John Barrowman originally came from a small town in the Californian foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. He moved to Oregon to attend college at the University of Oregon where he completed his bachelors degree in psychology and a minor in special education in 2009. It was during his bachelors that he was inspired by a guest lecturer to enroll in a program called Project PASS (Preparing Autism Specialists for Schools). He completed Project PASS in 2010 and completed a licensure program for early childhood special education/early intervention and his masters in 2011. After completing school, John moved to Alaska and remained in the Northwest Arctic region working in schools as an intensive needs special education teacher and traveled to support students in the outlying villages for four years. John has been with SESA since 2015 and enjoys being able to bring services to where they are needed. He enjoys fishing, hiking, and cooking.

Raedean Van Werven is from Washington State and has been working at SESA since 2025. She received her bachelor’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Western Washington University and her master’s in Special Education from Grand Canyon University. She has five years of public school teaching experience in Washington State. In her free time she enjoys crochet, reading, and spending time with family. Her goal as a first year Autism Education Specialist is to build lasting relationships with trust and respect as she learns about the individuals and communities she is supporting.

Rob has been a member of SESA since 2024.. Before joining SESA, he taught special education in Virginia and worked as a behavior technician. Rob holds an M.A.T. degree with a special education endorsement from Mary Baldwin University and a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Virginia. In his spare time, he enjoys playing guitar, biking, playing basketball, and reading. His goal as an education specialist is to be a valuable resource for educators across Alaska.

Kelly has been part of the SESA team since 2024. She is an Autism Specialist for the Low Incidence Disabilities program and the Alaska Autism Resource Center, AARC. She has been an educator since 2001 and has her Master of Special Education and Educational Leadership. She has served as a Special Education Teacher, Professional Development Facilitator, Novice Teacher Mentor, Instruction and athletic coach, and School Administrator in Florida and Alaska. In her spare time, she likes to go camping, kayaking, fishing (especially ice fishing), and watching all types of documentaries. Kelly believes in person-first thinking and celebrates individuality to determine the most appropriate interventions and tools to support all persons.

Erin Land is originally from a small ranching community in Wyoming. Erin attended The University of Northern Colorado and received her dual degree in Special Education and Elementary Education with an emphasis in Sensory Regulation. She has taught for seven years in Limerick, Ireland, and Anchorage, Alaska.  She enjoys reading, gardening, and traveling with her husband in her free time. Erin has been an Autism Specialist for SESA for three years. Erin’s goal as a specialist is to create meaningful relationships as she supports sites to determine the best strategies to use with their students in guiding them to success.