Where: Early Learning Center | 1227 Wilson Avenue, Sheboygan
Schedule:
- 9:00: Optional Networking, Activities and Session Board Ideas
- 10:00: Welcome from Community Partnership for Children & United Way
- 10:15: Panel Presentation/Discussion (Meet our panelists below!)
- 11:45-12:50pm: Lunch (provided)
- 1:00: Breakout Session 1
- 1:30: Breakout Session 2
- 2:00: Breakout Session 3
- 2:30: PBS Wisconsin Education Presentation, SEL Resources & Closing
- 3:15: Conference End
Register Now!
Event Panelists
Meet our morning session panelists below!
Mary Katarincic was raised in Grafton, Wisconsin and is the third of four children. When Mary was 5 and attended kindergarten for the first time, she knew she wanted to grow up to be a teacher. She has spent her entire adult life advocating for children and families in her community.
Mary earned a bachelor's degree in early childhood education from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. After working for Milwaukee Public Schools for a few months, she realized that to meet the needs of her students she needed to return to school and earned her Early Childhood Special Education degree. Upon completing her special education degree, she continued to take coursework towards her master's degree in early childhood education at the University of Concordia.
Mary's work experience includes 20 years in early childhood special education classrooms in the public-school setting. Recently, Mary has added the role of college instructor to her work resume and teaches early childhood courses for Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. When not dedicating her time working to include students in the early childhood classroom, Mary enjoys spending time with her husband, three adult children, and two fuzzy muppet doodle dogs.
Briana Kurlinkus is a highly experienced Early Childhood Specialist with 27 years of dedicated service in the field of early childhood education. With a strong educational background, Briana has worked extensively with children from birth to school age. Over the course of her career, Briana has held key roles as an educator, director, behavior coach, parent educator and consultant, working in both traditional and non-traditional family settings. Her work includes delivering professional development workshops for educators and parents, emphasizing inclusive practices that support diverse family structures and individual learning needs.
As a sought-after presenter, Briana is known for her engaging, research-based presentations on topics such as:
- Early childhood neuroscience
- Play-based learning strategies
- Supporting diverse family dynamics
- Trauma-informed practices in early education
- Building emotional resilience in young children
- Advancing equity in early childhood education
In addition to their professional experience, Briana remains committed to advocacy work, empowering educators with practical tools to foster development of the whole child, while emphasizing the importance of family engagement and culturally responsive teaching practices. Briana is currently consulting with schools, child care centers and community organizations, providing tailored guidance and training to ensure every child feels valued, supported and encouraged to thrive.
Gail Wilke is a retired Special Education Program Support Teacher and Autism Specialist who currently works part time in Workplace Literacy with the Family Resource Center of Sheboygan County. Gail received her Bachelor’ s and Master’s degrees in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Her focus has always been on providing hands-on support for educators and families when navigating schools and their communities.
Gail is a parent of a son with autism, an experienced instructional coach, and an advocate for all families and neurodiverse individuals. Gail has spoken at numerous conferences and worked with many school districts to help them accommodate all types of learners successfully. Her style is engaging, realistic and problem–solving focused.
