Mary McAllister Shea, Ed.D.
	National Training Associate

Mary Shea has 35 years experience working with children with disabilities and their families, primarily in San Diego County. She began her career as an Occupational Therapist and direct service provider in hospitals and clinics, was a consultant for federal and state agencies, as well as an OT Consultant for several large school districts. She has developed curriculum and taught at community colleges as well as being adjunct faculty at two universities. Over the years Mary transformed herself into a strong advocate for inclusion and committed herself professionally to systems change and building capacity in organizations and communities to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality programs and that inclusive, caring communities become the norm and not the exception.

Mary has a Master's Degree in Public Health and was the Director of a Special Project of Regional and National Significance funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau in the early 1990s that trained child care providers and early childhood professionals to care for children with disabilities in natural environments. In 2006 Mary earned her Doctoral Degree in Education from the University of San Diego School of Education and Leadership Studies. Her dissertation was examining organizational change as related to the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in community youth organizations. She has written articles for several professional groups. Mary was Co-founder and first Executive Director of Kids Included Together (KIT), which is now a nationally recognized non-profit organization that supports recreational, child development and youth development programs that include children with and without disabilities. She is currently a consultant at KIT as well as having her own private consulting business. She is a frequent presenter at regional and national conferences.