Danielle A. Waterfield

Danielle A. Waterfield is co-advised by Bryan Cook and Michael Kennedy. Currently, Waterfield works with Kennedy in the Supporting Teachers Through Coaching, Observations, and Multimedia to Educate Students with Disabilities (STORMED) Lab to support pre-service and in-service teachers knowledge of evidence-based practices. Waterfield has also contributed to research on evidence-based practices as part of the Special Education Research Accelerator (SERA) and research on replication in special education as a scholar from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), both of which have been led by Cook.

Prior to beginning doctoral studies at the University of Virginia, Waterfield was a middle school special education teacher in a traditional public school in Virginia teaching in both self-contained and inclusion settings. She then became an elementary school special education teacher in a public charter school in New Orleans, Louisiana where she taught in self-contained, resource, and inclusion settings. Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Waterfield transitioned into an administrative role on a school leadership team for a K-8 public charter school in New Orleans. As she transitioned from teaching to administration, Waterfield completed a selective two-year-long leadership fellowship in special education through the New Orleans-based organization, Special Education Leadership Fellowship (SELF - selfnola.org). Through her many experiences in education, Waterfield has remained passionate about ensuring educational opportunities for all students are equitable and inclusive and that teachers have the resources needed to provide such opportunities.

M.T., University of Virginia, 2015
B.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), 2014
B.A., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), 2014

• inclusive education
• special education teacher preparation and workforce
• artificial intelligence and assistive technology in special education teacher preparation and workforce
• equity, policy, and reform in special education
• instructional accommodations
• open science