Our Team

Strength in Knowledge

With more than 150 years of combined leadership experience and work across Districts, County Offices, State Agencies, our thought leadership in the field of SPED is unparalleled.

Leadership

  • Arjun Kushwaha

    Arjun Kushwaha

    Managing Director

    He has more than two decades of special education dynamic leadership experience and has worked with multiple LEAs to improve educational achievements for students with disabilities.

    Arjun has served on various county and State educational committees to streamline resources, data, services and instructional pedagogies. In his role at Expatiate, he is responsible for conceptualizing, developing and launching innovative services to improve special education programs for schools and agencies.

    Arjun strongly believes in the One Student philosophy and advocates tirelessly for removing learning barriers for students with exceptional needs. His demonstrated talent is leveraging technology and developing new models of service delivery designed to promote inclusion. Arjun’s work has benefitted students at school districts, county offices and charter schools by developing and implementing high quality sustainable special education programs.
  • KIM Hopko

    Kim Hopko

    Senior Director
    Consulting Services

    Kim has an extensive background in the field of special education with more than 44 years of experience. She began her career as a Speech Pathologist working in an Aphasia classroom, and then moved into Special Education administration. Kim served in a variety of positions from Assistant Principal, SELPA Director and Director of Special Education for the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), a regional education agency serving 80 school districts. She spent 12 years as Director prior to her retirement in June 2015.

    Kim’s passion has always been meeting the needs of students. She enjoyed being at school sites, working with students and staff. She developed partnerships with the district hosts, engaging them in inclusive education for all special education students.

    Kim gladly accepted the opportunity to contribute her skills in the field of special education with Expatiate Communications as the Senior Director of Consulting Services. She works directly with charter schools and LEAs to provide guidance and support to their special education programs.
  • Alice Parker

    Alice Parker

    National Director of Special Education

    Alice Parker has more than 50 years of experience in the classroom, as a building principal, a district administrator, an assistant superintendent of public instruction for California for 8 ½ years, and as a consultant in special education. Her areas of expertise include public policy and practice as well as special education models that meet federal and state compliance but are rooted in the Multi-Tier System of Success and Response to Instruction/Intervention approach and are focused on improved outcomes for all children at risk of school failure. She has worked as a consultant to state departments of education, local school districts, charter management organizations and agencies, and was the co-monitor for Los Angeles County Offices of Education and Probation’s Settlement Agreement for the Casey A. Settlement Agreement. Parker has provided support, consultation, and training in improving leadership; reducing disproportion; and implementing MTSS/RtI, inclusive preschool options, systems change, and supported living and work options for youth with disabilities, including youth known to the juvenile justice system.

    Dr. Parker was president of Parker Educational Consulting, Inc., the national director for special education for FourPoint Education Partners (formerly Cross & Joftus, LLC), and the chair of the advisory board for Oneder.com. Parker is a past president of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education, the recipient of their Heritage Award, and the recipient of the National Association of School Psychologists’ Friend to Children’s award for advocacy for students and youth with disabilities. Parker has a doctorate from the University of San Francisco in Education-Organization and Leadership, a Masters in Communicative Disorders from San Francisco State University, and a B.A. from Indiana University in Speech Pathology and Audiology.