Meet Our Board

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Julie Sears, PhD

Founder/Executive Director

For the past 20 years, Julie Sears, Ph.D., has worked in leadership roles at the intersection of special education and mental health. During her doctorate program in Educational Leadership and Policies Studies with a cognate in International Children, Youth, and Families at The University of Tennessee, she became passionate about helping those with disabilities in non-Western cultures which led her to work on several international special education projects for South Africa, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Cambodia. She has led international study abroad trips taking interdisciplinary college students to collaborate in special schools.

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Daniel Scherer-Emunds, M.Ed.

Chair

Daniel Scherer-Emunds is a passionate special educator based in Chicago, Illinois, currently teaching with the Oak Park-River Forest High School Community-Integrated Transition Education (CITE) program. He returned in Spring 2024 from a 1.5 year fellowship in Tanzania working with a disability organization near the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. He has 10+ years of leadership experience working with children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in public school, university, nonprofit, and camp settings in Illinois, Tanzania, North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, India, and South Africa. He holds a Master's Degree in Special Education from East Tennessee State University and a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Indiana University. Some personal interests include: Hip-Hop & Live Music, Nature & Outdoor Adventure (Hiking, Cycling, Camping), Mindfulness & Meditation.

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LeAnna Kehl, PhD

Vice Chair

LeAnna Kehl, PhD is a licensed psychologist and Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. For more than a decade, she has worked with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families, focusing on the implementation of evidence-based practices that promote child development, family-wellbeing, and meaningful inclusion. LeAnna has extensive experience training educators, students, and healthcare professionals in evidence-based approaches to support children with developmental differences. She is committed to expanding access to high-quality educational and therapeutic services for children with disabilities and support the families and professionals who serve them. She hopes to foster international collaboration and extend her work to support children and families around the world.

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HeeYing Loy, CPA

Treasurer

HeeYing Loy, CPA, also known as "Loy" is a Senior Auditor with more than 3 years of experience in public accounting. She conducts audits in a wide variety of industries, including not-for-profit, governmental entities, banking, and small businesses. Loy has a Bachelor degree in Accounting and a Master in Business Administration from East Tennessee State University. Loy is originally from Malaysia and obtained a golf scholarship from ETSU in 2015.

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Ashlyn Mills, B.S.

Secretary

Ashlyn Mills has dedicated the past 10 years to working with individuals with disabilities. Recently, she graduated from East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor's degree in special education and is now embarking on her first year as a special education teacher. Ashlyn has gained valuable experience working with special education students in Cambodia and Vietnam, where she also trained teachers. She hopes to continue expanding her international work in the future.