I am Cynthia Moore. My pronouns are she/her/hers. I identify as a cis-gender female. I began my professional life in the financial services sector, quickly rising to the executive level. In the process, I gained extensive expertise in facilitative leadership, strategic planning, data analysis, and negotiation, skills that are invaluable in the world of special education advocacy.  

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I entered the world of special education more than 25 years ago, advocating for my own children. Over time my volunteer advocacy efforts expanded to help family, friends, and eventually children who were wards of the state as a Special Education Surrogate Parent. I have received a plethora of training in special education, civil rights, and negotiating from a wide variety of places, including, but not limited to:

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• Wrightslaw (www.wrightslaw.com)

• The Federation of Children with Special Needs (www.fcsn.org)

• The Special Needs Advocacy Network (www.spanmass.org)

• The Council of Parents, Attorneys, and Advocates (www.copaa.org)

• The Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution and Training

• The Suffolk University Advanced Legal Studies Program

 

And I have completed the following programs:

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• William & Mary Law School's Institute of Special Education Advocacy

• Parent Consultant Training Institute: https://fcsn.org/ptic/parent-consultant-training

• Special Education Advocacy Training - SEAT 1.0 & 2.0 (year-long masters level program)

• The Business of Special Education Advocacy - SEAT 3.0 (non-profit advocacy program)

• Advanced Advocacy Certification - (20+ hours of training)

• Special Education Advocacy and Law Boot Camp: http://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/programs.htm#two

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In addition to delivering advocacy services through ATOTD, I have leveraged these skills and knowledge over time to serve in the following roles:

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• President and Chair Person of the Board of the Special Needs Advocacy Network 

• President of the Northborough/Southborough Special Education Advisory Council board

• Trainer for the Federation for Children with Special Needs

• Teaching team member for COPAA’s Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) program

• Autism Society of America speaker on “Single Parenting Those with Autism”

 

My goal is to empower individuals and organizations to become their own best advocates. I believe that if the special education system worked as designed, the industry of special education advocacy would not be needed. I strive daily to make this belief a reality.