Michele Gardner serves as NJCIE's Executive Director, joining the team with 26 years of experience in the New Jersey public schools, filling a variety of roles including paraprofessional, special education teacher, LDTC, Supervisor, Assistant Principal and Director of Special Services. She has also been an adjunct instructor with The College of New Jersey for almost 17 years for the Department of Special Education, Language & Literacy. Michele has dedicated her administrative career to making public schools inclusive spaces for students with a wide range of learning abilities. She is also the recipient of the 2020 NJCIE Inclusion Honors award and the 2020 NJASA Special Education Administrator of the Year.