LGBTQ+ Solidarity in Schools Equitable Practices for Gender and Sexuality Variance

Katie Petterson is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist who has worked with KIPP Public Schools Northern California for the past 6 years. She is passionate about working to better the lives of the children, families, and staff with whom she works. Katie is an ardent advocate of student needs, and has worked with various teams at KIPP to support development of programming to support all students. Katie is also passionate about policy related to special education and mental health, and regularly engages in advocacy at the California state capitol. Katie’s areas of interest within the field of school psychology include mental health awareness, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and supporting LGBTQ+ youth. In addition to her work with KIPP, Katie serves as Past-President of the Santa Clara County Association of School Psychologists (SCCASP), Chair of the CASP Charter and Alternative Learning Committee, and Adjust Professor in the Counseling & School Psychology program at Brandman University.

Amanda Cruz is a passionate educator with over eight years of serving students and families in education. Her experience in special education, teacher development and coaching, restorative justice practices, diversity and equity training, and data analysis support her work in developing lasting school structures and systems. In service of creating more equitable schools, Amanda strives to create schools that provide opportunity and access for students and staff that too often find themselves on the margins.