Professional Growth Plan

• Successfully Completed Year One of the Ed.D Program

• Updated my Digital Portfolio 

• Built a connection with at least ONE international education consultant or organization (Sesame Workshop, Tent, IRC, UNRWA, Women’s Refugee Commission, International Refugee Assistance Project, International Disability Alliance, The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs) 

• Attended Dr.Bettina Love’s Event at Montclair State University

• Differentiated the SONDAY Curriculum and created Educational Games for my Special Ed - Bilingual Students

• Continued my Henna Club, was recognized by Malala Yousafzai on TikTok

• Received my ESL and Bilingual Certifications

• Created a Calming Room for Students at MS #7

• Created videos and ran MS #7’s TikTok to reach 1 million views and 12.8k followers

• Became an Adjunct Professor at NJCU

• Taught an Adult ESL Course to Newly-Arrived Mothers in Jersey City, NJ

• Taught Test-Prep to Students at HoLa School in Hoboken, NJ

• Submitted Proposals to 3 Conferences

• Began working at A.Harry Moore Laboratory School as a Teacher

The 2025–2026 academic year marked a significant transition in my development from doctoral student and classroom practitioner to scholar, international presenter, technology leader, higher education instructor, and disability advocate. I advanced my research, shared my work with broader professional communities, assumed new leadership responsibilities, designed accessible schoolwide initiatives, expanded my university teaching, and strengthened my commitment to creating more equitable educational systems.

Doctoral Scholarship and Research

Advanced from doctoral coursework into a clearly defined program of research centered on disability, migration, technology, and educational equity.

• Successfully completed Year 2 of the Doctor of Education in Educational Technology program.

• Passed the Summer Institute 2025 Comprehensive Examination, completing a major doctoral milestone.

• Developed, refined, and submitted Chapters 1–3 of my dissertation proposal.

• Strengthened the proposal’s theoretical framework, literature review, methodology, and research design through faculty feedback and revision.

Established a focused scholarly agenda examining educational access, assistive technology, and systems navigation for resettled refugees with disabilities in the United States.

International Scholarship and CIES Leadership

Established a growing presence in international education through research presentation, global networking, publication mentoring, and elected leadership.

• Was accepted in August 2025 to present doctoral research at the 2026 Comparative and International Education Society Annual Conference.

• Traveled to San Diego, California, in March 2026 to present Intersectional Perspectives on Education for Resettled Refugees with Disabilities in the United States.

• Participated in a full week of international scholarly exchange, attending sessions and engaging with researchers, educators, advocates, and international education professionals from around the world.

• Expanded my knowledge of research related to displaced learners, disability, migration, educational technology, inclusion, and global education policy.

• Connected with Fatima Abdelwahab, Senior Manager of Global Education, and attended her session, Welcome Sesame: Inclusion and Belonging for Displaced Learners.

• Was accepted into the CIES New Scholars Publications Mentoring Workshop to further develop my research for publication.

• Was elected Secretary of the CIES Technology and Education Special Interest Group, expanding my leadership and service within an international scholarly organization.

Accessible Technology and Schoolwide Innovation

Moved from implementing technology within individual lessons to leading inclusive, schoolwide technology experiences for students with diverse and complex learning needs.

• Designed and led a weeklong Hour of Code and Hour of AI initiative for 24 classrooms and students ages 3–21.

• Developed the immersive theme “Top Secret Agents of Code,” transforming coding and artificial intelligence concepts into accessible missions and interactive activities.

• Created adapted materials and participation options using touch access, AAC, switches, eye gaze, partner-assisted scanning, visual supports, and differentiated digital resources.

• Demonstrated how coding, computational thinking, and artificial intelligence can be made accessible to students with a wide range of communication, physical, sensory, cognitive, and academic needs.

• Continued integrating assistive and accessible technology throughout instruction at A. Harry Moore Laboratory School.

Technology Leadership and Digital Communication

Earned a schoolwide leadership role reflecting my growth in accessible technology, instructional innovation, and digital communication.

• Was promoted to Technology Coordinator at A. Harry Moore Laboratory School for the 2026–2027 school year.

• Expanded my responsibilities from classroom-based technology integration to schoolwide technology leadership.

• Managed the school’s Instagram presence to celebrate student learning, highlight inclusive programming, strengthen family communication, and expand community engagement.

• Redesigned and rebuilt the school website to improve its organization, usability, accessibility, and representation of school programs.

• Began developing systems to support teachers and staff with assistive technology, accessible digital resources, instructional platforms, and professional learning.

• Redesigned the annual schedule for the L.I.F.T. Program. Created a comprehensive structure that accounted for instructional periods, staffing, related services, community-based learning, vocational preparation, and transition-focused programming.

• Continued supporting functional academics, independent living skills, vocational development, community participation, and postsecondary transition for students ages 14–21.

• Planned and coordinated schoolwide and program-based events for students.

