Meet
Kristin Meyer, Ed.D
Middle school, High school and adult transition specialist at The REACH Group
Dr. Kristin Meyer is a highly skilled educational consultant with over 15 years of experience working alongside school teams and families to ensure students with disabilities receive the supports they need to make meaningful progress. As the Middle School, High School, and Transition Specialist at The REACH Group, Dr. Meyer partners with districts, educators, and families to evaluate programs, strengthen IEP practices, and build clear pathways for student success from middle school through graduation and beyond.
With a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Immaculata University, certifications in Elementary and Special Education, and a Supervisor of Special Education credential, Dr. Meyer brings deep expertise in secondary program design, compliance, and student-centered planning. Her Fellowship with the Pennsylvania Department of Education further distinguishes her practice, grounding her recommendations in both school-level experience and a broad understanding of education policy and systemic change.
Areas of Expertise:
• Transition Planning and Post-Secondary Readiness: Designing and evaluating individualized transition plans for students in grades 7–12, ensuring IEPs include meaningful goals tied to employment, education, and independent living and that students are actively building the skills needed for life after graduation.
• Secondary IEP Development and Program Evaluation: Reviewing middle and high school IEPs and special education programs for quality, consistency, legal compliance, and implementation fidelity with a focus on LRE, measurable goals, and alignment with transition outcomes.
• Special Education Law and Compliance: Deep knowledge of IDEA, Chapter 14, and Pennsylvania transition requirements at the secondary level, including policies and practices related to eligibility, placement, discipline, and post-secondary planning.
• Secondary Teacher Coaching and Stakeholder Engagement: Coaching grades 6–12 special education staff on IEP writing and transition planning, while building collaborative partnerships with district leadership, school teams, and families throughout the evaluation process.
• Education Policy and Tiered Recommendations: Translating evaluation findings into clear short-, mid-, and long-term recommendations, informed by her Fellowship with the Pennsylvania Department of Education and deep knowledge of public education policy.
Dr. Meyer is committed to ensuring every student in grades 6–12 has the supports, opportunities, and transition planning they need to reach their fullest potential and that every district has the programs in place to make that possible.
Dana Emery, M. Ed
Early Intervention and Elementary Specialist at The REACH Group
Dana is a highly skilled and compassionate educational consultant with 20 years of experience supporting families and guiding young learners through the PreK–5 special education continuum. With certifications in Regular and Special Education and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration, Dana specializes in early childhood and elementary-level IEP development, program implementation, and special education evaluation. Her experience as a Therapeutic Support Staff member, Special Education Teacher, IEP Facilitator, and Special Education Manager gives her a comprehensive, ground-level understanding of what high-quality elementary programming looks like in practice.
Formal Training in:
• Safety Care, CPI and De-escalation strategies
• Autism and Verbal Behavior (VB) methodologies – Intensive Teaching techniques
• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA)
• IEP development, including SMART goals and progress monitoring for PreK–5 learners
• Special Education Law, including IDEA, Chapter 14, and early intervention regulations
• SCERTS training
Areas of Expertise:
• IEP Review and Program Evaluation: Reviewing IEPs and elementary special education programs to assess quality, consistency, and implementation fidelity, with a focus on LRE and alignment with student needs and best practices.
• Early Intervention and Transition Planning: Supporting families and districts through the transition from Early Intervention (birth–3) into school-age programs, ensuring continuity of services and a strong start in elementary special education.
• Behavior Intervention and Autism Supports: Reviewing intervention plans and autism-specific supports that use ABA, VB, and FBA methodologies.
• Elementary Teacher Coaching and Mentoring: Coaching PreK–5 special education teachers to strengthen IEP writing, improve SDI implementation, and build inclusive classroom practices that support every learner.
• Family Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement: Building trust-based partnerships with families, school teams, and district leadership.
Dana is committed to helping school teams and families build the strongest possible foundation for every young learner, because the right supports at the earliest stages make all the difference.
