10 A.M.

Exhibitor Hall Opens

Visit with a variety of Exhibitors providing services and resources for people with disabilities and their families.

10:30 A.M.

Kids Activity (Childcare) Opens

Kids ages 5-13 are invited to attend the kid's activity while parents/caregivers attend Breakout Sessions and visit with Resource Providers. Each Child will leave with their very own creations.

11 A.M. - 11:45 A.M.

Breakout Session 1 

Breakout descriptions

Choose to attend a breakout session on:

• Sexual Health Education and Puberty

• Waivers and Interest Lists

• Life Planning Nuts and Bolts

• Accessing Services through My Health My Resources

• I’m Determined!

12 P.M. - 1 P.M.

Complimentary Lunch & Learn Session

Session descriptions

Enjoy a complimentary lunch while attending a learning session on:

• Partnership with a Purpose
  Benefiting families with school-age children

• Guardianship: Rush to the Courthouse or Last Resort?
  Most useful for families with children over 14

1:15 - 2 P.M.

Breakout Session 2

Earlier Sessions Repeated

2:00 P.M.

Exhibitor Hall Closes

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John has been working in the field of special education for over 20 years. John received his undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond, his Master of Education Degree from James Madison University and will complete his doctoral degree in School Improvement with a focus on Special Education this May at the University of West Georgia.  He started his career at a residential wilderness school for at-risk youth and youth with emotional disabilities. John also worked in a public high school as a special education teacher and supervised a community-based work-study program for students with disabilities. He was one of the first individuals in the state of Virginia to implement student directed IEP meetings, and he worked diligently as an educator to bring the student’s voice to the forefront. For the past fourteen years, John has worked at the Virginia Department of Education’s Training and Technical Assistance Center at James Madison University as a coordinator, focusing on transition and self-determination and as co-director of the center for the past six years. John is a founding member of the Virginia Department of Education’s I’m Determined Project and has served as the State Director for the past ten years. Under his leadership, I’m Determined has grown from 9 pilot schools to over 70 participating school divisions in Virginia and over 30 states across the nation.

Co-Director, TTAC at James Madison University (JMU)

John McNaught

Dr. Michael Parker is Senior Clinical Director of MHMR Tarrant Disability Services and Director of IDD Eligibility.  He chairs the DS Clinical Team and belongs to a variety of agency committees. Dr. Parker is a graduate of Northwestern University, holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Fisk University and obtained his doctorate in School Psychology at Texas Woman’s University. He has 40 years of experience in private practice, community-based settings, such as Child Study Center, and the school districts Dallas ISD and Fort Worth ISD. His preferred populations included individuals with emotional, intellectual and behavioral issues. Professionally he enjoys consultation, supervision, program development, and public speaking. Dr. Parker is a former adjunct with the University of North Texas. He has been interviewed by CNN, NBC and CBS news as well as quoted extensively in Time Magazine.  He contributed to writing the Texas HHS Commission’s Determination of Intellectual Disability: Best Practice Guidelines. Dr. Parker is a licensed Psychologist, a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology, and a certified mediator.

Senior Director, My Health My Resources of Tarrant County

Dr. Michael J Parker, PhD

Alyssa is a Financial Representative for Guardian, the Capitol Wealth Strategies firm. She is a graduate from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas with over five years of teaching experience, working in special education classrooms for Fort Worth ISD for the majority of her teaching career. Alyssa is a member of the IDD Council of Tarrant County and sits on the Special Education PTA Board for FWISD as the VP of Communications.

Capitol Wealth Strategies

Alyssa Glick Lowe

Dr. Laura Golden, OTR, OTD, is a licensed and registered Occupational Therapist in the state of Texas.  She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Areas of expertise include intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorder, feeding impairment, and movement disorders. She has provided clinical therapeutic intervention to individuals from birth to adulthood with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Occupational Therapist, My Health My Resources of Tarrant County

Dr. Laura Golden, OTR, OTD

Stay tuned for updates

Director of Special Programs, White Settlement ISD

Michael Pogue

Judge Ponder was elected as Tarrant County Probate Court Judge in 2019. As one of the two Probate Courts in Tarrant County, he establishes guardianships for incapacitated persons and minors; handles civil mental health commitments; hears cases related to family and charitable trusts and responsible for maintaining contact with every person under a guardianship each year.  Prior to election, Chris served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office.  Always in the Civil Division of the District Attorney’s Office, Chris spent much of his time as the Chief of the DA’s Mental Health Division.  Chris received a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Texas at Arlington prior to earning his law degree from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in 2003. Throughout his career, Chris has been a frequent speaker on mental health law to the Texas District and County Attorney’s Association.  Chris has also been honored with induction into the exclusive Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court.

Tarrant County Probate Court #1

Judge Chris Ponder

Anna Mallett has worked the Texas Comptroller's Office for nine years and currently serves as the Outreach Specialist for the state’s new Texas ABLE® Program. She previously worked as an Outreach Coordinator for the Texas Tuition Promise Fund, the state’s prepaid 529 plan. Anna has over 19 years of service with the State of Texas including serving as Grant Program Manager for the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Relations Manager at the Texas Department of Transportation.

Texas Comptroller's Office

Anna Mallett

Stephanie Morris is the Parent & Family Advocate for Disability Services, MHMRTC. She is a parent of a young man with special needs.  She supports families by helping them make decisions and choices regarding services and negotiates families concerns with service providers when requested.  She helps educate families to have a clear understanding of their rights and how services should be provided. Finally, she is parent who can relate and listen to your concerns.

Parent and Family Advocate, My Health My Resources

Stephanie Morris

Elizabeth has a bachelor’s degree in psychology for the University of the Incarnate Word and has been working for HHSC for over six years. Elizabeth is a program lead for the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) and Deaf Blind with Multiple Disabilities (DBMD) waiver programs in the Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Policy unit within HHSC. Previously, she worked as a policy specialist in the LTSS Policy unit working Home and Community-based Services (HCS) and Texas Home Living (TxHmL) waivers creating policy and rule. She also worked as a supervisor in the Utilization Review unit over the HCS and TxHmL programs, and in the utilization review area as a program specialist reviewing CLASS and DBMD Individual Plans of Care (IPCs) and Intellectual Disability/Related Conditions (ID/RC) assessment submissions for program standards.

CLASS/DBMD Policy Lead, Medicaid/CHIP Policy Development Support, LTSS Unit

Elizabeth Dalglish

James Turnage, M.A, LPC-S, is Director of Supports with Disability Services and Behavioral Health Services. He is also clinical supervisor for the supported employment program which serves disability and behavioral health programs. He directs a trauma-based services team for individuals who are victims of crime within the Disability Services division of My Health My Resources of Tarrant County. He also provides professional staff developmental trainings in MHMRTC and in the community related to understanding mental health issues in individuals with IDD.

Director of Supports Disability and Behavioral Health Services, My Health My Resources

James Turnage, M.A., LPC-S