Biography
Cara Shannon is a Ph.D. student in Special Education at the University of Northern Colorado, where her research interests center on inclusive education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) education, family-professional partnerships, and educational access for students with disabilities. Her current work focuses on the experiences of DHH students and families, particularly around educational decision-making, advocacy, and meaningful access within inclusive settings.
Before beginning her doctoral program, Cara spent more than 20 years working in special education in Chicago Public Schools and Denver Public Schools. Over the course of her career, she has worked as a special education teacher and co-teacher, inclusion facilitator and instructional coach, administrator, and in district-level leadership roles. Across each of these roles, she has remained most passionate about instruction and ensuring that students with disabilities have equitable access to inclusive learning environments where they can participate, learn, and experience meaningful belonging.
Cara holds both undergraduate and master’s degrees in special education, earning her undergraduate degree from Purdue University and her master’s degree from the University of Illinois with a focus on behavior. She hopes to continue bringing together her experiences as an educator, researcher, and advocate through a career in higher education and teacher preparation.