Building a Sustainable Special Education Workforce Pipeline

Tawnya Redding, M.S.Ed., is a Special Education Advisor with expertise in trauma-informed practices, separate educational settings, and supporting students with social, emotional, and behavioral needs. She is passionate about equipping educators and school professionals with practical strategies to support students with challenging behaviors.

Tawnya brings more than a decade of experience working with youth in residential and therapeutic settings as both an educator and mental health professional. She also has extensive experience in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention and is a Verbal Intervention Instructor through the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI).

Tawnya earned an Honors Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Oregon State University and a Master of Science in Special Education from Portland State University. She holds an Oregon Special Education License, is NASET Board Certified in Special Education, and is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children and the National Association of Special Education Teachers. She is also a former business owner and freelance writer and is currently pursuing an MBA.

Through 35 years in education, Ramona has worked in a variety of roles – special education teacher, general education teacher, alternative school administrator, special education director, and federal programs director – in both rural and urban districts. She recently retired from her position as Special Services Director and 504 Compliance Officer for the West Ada School District where she oversaw special education and 504 services for a district of approximately 40,000 students.

Ramona holds a B.S. in Secondary Education and Special Education from the University of Idaho, an M.Ed. in Special Education with an emphasis in Low Incidence Disabilities, and has completed specialized coursework in Special Education Administration, Vision Impairments, and Gifted and Talented education.

Throughout her career, Ramona has developed deep expertise in program development and systems support. She is passionate about supporting educators to meet diverse and unique student needs through Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and recognizes the critical role that assistive technology plays in removing barriers to learning for all students.

Ramona remains an active leader in the special education community, serving as Chair of the Professional Development Committee for the Council of Administrators of Special Education. She also teaches graduate-level courses for universities across Idaho, and serves as an IEP meeting facilitator for the Idaho Department of Education Dispute Resolution office. She was recently honored with the 2025 Outstanding Special Education Administrator Award for IASEA in Idaho.