May 14, 2022 In-Person Event Cancelled
We are saddened to announce that, due to low registration numbers, we have come to the difficult decision to cancel the Family Links event scheduled for Saturday, May 14, 2022.
The information and training that we planned to present at the conference is important. The Utah Parent Center and Family Links Planning Committee is committed to bringing that information to you.
Please watch your emails as we scheduled those workshops over the next few months. We are planning to offer each session as a hybrid event, allowing for more individuals to participate. Each session will be recorded and posted on the Family Links page of the Utah Parent Center website.
We have already rescheduled our keynote presentation: Beyond Inclusion: Creating Belonging presented by Dr. Matthew Wappett on Thursday, June 9, 2022 from 12:00-1:00 PM via Zoom. Register at: https://bit.ly/Inclusion622
In addition, we are putting together a resource handout from all of the exhibitors who planned on participating at the event. This information will be emailed to you.
Please let us know if you need a copy mailed to you.
In the meantime, we are pleased to announce that all of the session recordings and handouts from the April 2022 Family Links Virtual Conference have been posted and can be viewed at: https://utahparentcenter.org/fl422info/
Thank you!
Family Links Planning Committee and Utah Parent Center
Now scheduled for Thursday, June 9, 2022 from 12 - 1 PM via Zoom
Beyond Inclusion: Creating Belonging
Presented by Dr. Matthew Wappett, Utah State University Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice (UCEDD)
Inclusion isn’t really what you want. You can be “included” in a classroom and still feel isolated and alone, you can be “included” on a team and still never have an opportunity to play the game; you can be “included” in a community but still be viewed as an outsider. We all want more than this: we want to contribute and be seen as an integral part of the group. What you really want is to “belong”. In this presentation we will explore how we move beyond inclusion towards creating classrooms and communities where people actually belong.
Dr. Matthew Wappett is the Executive Director of the Utah State University Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice (UCEDD), with an affiliate appointment as a Research Associate Professor in the USU College of Education and Human Services. He was formerly the Co-Director of the University of Idaho Confucius Institute and had an affiliate faculty appointment as a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Dr. Wappett’s background is in special education and disability studies; most of his research has been focused on creating inclusive environments to accommodate the needs of diverse populations.
Dr. Wappett also conducts research and writes about the effects of laughter in the classroom and genuinely enjoys teaching people how to laugh! He has been referred to by many as the “Laughter Doctor”! He has been a featured speaker at state and national conferences and training events.
Dr. Wappett earned his Ph.D. in Special Education, an M.Ed. in Educational Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Utah. Dr. Wappett has also attended Clinical Training for Mind Body Medicine through the Harvard Medical School. He completed his secondary teaching certification while pursuing his Master’s degree at the University of Utah.
In his spare time, Dr. Wappett coaches youth hockey, competes in powerlifting, and spends as much time as possible outdoors rafting Western rivers.
These events will be rescheduled. Watch for more information coming soon.
Katie Greene works at the Utah Parent Center as a Parent Consultant for families with children who are Deaf or hard of hearing almost 4 years now and loves every minute of it. Helping families and advocating for their needs is one of her favorite things to do. Prior to working at the UPC, Katie worked as a health and fitness coach for over 8 years.Her two great passions in life are serving families and helping individuals take control of their health. Katie and her husband have five children, one of whom is profoundly Deaf, and all five are the source of her health problems and personal successes 🙂 Katie lives with five chronic health conditions, which was the motivation for her to become a health and fitness coach. I love being active, reading, watching movies or playing games with my family and traveling.
These events will be rescheduled. Watch for more information coming soon!
Heidi Whittaker is the parent of four children, ages 26-17, all with special needs ranging from Autism, ADHD, Depression, Mood Disorders, Anxiety and OCD. Heidi began first helping parents with resources and information as the Nebo School District Volunteer “Parent Liaison” in 2006 and was later hired by the Utah Parent Center in 2013 as a Parent Consultant serving parents in an official role for Nebo School District. Heidi says one of her favorite things about her job with the UPC is being surrounded by colleagues and parents in the same “boat,” who have true “empathy” for how challenging it can be to be “rubber bands” when having children with special needs. Heidi’s secret passion is teaching, as she is a retired teacher, so she loves to attend and teach workshops of any kind. She also loves Stax Potato Chips, Yard Sales, and going to Arches National Park with her family. She’s excited to teach about Resilience as it is essential for all parents, especially those who parent children with special needs.
UPC Education Consultant Panel including:
Esperanza Reyes, UPC Associate Director and Ashlie Baker, Leslie Hansen and Liliam Llanos. With over 33 years of combined experience assisting and coaching families across the state of Utah with their student’s IEP and other school services needs.
Presenter bio coming soon!
Jennie Dopp is a special projects coordinator for the UPC. As a mother of a 21 year old son with multiple disabilities, Jennie understands the critical need for support services for families. Because of her son’s rare chromosome duplication and the lack of support and resources available to her family, Jennie learned the importance of advocacy work and being a voice for marginalized communities. Jennie holds a degree from Weber State University and has made philanthropy, non-profit work, and being a champion and advocate for those impacted by disabilities her life’s mission. Jennie enjoys vacationing with her husband, Ryan, and her four children, movies, and anything chocolate.
Exhibitor/Resource Fair
Exhibitors:
- Advanced Behavior Change
- Autism Learning Partners
- Benchmark Human Services
- Best Buddies International Utah
- Children’s First Education Fund
- DDI Vantage Inc
- Epilepsy Foundation of Utah
- Harmony Music Therapy
- Learning Disabilities Association of Utah
- NAMI Utah
- National Ability Center
- OwningADHD.com
- Professor Mom
- RISE Services, Inc.
- Seedling Behavioral Psychology
- Special Olympics Utah
- TURN Community Services
- Utah Family to Family Network
- Utah Family Voices
- Utah Parent Center
- Utah Assistive Technology Teams and Utah Center for Assistive Technology
- Utah Independent Living Center