Special Education Parent Advisory Council

Porter Township Schools Parent Representative
Alexis Kegebein is a parent representative for Porter Township. She has a background in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education. She grew up in Hobart but decided after student teaching in Porter County to move to Porter County for the school district. Over the years she has worked with children from ages of birth to 12 years of age, with all kinds of abilities. She has always enjoyed working closely at the daycare with early intervention teams helping those with disabilities and helping to support the families of those children. Alexis is married to her husband Jason of almost 16 years and has two children with and without a disability. Her son has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (non-verbal) and Sensory Processing. He will be attending Porter Lakes in the fall. Since his diagnosis she has been trying to find resources and the best ways to find others that are experiencing the same things she is. She hopes to be able to share all of the things she has learned and continues to learn with other parents.

Duneland School Corporation Parent Representative
Jackie Hood moved to Indiana seven years ago from Michigan for her husband’s job. She has two children. Her son is a fifth grader at Liberty Intermediate and her daughter is a second grader at Brummitt Elementary. Her son has an IEP and was diagnosed with developmental delay at age three after aging out of the early intervention program in Michigan. He has since been diagnosed with a rare chromosomal deletion disorder that is the cause of many of his delays. Her daughter also has an IEP for challenges that are related to ADHD and anxiety.  Jackie is currently a lead teacher in the Duneland School Corporation’s Developmental Preschool program.  Jackie has a passion for advocating for everyone in the Special Education community and joined the parent advocacy group to help other parents be the best advocate for their own child. She has the unique experience of being on both sides of special education and brings that lived experience to help parents in the community. 

Duneland School Corporation Parent Representative
Rebecca Shellito is a parent rep for the Duneland school system. She has worked in healthcare in northwest Indiana for nearly 30 yrs. She’s always found herself advocating as a nurse, for those who need a stronger voice and helping hand. This has been especially true since her son Nico was diagnosed with Autism. Once nonverbal, Nico is now a social butterfly in 5th grade. Together with her husband, the Shellitos founded a nonprofit, Uniquely Nico that hosts fun and free events for families with special needs. Rebecca has learned many valuable lessons through the years and wants to empower other families to be a strong voice for their child.

Valparaiso Community Schools Parent Representative
Jill Isley is a parent representative for Valparaiso Community Schools (VCS). She has an extensive background in Finance and Accounting. Previous roles include working for VCS Administration as an Internal Auditor overseeing extra-curricular accounting and the school treasurers. She currently works as a Controller for a leading national health fund. For many years, Jill was able to stay home and focus on helping her son with his development which included attending many therapy sessions due to his global development delays. She encourages others to seek out therapies, as she knows how important early intervention is to a child’s development. Jill and her husband have lived in Valparaiso for approximately 15 years. They have a daughter attending Purdue University and son at Valparaiso High School. Having had children at VCS for 13 years, she learned about providing the best education for her son including utilizing the special education services and school resources available based on his IEP. As an extrovert, Jill enjoys networking with parents of special needs children to ask about their experiences and to be a support with any useful information she has learned in her experiences with her son. She is excited to become a parent representative as she hopes to help others in seeking out the resources to help our special children to be their best.

East Porter County School Corporation Parent Representative

Jessica Kruger is a Parent Representative for Kouts Schools and the East Porter County School Corporation. She has been a resident of Porter County community for more than 20 years and works as a Civil Engineer.

Her experience navigating the IEP process includes supporting students with Other Health Impairment (OHI) and Specific Learning Disability (SLD) classifications. While she may not have every answer, she is passionate about researching resources, learning alongside families, and helping connect them with the information they need.

Jessica is dedicated to helping her own children and others in the community reach their full potential. She believes every child has unique strengths, was created with a purpose, and deserves the opportunity to reach for the stars.

East Porter County School Corporation Parent Representative
Jaclyn Rodriguez proudly serves as a parent representative for the East Porter County School Corporation Parent Representative, bringing both professional expertise and deeply personal experience to the special education and disability community. She is a fierce advocate, compassionate leader, and devoted mother who believes every child deserves to be seen, supported, and celebrated for exactly who they are. As the proud mother of energetic twin daughters and a sweet medically complex son with special needs, Jaclyn has firsthand experience navigating the world of IEPs, medical care coordination, therapies, advocacy, and community resources. Her journey as both a parent and caregiver has shaped her into a passionate voice for inclusion, empowerment, and meaningful collaboration between families, educators, and providers. She understands that behind every diagnosis is a child full of potential and a family deserving of support, understanding, and hope. Jaclyn graduated from Purdue University Northwest with dual bachelor’s degrees in Human Resource Management. After becoming a mother, her passion for helping others led her further into the healthcare field, where she earned her associate degree in Health Information Management and later obtained her CNA certification. Her background uniquely blends leadership, healthcare knowledge, advocacy, and compassionate care.

