Stephanie Smith Lee Email & Phone Number

Oakton, VA, US

Lead advocacy to increase inclusive higher education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities. Provide expertise on various policy areas and advocacy training and strategies.

- Chair, Think College Accreditation Workgroup: developing model accreditation standards for postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disabilities- Co-Chair, Inclusive Higher Education Committee - Education Subject Matter Expert, U.S. Department of Labor grant- Research, writing, public speaking and consulting on a wide array of.

• Administer Foundation, including:
• Evaluate effectiveness of thirty national non-profit organizations
• Analyze organizations’ financial statements, budgets, and program results.
• Provide technical assistance on measures of effectiveness and outcome measurement
• Write periodic profiles and annual reports, and recommend funding levels.

• Provided legislative, regulatory and implementation policy analysis, expertise and leadership on a wide range of disability issues including special education.
• Provided leadership, guidance and training to organize and mobilize statewide disability coalitions and the NDSS national grassroots network.
• Lead initiative to promote postsecondary opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, including: drafting Congressional amendments and Committee testimony; leading an experts group to advise Congress.
• Provide technical assistance on development and implementation of high-quality inclusive postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities, including frequent conference speeches and media interviews..

• Served as chief advisor in the field of education for students with disabilities to the Assistant Secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS).
• Directed the policy development, program planning, monitoring, evaluation, and implementation of the Federal special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
• Administered the Federal special education programs, including the $9.7 billion IDEA grants to states program and the $338 million National Activities programs (research and innovation, technical assistance, personnel.
• Worked closely with senior Education Department officials in the development of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) regulations, guidance, and implementation related to students with disabilities. Provided leadership.
• Provided leadership in aligning IDEA implementation and reauthorization proposals with NCLB.
• Provided leadership in focusing OSEP’s work on accountability for results.Major initiatives: promoted the development and use of universal design principles in standards, curriculum, instructional strategies and.

member of the national panel advising the President, Congress, and Social Security Administration on work incentives for persons with disabilities.

• Worked directly with Members of Congress, Congressional staff, the Administration, and grassroots constituencies on disability policy.Recruited, trained and mobilized an effective grass roots.
• Played a key leadership role (in 1995-1997) in initiating the consensus process to reauthorize IDEA, and promoting and facilitating a bipartisan, collaborative process to reauthorize the law.
• Organized a successful national effort to amend the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act to include individuals with more significant disabilities in the Ticket to Work program.

• Administer Foundation, including:
• Evaluate effectiveness of thirty national non-profit organizations
• Analyze organizations’ financial statements, budgets, and program results.
• Provide technical assistance on measures of effectiveness and outcome measurement
• Write periodic profiles and annual reports, and recommend funding levels.

Alexandria, Virginia

• Raised funds, organized events, and generated media coverage for a national model inclusive preschool.

Washington, DC

• Lead committee staff in reauthorization of the Comprehensive Employment & Training Act (CETA). Worked with Senators, staff, and the White House in developing reauthorization legislation, amendments, and committee and.
• Handled special education legislation for Employment Subcommittee Chair.

Washington, D.C.

• Responsible for a broad range of domestic policy legislation, with special expertise in the areas of education, employment, and economic development.
• Drafted legislation and committee reports, organized committee hearings, staffed conference committees, wrote speeches and floor statements, represented Senator in meetings with other Members and constituency groups.