Veronica Winchester
Veronica Winchester, PhD, NCED, is a nationally certified Educational Diagnostician with extensive experience in special education, assessment, and program development. Based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she currently serves with Livingston Parish Pupil Appraisal Services, where she conducts comprehensive evaluations, coordinates multidisciplinary teams, and supports data-driven decision-making to ensure students receive appropriate academic and behavioral interventions. Her work spans pre-kindergarten through adulthood, reflecting a deep commitment to supporting individuals with diverse learning needs across the lifespan.
Dr. Winchester brings a strong background in leadership and system-level impact, having previously served as Director of Special Education for the Baton Rouge Catholic Diocese. In this role, she led the expansion of special education services across multiple campuses, developed specialized programming for students with dyslexia, autism, and other exceptionalities, and oversaw staff development, budgeting, and stakeholder engagement. Her earlier experience as an Educational Diagnostician and classroom teacher further grounds her in both instructional practice and evaluation, enabling her to bridge the gap between assessment and meaningful educational outcomes.
In addition to her district work, Dr. Winchester operates Winchester Consultants, where she continues to advocate for students and families while addressing critical gaps in access to services. Her doctoral research at Louisiana State University focuses on helping parents of individuals with intellectual disabilities navigate post-school resources, inspired by her personal experience as an adoptive parent. She is actively involved in shaping district responses to evolving legislation, including dyslexia screening and cerebral visual impairment initiatives, and is pursuing opportunities to expand community access to specialized evaluations. Driven by both professional expertise and personal passion, Dr. Winchester is a dedicated advocate for equitable, informed, and compassionate special education services.
• Louisiana State University
• Families Helping Families
• Brec Park (recreational services)
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think it starts with really knowing yourself - what type of person you are. Are you someone with that leadership drive, or are you comfortable just sitting back, getting the rules and guidance given to you, doing your job, and going home? What you do next depends on that, because you don't want to push to be in a leadership role if it's not really where you're comfortable, and you don't want to settle yourself into a position where that's all you can ever do. So I really do think it starts with knowing yourself, the type of person that you are, what you want out of life, and what you want out of your career. If there's a segment of the population you really want to work with, you need to know that about yourself and position yourself to where that's what your expertise, your training, your extra efforts at being involved - that's where it's concentrated. If your goal is to run the school system one day, you're going to have to make extra effort other than just being a classroom teacher who shows up every day and does her job and no more than her job. Two skills that you absolutely have to have: you have to be a good communicator, both orally and written, fit to your audience. A lot of people can communicate in one language or the other but they don't target their audience. And the second skill that is absolutely a must is how to network and recognize you don't burn bridges, because everyone you interact with is someone that may fit into the puzzle of where you find your life or advancement at some point.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I believe that everyone gets to live their best life and reach their maximum possibilities. You have to push for that and not just settle with 'oh well, this is where I am, I have to settle.' My mom pieced together throughout her adult life a college education so she could become a second grade teacher - she was the first person in the family to actually get a college education. She pushed us to be better and to go further, and you could see her living through us, just so proud that we were able to do more. Even though my two adopted girls are disabled and they may not have the same futures that I have at this point, I still push every day for them to live their best life. That's kind of where and how we need to approach everything with women and what we do - everyone gets to live their best life.