About Specialized Education Services, Inc. 

Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI) is a leading provider of K–12 education services for students who require additional academic and behavioral support that is often unavailable in traditional school settings. In partnership with school districts, SESI operates both Private Day Schools and In-District Classrooms to support students with Special Education or Alternative Education needs—addressing their academic, behavioral, social, and emotional development.

SESI supports student success in the classroom and beyond.

Students Served
Private Day Schools
In-District Classrooms
School Districts Nationwide

Support. Prevent. Connect.

We meet student needs—not labels. Using data, we deliver the right level of academic, behavioral, and emotional support so every student can succeed in school and beyond.

Dynamic Intensity and Dosage

All SESI students experience:

  • Academic assessments & progress monitoring
  • Daily routines & clear expectations
  • Positive behavior supports
  • Strong academic instruction
  • Embedded mental health support

Our more intensive supports include:

  • Increased academic & behavioral support
  • Differentiated instruction
  • Standards-based & skill-building lessons
  • Targeted mental health support

Our most intensive supports include:

  • Individualized instruction & behavior plans
  • 1:1 academic support
  • Functional behavior assessments
  • Personalized mental health care

Meet Our Leadership Team

Dawn Thomas  joined FullBloom in August 2022 and serves as President of the SESI Division. Dawn has extensive leadership and operational experience across industries.

Prior to joining FullBloom, Dawn spent nearly a decade leading operations for large healthcare providers. She served as Division Vice President for DaVita Kidney Care, where she was responsible for over 65 dialysis centers as general manager of the Illinois market. She also led revenue cycle transformation for the University of Chicago Medical Center.  

In addition to her healthcare experience, Dawn has led teams in the Industrial Supplies Distribution and Telecommunications industries. Dawn has a robust continuous improvement toolkit, with experience in Kaizen and Six Sigma, as well as a broad range of leadership experience in Finance, Warehouse Operations, Systems, Purchasing, and Merchandising. 

Dawn is a Chicago native, and holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, and a BS in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University. 

Milt Alexander, Jr. is an accomplished educational leader with a focus on serving students with diverse needs. Holding a Master of Education from Arcadia University and a Certificate in Executive Leadership from Cornell University, Milt emphasizes educational excellence through his leadership. 

Beginning his career teaching at-risk students, Milt gained crucial insights that drive his commitment to individual student academic and behavioral success. Now Senior Vice President at Specialized Education Services Inc. since August 2023, he leads innovative educational initiatives and has held roles such as Principal and Executive Director, enhancing educational innovation. Milt is committed to training and developing growth by partnering with districts to enhance specialized support. 

Dedicated to lifelong learning and service, Milt is an active member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Delta Gamma Sigma Chapter. He serves as Vice President, is a member of the education committee, and sits on the Board of the Sigma Outreach and Education Initiative, Inc. 

Ashley Leyba became part of SESI in 2024 as Senior Vice President of School Operations. In this role, she is dedicated to supporting schools across the West and Mid-West, driving operational excellence and fostering a supportive environment for our students and staff. Prior to her current position, Ashley worked for Spring Education Group. Her career there was marked by a variety of roles, including history teacher, Director of Academic Programs, Founding Head of School, Regional Director, and Divisional Vice President. 

Ashley holds a B.A. in History from Furman University, an M.A. in History from North Carolina State University, and a Ph.D. in History from the University of California, Berkeley.  

Since 2016, Dave Wood has served as SESI’s senior vice president of operations, responsible for the development and maintenance of SESI business partners. During the previous six years, Dave served as SESI’s chief school director of alternative education. He previously worked as director of program development for The Camelot Schools of PA, LLC, and as director of operations and national director of public education for The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Big Bend. Dave earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Lock Haven University.

Dr. Ellen Gaske has served as SESI’s senior vice president of academics since 2014, overseeing the academic needs of students in SESI programs. Ellen developed the model and process for Assessment, Curriculum & Instruction (ACI) for SESI programs. She leads the ACI Team in development of process tools for implementation of the model, professional development, and teacher training in specialized interventions related to High Leverage Practices in Special Education. Previously, Ellen served in various roles for SESI since 1998, when she opened High Road Academy in Howard County, Maryland as program director. Ellen then went on to serve as executive director and chief school director of nine mid-Maryland programs. She has also served as an instructor at Johns Hopkins University.

Ellen earned her Ed.D. in Special Education and Learning Disabilities from Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Science in Communicative Disorders from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of Science in Education and Special Education from the University of Maryland. Ellen served a 4-year term on the Maryland Association of Special Education Facilities (MANSEF) Board. Ellen currently serves as member of the University of Maryland Board of Visitors for the School of Education.

