events

Pre-Conference Dinner

April 21st

|

6:00 pm

8:00 pm

|

Corky's Ribs - West Little Rock

Day 1 Schedule

Registration, Breakfast, Visitors

April 22nd

|

8:30 am

9:00 am

|

Lobby

Welcome

April 22nd

|

9:00 am

9:15 am

|

Main Ballroom

Yukiko

Taylor

Executive Director

DDPA

Keynote: Managing in Human Services: Thriving Through Relentless Disruption

April 22nd

|

9:15 am

10:15 am

|

Main Ballroom

Stacy DiStefano

Founder

Consulting for Human Services

Universal Protocol for Crisis Stabilization

April 22nd

|

10:30 am

11:15 am

|

Main Ballroom

Miranda Cavaness

BCBA

Partners of Inclusive Communities

Karan Baker Burnette

Executive Director

Partners of Inclusive Communities

Listening Session – Governor’s Council, DRA, Partners

April 22nd

|

11:15 am

12:00 pm

|

Main Ballroom

Tom Masseau

Arkansas Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities

Jon Taylor

Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities Arkansas

Karan Baker Burnette

Executive Director

Partners of Inclusive Communities

Sharing Excellence: Poster Session (EIDT)

April 22nd

|

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

|

Hamilton Room

Leah

Henderson

Executive Director

Civitan Services

Chambless

Executive Director

Pattillo Center-School, Inc.

Operational Excellence (ADMIN)

April 22nd

|

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

|

Arkansas Lakes - Ballroom A

Stacy DiStefano

Founder

Consulting for Human Services

Sharing Excellence: Poster Session (ADDT)

April 22nd

|

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

|

Arkansas Lakes - Ballroom B

Jennifer

Cobb

Executive Director

Achieve Community Alliance, Inc.

Deanna

Doherty

Executive Director

Advantages of Southeast Arkansas, Inc.

Sabrina

Woodson

Executive Director

Focus, Inc.

Lindsey

Huddleston

Executive Director

Jodie Partridge Center(JPC)

Presenting Sponsor Session

April 22nd

|

2:15 pm

2:45 pm

|

Main Ballroom

Jason Miller

CEO

Summit Community Care

PASSE Panel Discussion

April 22nd

|

2:45 pm

4:15 pm

|

Main Ballroom

Stacie Williams

Director of Care Coordination

Care Source

Courtney Slack

Senior Director of Utilization Management

Empower Healthcare

Christie Green

Senior Director of Care Coordination for the IDD and Complex Care Population

Empower Healthcare

Lauren Grounds

Senior Director of Medical Management Operations

Arkansas Total Care

Brittany Davis

Director of Provider Relationships

Summit Community Care

Day 2 Schedule

Calm Among the Chaos: Managing Change

April 23rd

|

9:00 am

10:00 am

|

Main Ballroom

Geania Dickey

Consultant, Principal

A-State Univ. | dot2dot Consulting

Reporting Tips for Workers Compensation Claims

April 23rd

|

10:00 am

10:45 am

|

Main Ballroom

Caleb Stewart

Risk Control Analyst

RMR

Danny Farmer

Vice President & Risk Advisor

Gallagher Insurance

5 Pesky Perspectives Zapping Your Employee Retention and Straightforward Steps for Change

April 23rd

|

11:00 am

12:00 pm

|

Main Ballroom

Sara Sherman

CEO

Sara Sherman International LLC

Workers Compensation Claims Questions (ADMIN)

April 23rd

|

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

|

Arkansas Lakes Ballroom A

Danny Farmer

Vice President & Risk Advisor

Gallagher Insurance

Essential Techniques: Coping Skills and Redirection (ADDT)

April 23rd

|

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

|

Arkansas Lakes Ballroom B

Sarah Palmer

LPC

Pinnacle Pointe

ABA/Behavioral Management (EIDT)

April 23rd

|

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

|

Hamilton Ballroom

Madi Cougille

Behavioral Analyst

Sunshine School & Development Center

SS/SSI Updates – Q&A (ADMIN)

April 23rd

|

2:15 pm

3:15 pm

|

Arkansas Lakes - Ballroom A

Tonya Cater

Public Affairs Specialist

Social Security Office

CACFP Lunch Program (ADDT)

April 23rd

|

2:15 pm

3:15 pm

|

Arkansas Lakes - Ballroom B

Danielle Henderson

Applications Program Coordinator

Arkansas Department of Education

Ineshia Salter

OCE

Arkansas Department of Education

Eyona Lewis

Training Project Manager

Arkansas Department of Education

Roundtable After Sharing Excellence (ADDT & EIDT)

April 23rd

|

2:15 pm

3:15 pm

|

Hamilton Ballroom

Leah

Henderson

Executive Director

Civitan Services

Chambless

Executive Director

Pattillo Center-School, Inc.

