Shannon W. Bellezza, M.Ed., Ph.D.

Dr. Bellezza earned her master’s degree in special education and doctorate in curriculum & instruction from NC State University.  She became interested in special education when her younger sister, who had been diagnosed with intellectual disability, was not having her needs met by her school.  An undergraduate at the time, Dr. Bellezza took as many courses as possible in special education to learn how to advocate for her sister.  She went on to be a special education teacher for several years in self-contained classes for students with autism and students with moderate intellectual disability, making it her mission to “do right by her sister.”  Having sat on both sides of the table, Dr. Bellezza has a unique and deep understanding of the IEP and special-education service delivery processes. Additionally, her doctoral degree in curriculum & instruction allowed her to deepen her focus on instructional methods and best practices in working with all kinds of learners, including students with learning disabilities, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and other disabilities that impact a student’s ability to benefit from classroom instruction alone.

Dr. Bellezza specializes in behavior intervention and instructional strategies and has experience working with students with and without disabilities on both academic and non-academic behaviors.