Dr. Mary Beth Reardon, an experienced educator in the field of special education, worked in the public schools in New Jersey for 31 years. (Summit and Cranford Public Schools) Over the course of her career, she taught special education students at all levels and developed and maintained programs from preschool through high school, most recently working as a Supervisor of Special Education in Summit.
Mary Beth earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership (with distinction), retired from the public school system, and is currently teaching in the Peter Sammartino Graduate School of Education at Fairleigh Dickinson University training future teachers.
Dr. Mary Beth Reardon, Director
Dr. Reardon is the former Director of Placement, Certification and edTPA Coordinator at Saint Elizabeth University. She currently teaches in the Graduate School of Education at Saint Elizabeth University both in the master’s program and the Doctoral program in Educational Leadership. In addition, she teaches in the Ed.D. Program at the University of Dayton’s Leadership for Organizations.
Dr. Reardon’s doctoral work focused on the social and emotional skills of teachers. She launched Hearts and Hands P.D. endorsing this group of highly trained, enthusiastic educators to assist and guide teachers, preservice teachers, administrators and parents. Her goal is to support the delivery of instruction by first addressing and then embedding social and emotional skills in all instruction.
Dr. Lauren Fullmer
Dr. Lauren Fullmer started her journey at The College of New Jersey, where she earned her certification as a Teacher of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Elementary Education Teacher, and Teacher of Mathematics (K-12). She continued at TCNJ to earn her Masters in Education and several years later, in 2016, earned her doctorate in Education, Culture, and Society at Rutgers University.
Lauren brings a unique perspective to the table with a collective eleven years of experience teaching students in grades one through five, as well as four years of experience advising and teaching undergraduate and graduate students at the college level. She is a fifth-grade teacher in a school district in northern NJ, as well as the edTPA coordinator and instructor at St. Elizabeth University. In addition, she is an instructor through The Academy for Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in Schools - a partnership through Rutgers University and St. Elizabeth University - where she supports educators from around the globe in learning about SEL and integrating it into their work with students.
Furthermore, Lauren regularly engages in research with colleagues at the Social-Emotional Character Development (SECD) Lab at Rutgers University, which focuses on SEL and social justice education initiatives. Much of her work focuses on a specific social action pedagogy - Students Taking Action Together (STAT) - that offers middle and high school teachers a set of instructional strategies to integrate SEL skills and civil discourse into their current curriculum content. Lauren has published many articles and continues to present at various conferences.
Dr. Fullmer has recently published Students Taking Action Together: 5 Teaching Techniques to Cultivate SEL, Civic Engagement, and a Healthy Democracy.
Dr. Fullmer is a 5th grade teacher, an instructor for the Academy for Social-Emotional Learning in Schools, an adjunct professor at St. Elizabeth University and University of Dayton, and a consulting field expert for the Rutgers Social-Emotional Character Development (SECD) Lab. Her primary research focuses on trauma-informed practices to meet the needs of at-risk learners in the K–12 classroom and on integrating social-emotional learning and social justice practices into content-area instruction.
Dr. Leslie Meskin
Dr. Leslie K. Meskin has vast educational experience at multiple levels. She began her career as a high school English teacher. She is an experienced lecturer and is currently the Director of the Reading/Literacy Program at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she also teaches Literacy classes.
Leslie completed a master’s degree program in Literacy Education at Rutgers University and has worked as an Instructor in New Jersey Writing Project as part of the National Writing Project. She has also taught Methods of Teaching Process Writing at a variety of school districts. She received her Ed. D. also from Rutgers University, in Literacy Education. Her administrative work in the public schools includes Curriculum Supervisor in Hopatcong, NJ, and Supervisor of Instruction in Mountain Lakes, NJ.
Leslie has written many articles on Literacy that are published in professional journals and has been a presenter at numerous National Conferences as well as District workshops on topics ranging from Literacy to Curriculum design and development. A few include: at NCTE National Conference: Global Mosaic: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Grade Nine English and Social Studies; Curriculum Development—backwards design from Understanding By Design by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe; Explicit instruction in Reading for Meaning/characteristics that proficient readers use for teachers in grades 4-8; "Writing as a Strategy for Learning,”; and "Writing in the Disciplines to Motivate Higher Order Thinking."
Dr. Karen Cotter
Dr. Karen J. Cotter has worked in various educational roles for over 25 years. Most recently, she worked as an instructional facilitator with faculty and staff in a professional development role. Most of her work has been in science education (both private and public school) in grades six to twelve.
Her love of teaching science incorporated innovative ways to engage and challenge students in active learning. Not only is she enthusiastic about sharing new and innovative ways to help students, but her incorporation of technology has been a mainstay. Her love of sharing student-centered strategies focus on nurturing 21st-century skills (collaboration, creativity, communication, and problem-solving.) Karen has also been involved in curriculum writing in science, English, math, and social studies at the middle school level.
Karen has presented at numerous conferences: New Jersey State Science conventions, NJSAL, Montgomery Community College Technology, and Learning Conference, NJCU on numerous occasions and has run numerous Project-based workshops, new-teacher training seminars, and has worked with faculty to design lessons that focus on student-centered learning using technology as a tool.
Karen holds a master’s degree in Elementary Science Education from Farleigh Dickinson University and a doctoral degree in Educational Technology Leadership from New Jersey City University.
Scott Bagish M.Ed., LDT-C
Scott Bagish is a certified Learning Disabilities Teacher-Consultant (LDT-C). As such, he conducts educational, oral language, and cognitive evaluations. Scott also screens students suspected of having dyslexia. He is a certified Teacher of Students with Disabilities and Teacher of Social Studies.
