Staff Biographies

LINDA is the director of Working Together for Inclusion and Belonging, which includes BEGINNING TOGETHER, the California Making Access Possible (MAP) to Inclusion & Belonging, and CA CSEFEL Teaching Pyramid, all Working Together projects of WestEd, Center for Child and Family Studies in collaboration with the Early Learning and Care Division of the California Department of Education.

Prior to directing projects for WestEd and, previously, Sonoma State University, Linda was an early childhood special education teacher for more than 18 years. She received two Bachelor degrees from the University of the Pacific: one in music therapy and one in psychology. She received her M.A. in Special Education from CSU Dominguez Hills and holds an Early Intervention Graduate Certificate from San Diego State University. Linda has held board positions in several professional organizations and was a member of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Early Childhood Training Cadre for the International Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC/CEC). Linda was also an instructor in Child Development at Mira Costa and Palomar Community Colleges.

Linda is passionate about the inclusion of children with special needs into child care settings and has published numerous articles. She speaks frequently on the inclusion of very young children, young children with challenging behaviors, legal requirements in early intervention/early childhood special education and transition between early intervention and special education.

Linda and her husband, Tom, continue to find their adult daughters, Gerilyn and Robyn, to be sources of great wisdom and learning.

JEFF is responsible for the oversight and management of the Working Together Project, Center for Child & Family Studies at WestEd.

Previous to joining WestEd, Jeff spent 30 years in management positions, working in operational leadership, human resource development and staffing, and diversity leadership.

Jeff is very active in his church, having served as youth minister for several years. He and his wife Gale have four adult children and three very beloved grandchildren.

Leah Walters brings over 20 years of experience in early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence to her work at WestEd. She has supported children across developmental stages as a teacher, counselor, athletic coach, and program leader. Her expertise lies in designing and implementing developmentally responsive curriculum and environments for a wide range of settings, including classrooms, outdoor learning spaces, camps, and community venues.

Leah’s work is grounded in a strong commitment to inclusion and inclusive practices. This commitment is reflected throughout her career—as a toddler and preschool teacher, a facilitator for adolescent leadership programs, a high school water polo and swim coach, and a program leader in camp settings.

Currently, Leah is an authorized Teaching Pyramid trainer and coach, a certified Beginning Together facilitator, and holds certification in the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) through WestEd. She serves as a Training and Support Specialist, providing professional development and coaching for Teaching Pyramid implementation, and supports the California MAP (Making Access Possible) to Inclusion and Belonging Project at WestEd.

Leah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies and a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on Early Childhood.

ALEJANDRO serves as Technology Support for several projects out of the WestEd San Marcos office including BEGINNING TOGETHER, and the California Making Access Possible (MAP) to Inclusion & Belonging project.

Alejandro holds a B.A. in Graphic Design from California State University, Sacramento. Outside of work, he and his family enjoy bike rides, touring museums, and exploring the great outdoors.