John Umbreit is Professor in the Special Education Program at the University of Arizona. He specializes in the areas of positive behavioral support and behavioral analysis. His research focuses on functional assessment-based intervention and PBS in natural environments such as schools, homes, and the workplace.

Dr. Umbreit earned his Ph.D. in special education at the University of Southern California and did post-doctorate study in behavior analysis at Harvard University. He has also been a visiting professor in special education at the University of Washington, an Editorial Board member or manuscript reviewer for 13 professional journals, and a frequent reviewer of grant proposals for the U. S. Department of Education.

Dr. Umbreit serves as Principal Investigator for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports of Arizona, a schoolwide discipline project, and also co-directs (with Dr. Jolenea Ferro) the Behavioral Support Specialist training program, a sequence of web-based courses that provides formal training for behavioral specialists in schools. In the past 20 years, he has been Principal Investigator for 15 research and personnel preparation grants, with total funding of nearly $6 million.

Jolenea Ferro is an adjunct faculty member in special education at the University of Arizona. She specializes in behavior analysis, positive behavior support, and behavioral disorders. Dr. Ferro earned her Ph.D. in special education at the University of Florida and previously worked with the Research and Training Center for Positive Behavior Support at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Her research addresses positive behavior supports, functional assessment and function-based intervention, and early childhood outcomes.

Dr. Ferro is currently project director for the Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports of Arizona grant, which provides training and technical assistance on positive behavior support and implementation of school-wide systems of support to elementary, middle, and high schools in the southern area of the state. She has numerous publications and has served as a peer reviewer for both professional journals and funding agencies.

Carl J. Liaupsin is currently an associate professor and the Director of the Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Program at the University of Arizona. He began his career in education as a teacher of students with emotional and behavioral disorders and also spent six years as the full-time behavioral consultant and assistive technology consultant for a mid-western school district.

Dr. Liaupsin received his Ed.D. from the University of Kentucky. He has worked as a research associate for the National Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and the National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice. Dr. Liaupsin is also the author or co-author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, chapters in “field related” texts, and media-based professional development products.

Dr. Liaupsin’s research focuses on the validation of function-based behavior intervention methods, development and evaluation of effective training in intervention practices, and the use of technology-based tools to support teachers who work with students who exhibit challenging behavior.