Non-Public School Parent Representative
My name is Kaley Piercy I am your Non-Public School Parent Representative. I am a parent of three kids with Autism, ADHD and Dyslexia. They have medical complications also. My son Mason is 10 in third grade. My daughter Madison is 7 in 2 grade and my son Greyson is in all day pre k they all attend Immanuel Lutheran School. Also known as ILS. I am the parent representative for the private school systems. I have lots of experience with First Steps, OT, Speech, Behavioral Eating, PT, ABA, Musical Therapy, Therapy Dogs and Family Resources and Education Support. I have IEP experience and now I have experience when you make the decision to give up your IEP for private education. I have great resources in Special education clubs and sports also ! My children have been in the special education classes in the past, so I also can help from my past experiences in public services. We live in Porter County Valparaiso Indiana for all most 15 years now ,and I am very familiar with where to find resources and great doctors around Porter County that have been a tremendous benefit to our children with having special needs. So please reach out for doctors recommendations and where to find resources in our area more than happy to discuss! Looking forward to being helpful in my community and giving back to others and their journeys navigating Special Education and Parenting children and young adults with special needs.

Porter Township Schools Parent Representative
Maja is a parent representative for Porter Township. She is a graduate of Purdue University. She is married with two children, one of whom has an IEP. Maja is fluent in English, Macedonian, and Serbian. She works as a special education teacher. Her teaching experience spans from kindergarten through high school grades while working with children with different disabilities, such as ASD, OHI, SLD, SLI, ED, DD, etc. Maja advocates for inclusion and strives to find effective accommodations for students to succeed in the classroom. She commits to helping parents understand their children’s IEPs and support them through the challenges and limitations of their children’s special needs. Maja spreads the message that the first step in supporting a child is to focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities. By recognizing and nurturing their strengths, children will reach their full potential and thrive.

Porter Township Schools Parent Representative

Greyson is a parent representative for Porter Township Schools. He attended Western Illinois University and Northern Illinois University, studying sociology and psychology. He later earned a certificate in renewable energy with a focus on wind energy from Illinois Valley. In 2009, he spent two years substitute teaching in Gary, Indiana, including a long-term placement in a high school special education classroom.

He and his wife Kelly have one daughter, six years old, who attends Porter Lakes Elementary School. Their daughter has autism, participates in the school’s life skills program, receives in-home ABA therapy five days a week, and has an IEP. She previously received speech therapy and occupational therapy through First Steps before transitioning to preschool.

Greyson brings additional perspective from growing up in a family with a blind sister, a brother with cerebral palsy, and foster children who faced emotional and behavioral challenges. The family moved to the area nearly six years ago when their daughter was six months old. He currently works as a stay-at-home dad to support his daughter’s therapies and needs while his wife travels for work. In his free time he tackles home repair projects, pursues his interest in engineering, and maintains his fish tanks.

He joined SEPAC to become more involved in the school system as his daughter advances through her education. He is committed to helping ensure she receives the support she needs to reach her full potential and is ready to contribute wherever he can.

Union Township Schools Parent Representative

My name is Christy Lundquist, and I am honored to serve as the Parent Representative for the Union Township School Corporation. I was born and raised in Northwest Indiana and earned both my bachelor & master degrees in Animal Sciences from Purdue University before becoming a high school biology & zoology teacher. I later returned to school to earn my nursing degree and discovered my passion for pediatric nursing. Since 2015, I have cared for children in both the NICU and pediatric inpatient settings. My advocacy journey began with my oldest son, Eli, who was diagnosed with autism and ADHD after receiving early intervention services through First Steps and attending developmental preschool at SELF School. Navigating special education and the IEP process alongside a hired advocate has given our family valuable firsthand experience and inspired me to become a strong advocate for neurodivergent students and their families.

I look forward to supporting parents, sharing resources, and working collaboratively with families and educators to help every student reach their full potential.

Portage Township Schools Parent Representative
Cass Pogue is a Parent Representative for Portage Township Schools. She has two sons on the Spectrum. She is passionate about working with agencies that help those in need. She’s been volunteering for 7 years. She is very excited to have the opportunity to help the families in Portage schools to navigate unfamiliar territory.

SELF School Parent Representative
My name is Tony Johnson.  In my professional life, I work in an analyst role in the local steel industry.  I am also a father of three children; 18yr old daughter (Senior at VHS), 15yr old son (Freshman at VHS), and my 10yr old son (SELF School).  My youngest son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and I understand the challenges associated with the care of children with this diagnosis, as well as the difficulties of navigating the road to find services, therapies, and assistance.  I am so excited to become a community resource for other parents travelling this pathway, and hope that I can make the journey not seem as lonely or secluded.