René Salyer is a Ph.D. candidate in Special Education: Applied Behavior Analysis at Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests focus on trauma-informed practices and mental health supports for students with disabilities, with an emphasis on integrating contextual behavioral science into intervention strategies to foster resilience and meaningful engagement.

René is dedicated to advancing equitable, research-driven supports for students with disabilities through the lens of trauma-informed education. Her work considers how trauma-sensitive practices can be embedded within behavioral interventions to promote emotional regulation, resilience, and authentic participation in learning environments. She specifically hopes to draw on principles of contextual behavioral science, including Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) and Relational Frame Theory (RFT), to equip educators with ethical, evidence-based strategies that address both behavioral and mental health needs.

René’s academic foundation includes an Ed.S. in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis from Northern Kentucky University, where her capstone project demonstrated measurable reductions in externalizing behaviors during non-preferred tasks. She also holds an M.Ed. in Special Education from Bowling Green State University and graduate certificates in Autism Spectrum Disorder and TESOL. Professionally, she has served as a Clinical Student Teaching Supervisor for Western Governors University and as an intervention specialist in inclusion, resource, and self-contained settings. Her leadership extends to serving as President of the Graduate Special Education Research Collaborative, editing The Collaborative Chronicle, and contributing to multiple national, state, and local committees focused on special education, mental health, and social-emotional learning.