Diane Myers brings over 25 years of experience in education to her role as Senior Vice President of Integrated Support at SESI. She oversees the organization’s behavioral, academic, and therapeutic systems, ensuring cohesive, evidence-based support for students with the most intensive needs. Diane began her career as a special education teacher in a juvenile justice setting and remains deeply committed to building systems that empower educators and improve student outcomes. 

Prior to joining SESI in 2020, Diane served as a professor of special education at Texas Woman’s University and Assumption College, where she prepared future educators to support students with emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges. Her scholarship focuses on implementation of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS), staff training, and systems-level change. She is the co-author of two books and numerous peer-reviewed articles. Diane earned her PhD in Special Education from the University of Connecticut. 

Emily Gaines joined SESI in 2020 and serves as Vice President of People and Culture, where she leads the organization’s enterprise-wide talent strategy. In this role, Emily oversees all aspects of talent, including recruitment, selection, retention, and development. She architected SESI’s talent infrastructure from the ground up and continues to drive high-impact, data-informed initiatives to improve retention, evolve compensation strategy, and strengthen organizational capacity. 

With more than a decade of experience in education and talent leadership, Emily is a seasoned leader with a proven track record of aligning talent strategy with outcomes. Her career began as a Teach For America corps member teaching middle school humanities in South Los Angeles. Since then, she has held leadership roles spanning instructional coaching, community engagement, and strategic recruitment. Prior to SESI, she served as Associate Director of Talent Acquisition at KIPP SoCal Public Schools. Emily holds a BA in History from UCLA and a MA in Education and Leadership from Loyola Marymount University. 

Monique Robinson is the Vice President of Corporate Operations at SESI, where she leads enterprise-wide operational functions including enrollment, transportation, and strategic finance operations, as well as IT prioritization and systems collaboration. Her work ensures strategic alignment and operational excellence across the organization. 

Since joining SESI in 2021, Monique has spearheaded division-wide initiatives, bringing a strong track record in strategic planning and cross-functional execution. She has dedicated her 20-year career to improving services for children and youth—beginning in the nonprofit sector, teaching high school math, and serving as an Education Pioneers Graduate Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute. 

Before SESI, Monique held senior operations roles at Uplift Education and Relay Graduate School of Education, leading complex school system and project management efforts. She earned her MBA from the University of Dallas and holds a BA in Social Science from Michigan State University. 

Faith Ware is a seasoned educational leader with experience in instructional leadership, special education, and large-scale program development. She currently serves as the Vice President, Programming and Training at SESI.  

Prior to joining SESI, Faith developed Special Education programming with KIPP, where she served as Managing Director of Special Education. Here she provided strategic leadership and coaching across multiple regions, including Newark, Camden, Miami, and Austin. Her work focused on compliance, instructional development, and systemic support for diverse learners in general education, inclusive, and self-contained programs. She successfully led the implementation of IDEA and Title III audits and built high-impact leadership training programs for school teams. 

With a master’s in teaching students with disabilities, concentration in middle grades and autism, and a BFA in Musical Theatre, she brings both creativity and rigor to her leadership. Faith is guided by a clear belief: “there are no such things as ceilings and ALL means ALL.” 

The Core5 values guide how we make decisions, treat each other, and work together to shape brighter paths for children, their families, and our communities. These values are action-oriented—reflecting how our team members live them out in a way that creates impact for life.

Transparent

Communicate clearly, openly, and directly.

  • We share information with each other, students and their families, and our community.
  • We build trust by cultivating a positive work environment.
  • We streamline processes together, so we achieve better.

Decisive

Demonstrate a bias for action.

  • We have a mindset that prioritizes swift and proactive decision-making.
  • We encourage calculated risk-taking, even amid uncertainty or incomplete information.
  • We foster agility, innovation, and results-driven behavior.

Humble

Acknowledge and learn from mistakes.

  • We believe a humble workplace cultivates collaboration, empathy, and openness.
  • We believe that humility encourages teamwork and a positive work environment.
  • We believe that humility, teamwork, and positivity drive organizational success.

Accountable

Embrace personal ownership.

  • We take ownership of our actions, decisions, and outcomes.
  • We are reliable and responsible for delivering on our commitments.
  • We hold ourselves and each other accountable for results.

Inclusive

Promote respect, representation, and belonging.

  • We welcome, appreciate, and support each other.
  • We build authentic teams who do our best work, value diverse opinions, and embrace other’s differences.
  • We care and make a difference to each other and the communities we serve.

 

Contact Us

Whether you’re exploring academic services, professional development, or whole-child solutions, we’re here to help. Fill out the form and a member of our team will be in touch to learn more about your goals.