Dr. Meryl chats with Dr. Jennifer Lemoine about her journey from classroom teacher to district leader in gifted education. They discuss her advocacy for twice-exceptional and economically disadvantaged students, her doctoral research on family experiences in gifted programs, and the systemic shifts needed to create more equitable opportunities for all learners.

Check out Dr. Lemoine’s dissertation here: Perceptions and Practices of Families with Economic Disadvantages Regarding Giftedness and Family Involvement

Dr. Meryl talks with educator and equity advocate Michael Sykes about supporting exceptional learners through empathy, advocacy, and student-centered practices. They explore special and gifted education, navigating IEPs, and the message behind Michael’s book Easy Equity: that self-love and accountability are the roots of lasting change in education.

Follow Michael on Instagram @equitablesolutionscolorado and check out his website for more information on his book and services: https://equitablesolutions.net/

Dr. Meryl is joined by psychologists Jennifer Merry and Dr. Angela Wall for a meaningful conversation on the emotional lives of gifted and twice-exceptional (2e) students. They dive into the importance of social emotional learning (SEL), explore the impact of masking and perfectionism, and discuss how risk-taking, justice sensitivity, and advocacy play powerful roles in supporting gifted learners. With insights for both educators and parents, this episode offers encouragement and practical strategies for creating emotionally safe, student-centered learning environments.

Check our Jennifer’s psychology practice supporting Gifted and Talented children at jennifermerry.com

Dr. Meryl sits down with educator, consultant, and educational equity advocate Torrye Parker for a powerful conversation on how race, neurodiversity, and systemic bias intersect in gifted education.

As the founder of Reimagine Consulting Group, Torrye partners with organizations to improve operations, stakeholder engagement, and leadership capacity, ensuring they have the tools to create lasting impact. Grounded in a deep commitment to equity and culturally responsive leadership, she works with organizations to build systems that are inclusive, sustainable, and reflective of the communities they serve.

Dr. Meryl reconnects with fellow educator, Dr. Erin Castle, for a meaningful conversation about belonging in advanced academic spaces like AP and IB programs.

Dr. Castle shares her journey from working on a presidential campaign to entering the complex world of public education. With 15 years of experience as a teacher and coordinator in advanced academics—and a doctorate focused on belonging in high school advanced courses—she brings powerful insights into the barriers students of color and twice-exceptional learners still face.

Dr. Meryl chats with Cecilia Quintanilla, a Bolivian-born educator, musician, and nonprofit founder whose journey into gifted advocacy is both personal and powerful.

Cecilia shares her story of navigating two educational systems—as a student in Bolivia and as a parent and educator in the United States. Inspired by her own late-in-life neurodivergence discovery and her children’s experiences in school, she founded YB Neuro, a nonprofit focused on supporting neurodivergent families with compassion, creativity, and community.

YBNeuro is a nonprofit inspired by the Andean concept of yachay; wisdom of the mind, heart, hands, and land. We create spaces where neurodivergent individuals and their families feel seen, supported, and empowered. After five successful cycles in Spanish, we’re excited to launch our first free workshops and discussion groups in English. If you’re a neurodivergent adult, parent, or professional looking for community and connection, reach out to cecilia@ybneuro.org or visit www.ybneuro.org

Dr. Meryl talks with Dr. Marisa Soto-Harrison, a dedicated educator, researcher, and parent whose work centers on supporting profoundly gifted and twice-exceptional students. With more than two decades of experience in gifted education, Marisa shares how her journey began with her own children and evolved into a mission to better understand the academic and emotional needs of gifted learners.

Marisa also shares her next exciting step: the creation of Sierra Gifted Environmental School, an online program designed specifically for gifted, creative, and twice-exceptional learners. Her vision is clear—create an education that actually works for them.

Check out Dr. Soto-Harrison’s dissertation here: Underachieving Profoundly Gifted Adolescents

Dr. Meryl sits down with Simon Wilson—a special education teacher, school counselor, life coach, and mental health advocate—to talk about the connection between emotional well-being and student success.

Simon shares his powerful personal story of navigating childhood anxiety and school struggles, and how those early experiences shaped his path as an educator and father. Together, they explore the emotional needs of children—especially those in gifted and special education settings—and how empathy, open communication, and self-understanding can foster emotional resilience.

Simon also introduces Learning to Love Your Monster, a heartfelt children’s book he co-authored with his partner to help kids better understand their emotions. The conversation highlights how emotional support, both at home and in school, can transform the learning experience for all children.

Dr. Meryl chats with Jennifer Merry and Colleen Hussey—two seasoned educators and fierce advocates for inclusive education—to explore how inclusive practices can transform school communities and better support exceptional learners.

Jen, a nationally certified school psychologist, and Colleen, a special education expert and nonprofit cofounder, share their deep experience working across educational systems to ensure that all students—especially exceptional learners—can thrive in general education settings. They discuss mindset shifts, collaborative teaching models, and how inclusive education isn’t just possible—it’s powerful.

