Keynote Speakers

Chris Stone is Director of the Disability Resource Center at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Dr. Stone leads the Disability Resource Center in its efforts to assist students with disabilities in meeting their academic and personal development goals. With 15 years of higher education and disability service experience on which to rely, Chris collaborates with the university community to serve the broader mission of inclusivity and opportunity, advocating for the full participation of students, including those with disabilities.

In his role at UNCW Chris is identified as a Title IX Investigator, and is a member of the Student Behavioral Intervention Team (SBIT) and Extraordinary Committee on Campus Disciplinary Emergencies. Chris earned his BA from Central College (Pella, IA), MEd – Post Secondary Disabilities Services from St. Ambrose University (Davenport, IA), and EdD at The George Washington University (Washington, DC).

Dr. Jim Delisle has taught gifted children and those who work on their behalf for more than 30 years. Jim retired from Kent State University recently after 25 years of service as a professor of special education. Throughout his career, Jim has taken time away from university teaching to return to his “classroom roots”, volunteering as a 4 th , 5 th and 8 th grade teacher in 1991, 1997 and 2006. In addition, Jim taught gifted middle school students one day a week between 1998 – 2008 in the Twinsburg, Ohio Public Schools. Presently, he continues to work with students at the Scholars Academy in Horry County, South Carolina.

The author of more than 250 articles and 16 books, Dr. Delisle’s work has been translated into multiple languages and has been featured in both professional journals and in popular media such as The New York Times and on Oprah! A frequent presenter throughout the U.S., Jim has also addressed audiences in nations as diverse as England, Oman, Greece, China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The educational credentials for Dr. Jim Delisle include: B.S in Elementary and Special Education (mental retardation), University of Maine, Farmington, 1975 (Summa cum laude). M.Ed. in Special Education (emotional disturbances), Millersville University, 1976. Ph.D. in Educational Psychology (gifted education), University of Connecticut, 1981. Classroom teaching experiences are: 3 years, elementary (K – 6) special education, Gorham, NH; 2 years, gifted and talented teacher, grades 4 -5, Stafford Springs, CT; 1 year, 4 th grade teacher, Solon, OH; 10 years, part-time gifted teacher, grades 6 – 8, Twinsburg, OH; 2 semesters (sabbatical leaves) volunteering as a teacher in grades 4, 5 and 8, Loris, SC.

His tenure at Kent State University encompasses: Professor of Special Education, 1983 – 2008. Selected as Distinguished Professor, the University’s most prestigious teaching award, in 2006. Retired at Full Professor rank in 2008.

INCLUSIONSCHOOL2020 is extremely honored to have an authority at the level of Dr. James Delisle present at this conference. In addition to his keynote address and his break-out sessions, Jim will hold a special two-hour workshop for secondary gifted students and a two-hour workshop for parents and teachers working with gifted students.

Jonna Bobzien, Ph.D. is an associate professor and Graduate Program Director of the Special Education program at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, VA. Dr. Bobzien received her baccalaureate in biology at ODU and began working as an occupational therapy technician, providing support with positioning, feeding, and the use of assistive technology in a residential facility for medically fragile children with severe physical and cognitive disabilities. She returned to ODU to earn both a master’s and doctorate degree in special education. Prior to pursuing her doctorate degree, Dr. Bobzien worked as a special educator and served as the lead teacher in a regional pubic day school program for students with severe disabilities. Dr. Bobzien’s research interests include teaching functional academic curriculum to children with severe disabilities, the use of appropriate instructional, sensory, and communication strategies for students with autism spectrum disorder, and classroom strategies that promote social participation of students with disabilities.