Improve Learning Outcomes

with a Physiology-First Approach


Join us for a transformative workshop dedicated to fostering a culture of nervous system awareness in schools, focusing on the underlying factors that influence behaviors and discipline and creating thriving neuroinclusive spaces that meet the needs of all learners.

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Pricing options

Please choose a pricing tier that reflects your financial ability. Those paying the higher amount help us fund additional scholarships for those who may not have the financial means to attend this event. Everyone receives access to the same materials.

FOR EDUCATORS
Included in the October 4th Summit
Adult Nervous System Overview
In this session, we will explore how our nervous system states impact our neuroception, state functioning, reactions and behaviors, which are contagious to the children and youth we serve. You will learn classroom practices that can cultivate felt safety for both adults, children and youth.
Tools to Support Neurodiverse Learners
In this session, we will explore applications of polyvagal theory as it relates to supporting the needs of students with autism, ADHD, or other types of neurodiversity, transforming our classrooms into thriving neuroinclusive spaces while reducing referrals for special education and decreasing expulsionary discipline.
An Intro to Polyvagal Theory
Learn more about Polyvagal Theory, or the "Science of Safety," and how our nervous system and ability to co-regulate can affect learning outcomes and emotional regulation in students.
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Description & Agenda

October 4, 11:00 - 5:00 Eastern

Led by PVI Course Partners and nervous system experts Dr. Lori Desautels and Dr. Niki Elliott, this full-day live online summit brings together educators interested in cultivating nervous system awareness—for both adults and students—using insights from polyvagal theory and embodied neuroscience. Participants will gain practical tools, co-regulation techniques, and inclusive strategies that transform classrooms into spaces of trust, safety, and shared learning, with a focus on reducing educator burnout.

Tailored for school-based personnel, non-conventional K-12 educators, and caregivers, your presenters will offer insights into the collective nervous system's role in discipline, practical strategies for adult nervous system regulation, and innovative approaches to creating equitable and supportive learning environments.

Agenda

11:00 - 11:15 Meet Dr. Desautels & Dr. Elliott
11:15 - 1:45
 Session 1: Supporting the Adult Nervous System 
This session will be led by Dr. Lori and will highlight educators Angie Zara and Melissa Zientara
1:45 - 2:00
 Lunch
2:00-4:30
 Session 2: Supporting the Nervous System of Neurodiverse Students
This session will be led by Dr. Niki and will highlight educators Zaid Gayle and Isabelle Peters
4:30-5:00
 Closing plus Q&A 
This summit is for:
  • For school-based personnel, educators, social workers, counselors, occupational therapists, and administrators, and those in the helping professions.
  • Non-conventional K-12 education providers including caregivers, homeschooling and hybrid school communities also welcome!
A note on pricing:
  • We’ve introduced a tiered pricing model to ensure that our course is accessible to as many educators as possible, regardless of their financial situation.
  • Please choose a pricing tier that reflects your financial ability. Those paying the higher amount help us fund additional scholarships for those who may not have the financial means to attend this event.
  • Everyone receives the same access to the course materials, regardless of what they pay.

Lori Desautels, PhD

Dr. Lori Desautels, has been an Assistant Professor at Butler University since 2016 where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Education. Lori was also an Assistant Professor at Marian University in Indianapolis for eight years where she founded the Educational Neuroscience Symposium that has now reached thousands of educators and is in its 15th year. Lori’s passion is engaging her students through the social and relational neurosciences as it applies to education. She does this by integrating the tier one trauma accommodating Applied Educational Neuroscience framework, and its learning principles and practices into her coursework at Butler.

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Niki Elliott, PhD

Niki Elliott, PhD is the Director of the Center for Embodied Equity and Neurodiversity (CEEN) in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego. Formerly, she served as director of the Center for Neurodiversity, Learning, and Wellness at the University of La Verne. A high-energy, spirited, and inspiring educator, Niki has taught students from elementary school through university for the past 30 years. She began her education career as a 4th grade teacher in Teaneck, NJ. There, she developed a passion for supporting children who experience mood, learning, or behavior challenges. Her work in this area was further sharpened after her family adopted a son from foster care who had a history of trauma and an intellectual disability diagnosis. Her interest in trauma-informed education began with Niki’s desire to support children like her son.

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Special Guests

Throughout this summit, we'll highlight the following educators as they put this work into practice!