Check out Colleen’s non profits:
Hope for Healing
The Inclusion Project (site coming soon)

Check our Jennifer’s psychology practice supporting Gifted and Talented children at jennifermerry.com

Dr. Meryl dives into discussion with Dr. Karen Arnstein and Dr. Barry Gelston—educators, researchers, and champions for twice-exceptional (2e) learners—to explore how the Spiral Adaptation Lens can transform the way we support exceptional children.

Karen, a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue and core faculty at Bridges Graduate School, and Barry, founder of NeuroD Is Me™ and Mr. Gelston’s One Room Schoolhouse, bring their combined expertise to unpack their Spiral Adaptation Lens. Together, they offer a new way to understand growth—not as a straight line, but as a recursive, dynamic process shaped by challenge, reflection, and reintegration.

Dr. Arnstein’s dissertation: How Parents, Teachers, Psychologists, and Educational Environments Influence Developmental Transitions of Preadolescent Twice-Exceptional Students

Dr. Gelston’s dissertation: Grinding the 2e Lens: Flipping the Paradigm to Adaptive Connection

Check out their work and writing at spiralwe.substack.com

In this episode, Dr. Meryl sits down with gifted educator and advocate Dr. Ryan McClintock to explore his unconventional journey into teaching—and how it’s shaped his bold vision for high school gifted education. Together, they take a fresh look at what’s working, what needs to change, and how we can better support gifted and twice-exceptional teens. From student voice and Advanced Learning Plans to technology, differentiation, and teacher mindset, this conversation is packed with insights for parents, educators, and advocates alike.

Check out Dr. McClintock’s dissertation here: Nurturing Excellence: A Case Study of High School Learning Environments for the Gifted

In this episode, Dr. Meryl talks with colleague and friend Dr. Robin Greene—an internationally recognized scholar, lifelong educator, and pioneer of GiftedCrit, the framework she introduced in 2017 dissertation to examine how race and racism are embedded in gifted education. Robin shares her journey from classroom teacher to national leader, offering powerful insights on cultural competency, teacher mindsets, and the bold changes needed to make gifted programs more inclusive.

She is the co-author of Leading Culturally Responsive Gifted Programs: A Roadmap for Changeand Supporting Gifted ELLs in the Latinx Community: Practical Strategies K-12

You can also find her dissertation here: Gifted Culturally Linguistically Diverse Learners: A School-Based Exploration

In this episode, Dr. Meryl welcomes Dr. Joanna Ross—Gifted and Talented Curriculum Specialist in Denver Public Schools and former Assistant Director of the Center for Urban Education at UNC. With 15 years of experience and newly completed doctoral research, Dr. Ross shares insights into the paraprofessional-to-teacher pipeline and its impact on exceptional students.

Together, they explore the barriers nontraditional college students face, the importance of culturally responsive pedagogy, and how supporting paraprofessionals on their path to teaching strengthens classrooms and creates more inclusive learning environments.

Check out Dr. Ross’ dissertation: The Paraprofessional-to-Teacher Experience: Moving From the Margins to Front and Center.

Dr. Meryl speaks with Dr. Susan Assouline—Emeritus Blank Endowed Chair in Gifted Education, a Distinguished Professor of School Psychology, and the Emeritus Director of the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at the University of Iowa—to explore the power of acceleration and advocacy in gifted education.

They explore her journey into gifted education, the creation of the Iowa Acceleration Scale and Integrated Acceleration System, and the landmark reports A Nation Deceived and A Nation Empowered. Dr. Assouline shares research, stories, and advocacy insights that continue to shape how schools approach acceleration for gifted learners.

University of Iowa’s:
- Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development
- Acceleration Institute
- Advancing 2e Research

Free PDF Downloads:
A Nation Deceived
A Nation Empowered

In this episode of Exceptionally Speaking, Dr. Meryl talks with clinical psychologist and speaker Dr. Matt Zakreski—better known as “Dr. Matt”—in an insightful conversation about the many ways neurodivergence shows up in our communities.

Together, they explore Dr. Matt’s own journey as a twice-exceptional student with ADHD, his practical “A, B, and C” framework for understanding the different lived experiences of 2e learners, and what it really means to consider 3e—when giftedness intersects with another exceptionality and a socially relevant identity.

The conversation shines a light on common misconceptions about supporting neurodivergent kids, how schools and families can create more inclusive environments, and why equity must be central in gifted education. Along the way, Dr. Matt shares real-life examples, practical advice, and hopeful perspectives for parents, educators, and advocates alike.

Podcast: Nerding Out on Neurodivergence

Book: Neurodiversity Playbook: How Neurodivergent People Can Crack the Code of Living in a Neurotypical World

Practice: The Neurodiversity Collective