“CLASS” (EIDT) – Classroom Assessment Scoring System

April 23rd

|

3:30 pm

4:30 pm

|

Hamilton Ballroom

Lori Bridges

CLASS Pilot

Arkansas Department of Education

Danita Pitts

Administrator of Early Childhood Special Education

Arkansas Department of Education

How to Reinstate Medicaid Eligibility Status (ADMIN)

April 23rd

|

3:30 pm

4:30 pm

|

Arkansas Lakes - Ballroom A

Harry Ehrenberg

Founder

Special Needs Estate Task Force

Curriculum Ideas (ADDT)

April 23rd

|

3:30 pm

4:30 pm

|

Arkansas Lakes - Ballroom B

Shelley Moore

Director of Curriculum & Programming

Easterseals

Day 3 Schedule

DDPA Updates and Legislative Review

April 24th

|

8:30 am

9:15 am

|

Main Ballroom

Rick Green

Consultant

WSG

Bill Stoval

Consultant

WSG

Kelley Linck

Lobbyist,Strategist

WSG

Robbie Wills

WSG

Dana Wills

Lobbyist

WSG

Katie

Raines

Executive Director

Bost, Inc.

Joey

Astin

Executive Director

St. Francis Area Developmental Center

ADDT, EIDT, Waiver: Regulations Updates, Licensure, Q&A

April 24th

|

9:15 am

10:30 am

|

Main Ballroom

Lynn Davenport

Program Manager

DHS

Martina Smith

Director

DPSQA

DDS Director Updates Q&A

April 24th

|

10:45 am

12:00 pm

|

Main Ballroom

Jennifer Brezée

Director

DDS

Speakers

Stacy DiStefano

Founder

Consulting for Human Services

View Speaker

Yukiko Taylor

Executive Director

DDPA

View Speaker

Karan Baker Burnette

Executive Director

Partners of Inclusive Communities

View Speaker

Miranda Cavaness

BCBA

Partners of Inclusive Communities

View Speaker

Jon Taylor

Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities Arkansas

View Speaker

Tom Masseau

Arkansas Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities

View Speaker

Jennifer Cobb

Executive Director

Achieve Community Alliance, Inc.

View Speaker

Sabrina Woodson

Executive Director

Focus, Inc.

View Speaker

Lindsey Huddleston

Executive Director

Jodie Partridge Center(JPC)

View Speaker

Deanna Doherty

Executive Director

Advantages of Southeast Arkansas, Inc.

View Speaker

Ja Chambless

Executive Director

Pattillo Center-School, Inc.

View Speaker

Leah Henderson

Executive Director

Civitan Services

View Speaker

Brittany Davis

Director of Provider Relationships

Summit Community Care

View Speaker

Lauren Grounds

Senior Director of Medical Management Operations

Arkansas Total Care

View Speaker

Christie Green

Senior Director of Care Coordination for the IDD and Complex Care Population

Empower Healthcare

View Speaker

Courtney Slack

Senior Director of Utilization Management

Empower Healthcare

View Speaker

Stacie Williams

Director of Care Coordination

Care Source

View Speaker

Geania Dickey

Consultant, Principal

A-State Univ. | dot2dot Consulting

View Speaker

Danny Farmer

Vice President & Risk Advisor

Gallagher Insurance

View Speaker

Caleb Stewart

Risk Control Analyst

RMR

View Speaker

Sara Sherman

CEO

Sara Sherman International LLC

View Speaker

Sarah Palmer

LPC

Pinnacle Pointe

View Speaker

Danita Pitts

Administrator of Early Childhood Special Education

Arkansas Department of Education

View Speaker

Lori Bridges

CLASS Pilot

Arkansas Department of Education

View Speaker

Tonya Cater

Public Affairs Specialist

Social Security Office

View Speaker

Eyona Lewis

Training Project Manager

Arkansas Department of Education

View Speaker

Ineshia Salter

OCE

Arkansas Department of Education

View Speaker

Danielle Henderson

Applications Program Coordinator

Arkansas Department of Education

View Speaker

Harry Ehrenberg

Founder

Special Needs Estate Task Force

View Speaker

Shelley Moore

Director of Curriculum & Programming

Easterseals

View Speaker

Madi Cougille

Behavioral Analyst

Sunshine School & Development Center

View Speaker

Dana Wills

Lobbyist

WSG

View Speaker

Robbie Wills

WSG

View Speaker

Kelley Linck

Lobbyist,Strategist

WSG

View Speaker

Bill Stoval

Consultant

WSG

View Speaker

Rick Green

Consultant

WSG

View Speaker

Katie Raines

Executive Director

Bost, Inc.

View Speaker

Joey Astin

Executive Director

St. Francis Area Developmental Center

View Speaker

Martina Smith

Director

DPSQA

View Speaker

Lynn Davenport

Program Manager

DHS

View Speaker

Jennifer Brezée

Director

DDS

View Speaker

Jason Miller

CEO

Summit Community Care

View Speaker