• Organized an Extended School Year visit from Cole the Deaf Dog and Friends.

Conference Recognition and Professional Learning

Earned professional recognition for my work in inclusive educational technology and transformed professional learning into future opportunities for school improvement.

• Was selected to present at the New Jersey Educational Computing Cooperative Conference. Developed the presentation, Inclusive EdTech in Action: Supporting Multilingual Learners and Students With Disabilities Through Accessible Technology. Designed the session to highlight practical strategies involving assistive technology, communication supports, culturally responsive instruction, differentiated access, and inclusive digital learning.

• Attended the ALL IN for Inclusive Education Conference.

• Reconnected with The College of New Jersey and learned about its Center for Assistive Technology. Began planning a professional development partnership through which the Center could provide professional development at A. Harry Moore Laboratory School.

Higher Education Teaching

Expanded my influence from directly supporting students with disabilities to preparing future educators to build more inclusive classrooms and systems.

• Continued serving as an adjunct professor in higher education.

• Expanded my teaching responsibilities to include courses within the Special Education Department.

• Continued teaching within Alternative Pathways while broadening my work with graduate students and future special educators.

• Designed and facilitated learning experiences related to assessment, corrective instruction, curriculum, assistive technology, collaboration, and inclusive practice.

• Connected educational theory and research to real-world classroom challenges and student needs.

Disability Advocacy and Student Leadership

Extended my role beyond instruction by helping students access opportunities to become advocates, leaders, and agents of change.

• Learned about New Jersey Partners in Policymaking through the ALL IN for Inclusive Education Conference.

• Supported one of my students in applying to the program. Helped the student pursue an opportunity focused on advocacy, independence, self-determination, inclusion, and systems change.

• Encouraged the student to recognize lived experience as a source of leadership and expertise.

• Continued incorporating disability rights, self-advocacy, student voice, and inclusion into my educational practice.

NJLEND and Interdisciplinary Disability Leadership

Earned acceptance into an intensive interdisciplinary leadership program that will deepen my preparation in disability policy, advocacy, research, and family-centered systems of support.

• Interviewed for and was accepted to participate in NJLEND through The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development at Rutgers.

• Prepared to expand my professional development beyond education and into interdisciplinary disability leadership, policy, advocacy, research, and systems change.

• Anticipated collaboration with professionals, advocates, individuals with disabilities, and families across multiple disciplines.

• Began considering how NJLEND learning could inform my school leadership, doctoral research, higher education teaching, and advocacy.

NJLEND is a nine-month interdisciplinary leadership program requiring at least 300 hours of participation. Its components include weekly seminars, experiential learning, faculty mentorship, field-based training, and a leadership project culminating in a presentation or publication. The program is part of a national LEND network and prepares professionals and individuals with lived experience to collaborate in supporting people with autism and related developmental disabilities across the lifespan.

Scholarly and Creative Writing

Advanced from aspiring to publish toward actively developing, submitting, and refining scholarly and creative work.

• Submitted scholarly work to multiple publications and continued awaiting editorial decisions.

• Continued developing Intersectional Perspectives on Education for Resettled Refugees with Disabilities in the United States for publication.

• Strengthened my academic writing through dissertation development, conference presentation, manuscript preparation, feedback, and revision.

• Began drafting a children’s book and established its initial concept, purpose, audience, and direction.

• Continued exploring publication pathways for both scholarly and creative work.

Podcast Development

Established the foundation for a future platform amplifying international perspectives on refugee education, disability, access, and inclusion.

• Initiated the development of a podcast focused on international education practices for refugees with disabilities.

• Established the podcast’s purpose, intended audience, and primary areas of focus.

• Identified topics related to displacement, disability, educational access, technology, and inclusive practice.

• Identified and recruited prospective guests and contributors with relevant professional and lived experience.

• Created the foundation for future interviews and episodes, with recording and production remaining in progress.

Multilingual and Culturally Responsive Practice

Continued developing the communication skills needed to serve culturally and linguistically diverse students, families, and international communities more effectively.

• Continued practicing Spanish, Arabic, and American Sign Language.

• Applied Spanish in instruction, communication, family engagement, and culturally responsive educational contexts.

• Taught Spanish as a World Language teacher at A. Harry Moore along with my other responsibilities.

• Integrated multilingual and culturally responsive perspectives into my work as a special educator, teacher educator, researcher, and disability advocate.

• Deepened my understanding of the relationship between language access, disability access, cultural identity, and educational opportunity.

• Present the dissertation proposal at the Summer Institute 2026

• Put together the materials needed to present to the IRB 

• Successfully defend my dissertation 

• Present at a conference 

• Search and apply for an international education consultant position (Sesame Workshop)

• Graduate with my Doctorate in Educational Technology Leadership

• Continue Podcast Series

• Continue Research in Pakistan

• Become an International Education Consultant

• Work with Sesame Workshop