Zaid Gayle

Zaid Gayle is the Executive Director and co-founder of Peace4Kids, a nonprofit serving youth in foster care in South Los Angeles. For over 25 years, he has led community-based initiatives advancing policy and practice for transition-age youth, including advocacy that helped secure California’s AB12, extending foster care to age 21. A recognized leader in child welfare reform, Zaid has trained youth advocates nationwide, testified before lawmakers, and co-designed professional training programs adopted by universities. His leadership has been honored with the Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leaders Award and recognition as a finalist for the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. Today, he continues to champion racial justice and systems change through his work on the Commission for Children and Families and the Racial Justice Committee.

Angie Zara

Angie Zara is a Washington, DC native, educator, and systems-level leader dedicated to building trauma-informed, equity-centered learning environments that prioritize both student success and adult sustainability. Since beginning her career in 2015 as a Title I, full-inclusion classroom teacher, Angie has led initiatives that transform school culture, from creating a Social Emotional Learning Specialist role that expanded districtwide, to guiding school teams in restorative practices, adult capacity building, and long-term de-escalation systems. She recently transitioned from her district-level role to immerse herself on a school-based administrative leadership team as a Program Coordinator, where she now leads SEL initiatives and student support with a focus on whole-child systems and sustainable, relationship-driven practices. Angie also teaches as adjunct faculty in Butler University’s Applied Educational Neuroscience Certification Program beside her mentor, Dr. Lori Desautels; equipping educators with brain-aligned, trauma-informed tools rooted in the latest research. In 2023, she co-founded LiveWellEd, LLC, a coaching-based support organization that partners with caregivers, educators, and organizations. Whether navigating behavioral challenges or educational needs, LiveWellEd offers expert guidance, practical tools, and personalized coaching to help every step forward feel more supported, for both children and the adults who care for them.

Melissa Zientara

Melissa Zientara began her career in Special Education in 1998, serving as a teacher for 24 years—nearly all of them in Highland Park, Illinois. On July 4, 2022, a mass shooting at the community’s 4th of July Parade forever altered the trajectory of her career. In the weeks that followed, Melissa stepped into a newly created role as Highland Park High School’s “Healing & Restorative (Trauma) Interventionist” and pursued extensive training in trauma and healing-centered practices in order to support students returning to school in the wake of tragedy. As her role has evolved alongside the needs of her school community over the past three years, Melissa has integrated the four pillars of Applied Educational Neuroscience, the four universal needs of the Circle of Courage, Polyvagal Theory, and Restorative Practices in order to create a Tier 3 MTSS intervention program and healing-centered community that supports students who have experienced acute, chronic, and/or complex trauma. What began as a one-year effort to support students experiencing sympathetic and dorsal vagal nervous system responses as a result of the mass shooting has since expanded into a permanent safe space and community for co-regulation and healing-centered interventions open to any students whose nervous system responses interfere with their ability to access school and learning. In community, Melissa supports students engaging in a variety of healing-centered experiences - including co-regulation, daily nervous system check-ins/check-outs, focused attention practices, amygdala resets, and a variety of other sensory, mind-body, and restorative practices - that foster nervous system awareness and regulation, address the impact of toxic stress and trauma, and encourage the ongoing cultivation of resilience.

Isabelle Peters

Isabelle Peters was born in France and has lived in San Jose, California, for the past 25 years with her husband and two children. For the past 12 years, she has taught both 2nd-grade and 2/3 combination classes in the Berryessa School District. Before that, she spent 5 years working with Pre-K and Kindergarten students at the International School of the Peninsula, a French and Chinese independent school in Palo Alto, California. She is passionate about teaching and believes in educating the whole child. She strives to integrate social-emotional learning and mind-body practices into her classroom because she believes they are just as important as academics. She has a strong interest in languages and cultures and enjoys bringing these perspectives into her teaching practices to enrich her students’ learning experiences and help them develop a greater appreciation for the diverse world around them. As a lifelong learner, she continually pushes herself to grow personally and professionally so she can give her best in every aspect of her life. Outside of teaching, Isabelle enjoys reading, traveling, taking pictures, spending time in nature, and staying active. Her curiosity and love of learning are not only a part of who she is but also what she brings into her teaching and everyday life.

A group discount of 15% off the Opportunity Price is available for 5+ simultaneous enrollments.

PVI is happy to work with your school or district finance office or billing system to facilitate both individual or group registration for this event. Please contact [email protected] for assistance.