Scott received his Bachelor of Arts degree and teaching certificate in History/Social Studies from Connecticut College, New London, in 1980, Phi Beta Kappa. He taught at The Center For Alternative Education in Boston, a private day school for students with disabilities. Scott received his Master of Education degree from the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1983. He then taught in the San Lorenzo Valley and Santa Cruz, California public schools.
Scott has worked as a Case Manager and LDT-C on Child Study Teams (CST) in Montgomery Township, and Summit, N. J. As an independent contractor, Scott continues to perform evaluations and case managerial duties for the Nutley Public Schools. and evaluations for the Tewksbury Township Public Schools. Scott tutors students privately in academic subjects and Executive Functioning.
He assists parents in understanding their legal rights so that together they may most effectively advocate for their children. In addition to these activities, Scott has been responsible for Individual Education Program (IEP) development.
Scott has acquired an extensive knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA), the New Jersey Special Education Administrative Code, and Parental Rights In Special Education (PRISE). He has also served as a consultant to the Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) and the Section 504 Committees to facilitate academic success for general education students. Additionally, Scott continues to case manage students with disabilities who are placed in out of district high schools across New Jersey. In this role, Scott is responsible for the development and implementation of post- secondary transition plans for these students.
Dr. Kelly Hart
Dr. Kelly Hart began her educational journey at The College of New Jersey as an Elementary Education and STEM major. She continued to obtain a Master of Educational Leadership from Montclair State University and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from The College of Saint Elizabeth.
Kelly began her teaching career as a middle school science teacher. Soon after, she began a journey to teach STEM courses in engineering, robotics and basic computer science at the middle school level. After several years, Dr. Hart moved to teach high school engineering, STEM and sustainability, writing curriculum and providing departmental support to shift to more STEM and student-centered instruction. Throughout that time, Dr. Hart served as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Technology and Engineering Educator's Association.
Dr. Hart has been acknowledged for Excellence in Teaching as an award recipient from NJTEEA, NJSELA and PSEG. Dr. Hart is also a Siemens STEM fellow, a CASIS STEM fellow and a BELS Scholar. She has received grants from prestigious programs such as the Toshiba America Foundation and PSEG.
From the high school classroom, Dr. Hart moved to district level administration becoming a Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction and also the Supervisor of Educational Technology in a small K-8 school district. Currently, Dr. Hart is the principal of a K-8 Catholic school in NJ.
Dr. Diane Appleby
Dr. Diane Appleby, a veteran educator, utilizes top research-based methods in the area of Language Arts instruction.
She has extensive training and expertise in the methods of Reading Recovery, Orton Gillingham and Teacher’s College for Reading/Writing Workshop. She served as a teacher, reading interventionist, literacy coach, and has led many professional developments in the instruction of reading, strategies for special education students, Fountas & Pinnell trainings and how to achieve a Balanced Literacy Classroom.
Diane completed a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership at Saint Elizabeth’s University. In addition, she earned a Master’s Degree in Special Education/Learning Disabilities from Kean University and a Reading Certificate from New York University. She also received training in reading instruction from Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell for Reading Recovery. Dr. Appleby also earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Diane has received the Union County Teacher of the Year Award in 2003, Governor’s Educational Services Professional of the Year Award in 2015, and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers Award for 1997-1998.
Dr. Beth Azar
Dr. Beth Azar began her journey in Education at the University of Louisville, Louisville, KY where she earned her certification in Elementary Education and a minor in Special Education. She earned a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from Seton Hall University, NJ. In 2018, she earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the College of St. Elizabeth.
Dr. Azar has spent her career of more than 25 years in the Elementary setting. After moving from Kentucky to New Jersey in 1993, she taught in various grade levels where she also earned the distinction of “Teacher of the Year” while in Montville Township Public Schools. She left the classroom in 2005 and moved to administration. She has served as Principal for the last 17 years in public schools in Northern New Jersey.
Dr. Azar has served as President and Scholarship Chairperson for the Morris County Association of Elementary and Middle School Administrators and remains involved in securing Professional Development opportunities for teachers and administrators across the state of New Jersey.
Her passion lies in Social Emotional Learning for students, teachers and parents. She takes an active role in promoting and developing professional learning opportunities for the learning community.
Laurie M. Robbins, LCSW, SEP
Laurie Robbins is a mental health practitioner who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders and traumatic stress. Her private practice is in Summit, NJ, where she treats primarily, adults and adolescents utilizing evidence-based psychotherapy modalities such as EMDR and Somatic Experiencing. She is passionate about helping her clients harness their innate capacities to heal and restore a sense of safety, trust, meaning, and purpose. As a collaborative team member of Hearts and Hands, Laurie integrates the wisdom she gained from 25 years of working with clients in many systems of care.
Laurie began her bachelor-level training as a school social worker in a Washington DC suburb. After obtaining a BSW from James Madison University in 1995, Laurie then went on to obtain a Masters in Clinical Social Work from New York University in 1997. Her first social work position was at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City. She then worked as an in-patient psychiatric social worker on the child and adolescent unit at Saint Vincent’s Hospital. It was her experience as a mental health provider for children in the NYC Foster Care System that illuminated the need to receive more training in brain-based and body-oriented trauma resolution therapies to help clients heal relational wounds and faulty “wiring” from traumatic stress.
In 2008, Laurie received training in EMDR psychotherapy. She is an EMDR International Association-approved consultant who provides supervision to therapists in training. The intense specialty area required over 200 hours of didactic learning and supervised case presentations. She also provides pro bono EMDR therapy through the Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP), Trauma Recovery Network.
Recent themes that have emerged from students in consultation, as well as clients and families in Laurie’s practice that bring to light the need to support healthy connections in this post-pandemic world. Laurie is eager to bring her innate drive to help others and her clinical training to Hearts and Hands. In this way, Laurie recognizes the vital role that educators play in supporting the social and emotional health of our youth.