Relevant Experience
Served as the Director of the Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership program at Mount Holyoke College. Developed curriculum for graduate students, managed a budget of $300k, oversaw 30 faculty, guest lecturers, graduate student fellows, and administrative staff.
Develops partnerships with non-profit agencies and schools that serve disadvantaged youth and adults with a range of special needs and conducts program evaluations, curriculum reviews, developed materials, trainings and workshops on evidence-based practices, program implementation plans.
Writes curriculum materials, teacher training manuals, and lesson plans for opportunity youth and young adults with special needs and circumstances.
Conducted a comprehensive and multi-level analysis of the Model Approaches to Partnerships in Parenting program, a national program for training foster and adoptive parents in meeting the needs of youth who have experienced abuse and neglect. Applied findings to inform policy and training improvements for the Department of Children and Families in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Facilitates trainings on the educational and social-emotional needs of traumatized youth, youth with special needs, highly mobile youth, and English Language Learners for professional organizations such as: the Child Welfare League of America, the Texas State Department of Education, the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, and various non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, and preK-12 institutions.
Presented research at several conferences including the National Foster Parent Association, Child Welfare League of America, American Counseling Association, Council for Exceptional Children, International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.
Education
Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA Bachelor of Arts (May 2004) Education and Psychology
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH Master of Arts-Sport Management (June 2005)
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA Doctor of Philosophy in Education-Special Education (2017) Master of Education-School Counseling (2014)
Professional Experience
Dr. Gwen Bass Consulting, LLC., Educational Consulting-June 2021-Present Founder and CEO
⬥ Conduct program evaluations and strategic planning for organizations that provide youth empowerment programming
⬥ Provide consultation and coaching to caregivers, school leaders, educators, and mental health providers
⬥ Deliver trainings for child welfare professionals, educators, non-profit organizations, state and federal agencies, and corporations on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion and trauma-informed practices
⬥ Contribute to advocacy in child welfare and DEI through appearances on podcasts, panels, and written publications
Mount Holyoke College, Office of Professional and Graduate Education (PaGE)-April 2018-2021 Partnerships and Contracts Teacher Leadership
⬥ Created a training institute for the National Coalition of Girls Schools, Global Action Research Fellowship
⬥ Contract with multiple non-profit agencies serving opportunity youth and young people with disabilities to evaluate programming, refine curriculum, and publish research on topics including arts integration and sexual health education
⬥ Conducted focus groups and completed a comprehensive logical model to improve the Safe Schools Program for the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth
Mount Holyoke College, Office of Professional and Graduate Education (PaGE)-April 2017-May 2021 Director-Master of Arts in Teaching, Teacher Leadership
⬥ Partnered with schools and non-profit organizations globally, consult on innovative educational practices and professional development, conducted program evaluations and research, facilitated training
⬥ Oversaw all aspects of the graduate program curricula and hired, trained, supervised faculty and consultants
⬥ Recruited and mentored graduate students and fellowship students, and created networks for program alumnae/i
⬥ Developed a degree program, fellowship, and professional network for independent school educators
Mount Holyoke College, Office of Professional and Graduate Education (PaGE)-December 2015-May 2017 Assistant Director-MAT-Moderate Disabilities
⬥ Coordinated student teaching placements across all disciplines PreK-12
⬥ Created and a graduate licensure program in special education in accordance with the Massachusetts DESE guidelines
⬥ Recruited, supervised, evaluated adjunct faculty, supervisors, and consultants with expertise in special education
University of Massachusetts, College of Education August 2013-November 2015 Researcher Amherst, Massachusetts
⬥ Conducted factor analysis of two large sets of data: 1) teacher rating of student behavior, 2) college readiness
⬥ Compiled literature reviews, conducted data analyses, and published articles
⬥ Wrote grants for research, including IES, NSF, and Elementary & Secondary School Counseling
The University of Massachusetts, College of Education August 2012-May 2015 Collaborative Teacher Education Program (CTEP) Practicum Supervisor
⬥ Observed pre-service teachers and monitored progress towards licensing standards
⬥ Facilitated meetings with pre-service and mentor teachers to evaluate student teacher progress and set goals
Amherst Public Schools January 2004-July 2004; July 2005-2013 Special Education Teacher
⬥ Taught individualized and large group lessons
⬥ Wrote and implemented Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), and Behavior Support Plans
⬥ Directed therapeutic crisis intervention and behavior de-escalation
⬥ Oversaw instructional assistants, providing supervision and training in mental health issues and behavior interventions ⬥ Coordinated with general education teachers to facilitate inclusion for students in program
Fort River Elementary School, Amherst Public Schools September 2009-June 2010; 2022 Guidance Counselor
⬥ Facilitated group counseling and classroom lessons on school adjustment and mental health
⬥ Partnered with teachers, outside providers, and administrators to develop and monitor interventions
⬥ Led Child Study Team (CST) meetings, wrote referrals for Special Education evaluations, and conducted assessments ⬥ Oversaw bullying prevention and intervention
⬥ Liaised between parents and school officials on discipline and mental health
Federal Bureau of Prisons August 2021-Present Consultant: Curriculum and Training
⬥ Develop workshop materials and training events for school counselors in federal prison pilot program
⬥ Collaborate with career inventory development team to create tools and resources to support post-release job success
Mount Holyoke College, Professional and Graduate Education (PaGE)-September 2017-Present Visiting Faculty
South Hadley, MA
⬥ Teach classes: Inclusive Classroom, practicum seminars, Classroom Management, and Child Development
⬥ Deliver lectures as needed on topics such as trauma informed teaching, social emotional learning and child welfare
Re-Think Autism June 2021-Present Consultant: Curriculum Development
New York, New York
⬥ Developed lessons, parent education materials, and training videos for educators on positive identity development
⬥ Created resource modules for educators on Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Functional Behavior Assessments, and Parent Engagement
The Commonwealth Corporation September 2013-April 2014 Consultant: Curriculum Development
Boston, Massachusetts
⬥ Researched and wrote curriculum modules and lessons for opportunity youth in job training programs
⬥ Adapted lesson content and assignments to meet the needs of diverse learners
⬥ Linked evidence-based school counseling practice for college and career readiness practices to workshop activities
Hampshire College, Critical Studies of Childhood, Youth, and Learning January 2014-May 2020 Visiting Instructor—Special Education: Learning Differences and the Role of Inclusion Amherst, Massachusetts
⬥ Construct curriculum to explore and evaluate current research on issues in Special Education and inclusion
⬥ Present activities, assign relevant resources, and administer assessments
⬥ Communicate regularly with site contacts at Community Engaged Learning placements
⬥ Complete narrative evaluations of each student in accordance with College policy
Mount Holyoke College, Department of Psychology and Education January 2010-May 2012 Visiting Instructor -“Differences in Learning”
⬥ Constructed curriculum on current research in Special Education
⬥ Developed lectures, assigned differentiated learning activities and assessments of student learning
⬥ Coordinated with supervisors at the students’ practicum placements