René Salyer is a Ph.D. candidate in Special Education: Applied Behavior Analysis and a M.Ed. student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling 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’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.