Spring Conference 2025

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

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)

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.

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

|

EIDT

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

|

ADDT, EIDT

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

|

EIDT

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

|

ADDT, EIDT, GENERAL

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

Yukiko Taylor

Executive Director

DDPA

Karan Baker Burnette

Executive Director

Partners of Inclusive Communities

Miranda Cavaness

BCBA

Partners of Inclusive Communities

Jon Taylor

Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities Arkansas

Tom Masseau

Arkansas Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities

Jennifer Cobb

Executive Director

Achieve Community Alliance, Inc.

Sabrina Woodson

Executive Director

Focus, Inc.

Lindsey Huddleston

Executive Director

Jodie Partridge Center(JPC)

Deanna Doherty

Executive Director

Advantages of Southeast Arkansas, Inc.

Ja Chambless

Executive Director

Pattillo Center-School, Inc.

Leah Henderson

Executive Director

Civitan Services

Brittany Davis

Director of Provider Relationships

Summit Community Care

Lauren Grounds

Senior Director of Medical Management Operations

Arkansas Total Care

Christie Green

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

Empower Healthcare

Courtney Slack

Senior Director of Utilization Management

Empower Healthcare

Stacie Williams

Director of Care Coordination

Care Source

Geania Dickey

Consultant, Principal

A-State Univ. | dot2dot Consulting

Danny Farmer

Vice President & Risk Advisor

Gallagher Insurance

Caleb Stewart

Risk Control Analyst

RMR

Sara Sherman

CEO

Sara Sherman International LLC

Sarah Palmer

LPC

Pinnacle Pointe

Danita Pitts

Administrator of Early Childhood Special Education

Arkansas Department of Education

Lori Bridges

CLASS Pilot

Arkansas Department of Education

Tonya Cater

Public Affairs Specialist

Social Security Office

Eyona Lewis

Training Project Manager

Arkansas Department of Education

Ineshia Salter

OCE

Arkansas Department of Education

Danielle Henderson

Applications Program Coordinator

Arkansas Department of Education

Harry Ehrenberg

Founder

Special Needs Estate Task Force

Shelley Moore

Director of Curriculum & Programming

Easterseals

Madi Cougille

Behavioral Analyst

Sunshine School & Development Center

Dana Wills

Lobbyist

WSG

Robbie Wills

WSG

Kelley Linck

Lobbyist,Strategist

WSG

Bill Stoval

Consultant

WSG

Rick Green

Consultant

WSG

Katie Raines

Executive Director

Bost, Inc.

Joey Astin

Executive Director

St. Francis Area Developmental Center

Martina Smith

Director

DPSQA

Lynn Davenport

Program Manager

DHS

Jennifer Brezée

Director

DDS

Jason Miller

CEO

Summit Community Care