Dr. Michele DeBerry

Dr. Michele DeBerry has dedicated 33 years to the field of special education for students with significant disabilities. She began her career as a speech pathologist after earning a master's degree in speech pathology from the University of Oklahoma and later served as program manager at a private school for children with disabilities. She went on to work as a special education director in an Oklahoma public school district and as a program specialist at the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Dr. DeBerry currently serves as a professor at the University of Oklahoma on the Health Sciences Center campus, where she teaches courses in speech pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy departments. She also directs the Oklahoma Autism Network and the Lee Michener-Tolbert Center for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, overseeing research, outreach, and support for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities across the state. She holds an educational doctorate in supervision, administration, and curriculum from the University of Oklahoma and a certificate in school psychometry. Dr. DeBerry is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children, the Council of Administrators of Special Education, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities. She has received service awards from the University of Oklahoma, was nominated as a People's Choice by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, and earned an award from ASHA for continuing education hours. She contributes to causes including the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, the Able Tech advisory board, and public education advocacy.