Kathleen Bohrer
Program Director, Tara Hills Campus
Education/degree: PhD in Psychology, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Years Teaching: 6 years in administration
Area of Specialty: behavior analysis
Why did you get into administration at a special education school? I chose Spectrum Center for its reputation in special education and it basis in behavior analysis.
Why did you choose special education? As many have said before me, I wanted to make a difference and academic opportunities for special education children.
What keeps you motivated? Success stories of kids as they graduate and/or transition back to their district school; that’s a major success for our kids.
Are there any books, magazines, online journals or websites you would recommend as good resources in your field? JABA, www.behavior.org
Whitney O’Keefe
Assitant Director, Tara Hills Campus
Education/degree: Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University or Oregon, Master’s in Special Education from the University of Oregon, Early Childhood and Moderate to Severe California Teaching Credential
Years Teaching: 2 years teaching a reverse mainstream pre-school class, 3.5 year as an Education Coordinator for Spectrum Center, 1.5 year as a Senior Autism Specialist for Spectrum Center
Area of Specialty: Applied Behavior Analysis, Curriculum design and modification, Autism
Why did you get into administration at a special education school? It was the next logical step in my career to move from the clinical side to the administrative side. I needed a new challenge.
Why did you choose special education? I fell into special education accidentally out of my bachelor’s program and loved it. What keeps you motivated? The students making behavioral and academic progress, as well as, training new staff and developing new and innovative programs.
Are there any books, magazines, online journals or websites you would recommend as good resources in your field? Designing Effective Mathematics Instruction, Carnine et. al., Direct Instruction Reading, Carnine, et. al. Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers, Alberto Troutman, and the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis