Gwen Campbell & Associates (Advocate and Educational Consultant)

My Curriculum Vitae speaks to my education, professional training, employment, and work history, all of which make me well-suited and highly qualified to advocate for Special Education students. I work with school-aged children, ages three through 22, with a vast array of different types of disabilities. As the parent of a son who received special education services, I have experienced the challenges, worries, and heartbreaks of having a special needs child. I take this personal experience with me each day as I work with families to ensure that the educational rights of their children are upheld as intended under the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act). My interest in advocacy began when I was still a child. In October of 1969, I spent a day with other Girl Scouts volunteering with high-functioning intellectually disabled children at Letchworth Village, a custodial asylum in rural New York State. During our visit there, I accidentally walked into an auditorium-like building. There I saw disabled children lying in cribs with nets over them, while