Our Team

RinaMarie Leon Guerrero, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Inclusion Specialist, IPP Demo Site Project Lead rinalg@uw.edu

RinaMarie is the Demonstration Sites Project Lead at the UW Haring Center. She has a Masters and Ph.D. in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Washington and is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She has 30 years of experience in the field of education and has provided direct services to students, partnered with families, and supported professional development. RinaMarie has been a kindergarten teacher, supervisor of teacher residents, and graduate course instructor. She has also worked on grants to provide training to migrant head start programs in Washington State and the Professional Development in Autism (PDA) Center for inclusive education in schools across the country. Most recently she has been in private practice facilitating social skills groups and as a behavior therapist working with children ages preschool to adolescence and their families.

Molly Lyman, MAL, Project Coordinator mlyman2@uw.edu

Molly Lyman has a master’s degree in nonprofit leadership and a background in working in higher ed administrative work. Her professional experience includes communications and process improvement. Being the parent of a child with special needs, she has also developed a strong passion for inclusive education and has become a fierce advocate for inclusive practices in her community. 

Christina Nowak, Ph.C., Inclusion Specialist cnowak@uw.edu

Christina is an Inclusion Specialist at the UW Haring Center supporting the Demonstration Sites Project. Inspired by her brother Michael, who has Down syndrome, Christina earned a Masters degree and teaching credential in special education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Christina served as an Education/Inclusion Specialist in Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Los Angeles supporting schools in developing their inclusive practices. While in Los Angeles Christina was a founding member of WISH Academy, a fully inclusive high school modeled after the CHIME Institute. Christina has a passion for the development and implementation of inclusive practices specific to individuals with extensive support needs as well as a focus on the development and maintenance of inclusionary practices at the district level. 

Lissa Dickenson, Inclusion Specialist

Lissa in an Inclusion Specialist at the Haring Center for Inclusive Education. She received her Master of Science in Special Education from the University of Oregon and her National Board Certification from the State of Washington.

Lissa’s work focuses on supporting elementary schools’ implementation of best practices to develop inclusive learning communities. She partners with individual teachers and school teams as they build capacity to educate all learners effectively, with the strong belief that inclusive practices benefit every student, family member and staff member.

Prior to joining the team, Lissa was a K-5 special education teacher, Technical Assistance Team facilitator, IEP compliance coach, new teacher mentor, and professional support and development provider for newly adopted district academic and social-emotional learning curricula.  Her oldest son is a proud graduate of the EEU preschool. 

Rebecca Ray, Ph.C., Inclusion Specialist, rray2@uw.edu

Rebecca (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the special education department at UW while concurrently pursuing a Disability Studies certificate. Her research interests include teacher collaboration in the pursuit of transformative and inclusive literacy practices, particularly for youth at the intersection of multilingualism and disability. In recent years, she has worked as a preservice teacher coach, research assistant, and instructor in teacher preparation.

Rebecca’s passion for collaboration and inclusive education has largely been informed by her decade plus as a language and special education teacher, including teaching English abroad, and working in dual language elementary education. Her professional training includes TESOL certification, a Master’s in Education Equity and Cultural and Linguistic Diversity from the University of Colorado’s Bueno Center, as well as special education certification. Rebecca is thrilled to be a part of the IPP Demo Sites project.

Shane Miramontez, PhD, BCBA, Inclusion Specialist skh20@uw.edu

Shane Miramontez (she/her) is an inclusion specialist with over 20 years’ experience in the field. She is a Board-Certified Behavior analyst (BCBA) and received both her masters and doctorate in special education from the University of Washington. In addition to holding a Washington state teaching certification, Shane also holds a Program Administration credential.
Shane began as a paraeducator in an elementary school classroom in San Diego. Since then, she has been a classroom teacher, clinician, business owner, parent trainer, district autism consultant, university instructor, practicum supervisor, and researcher. She is committed to inclusive practices with a particular interest in social-emotional learning and physical activity. Shane also serves on the board of Stephen’s House, a non-profit organization that provides community engagement opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Kitsap County. In her free time, Shane enjoys traveling, reading, being on the water, and spending time with family and friends.

Stacia Tellefson, M.Ed., Inclusion Specialist staciat@uw.edu

Stacia Tellefson (she/her) is an Inclusion Specialist at the Haring Center for Inclusive Education, bringing over 17 years of experience in classroom teaching and instructional leadership. She holds a Master of Science in Teaching from Seattle University and her National Board Certification from the State of Washington. 

Stacia’s journey in inclusive education began in the classroom, where she honed her skills in creating supportive learning environments and meeting diverse student needs. Her dedication to inclusive practices expanded as she gained expertise in Response to Intervention (RtI), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). These experiences led her to a role as an instructional coach, where she shared her knowledge and mentored colleagues in implementing effective, inclusive teaching strategies. 

A lifelong Pacific North Westerner, Stacia combines her extensive classroom experience with a unique understanding of the local educational landscape and the deep-rooted values of public education. Her background as a co-teacher and her commitment to collaboration have equipped her to support educators in building classrooms where all students are welcomed, valued, and empowered to succeed.