Sarah Nichols is a professional development specialist at the Early Intervention Training Program (EITP), a program of the Department of Special Education in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ms. Nichols specializes in community of practice development, instructional design, and development and facilitation of synchronous and asynchronous web-based learning opportunities. She leads statewide and national communities of practice and manages online workspaces for service coordinators, early interventionists, training consultants, and administrators participating in communities of practice. Ms. Nichols is a member and leader of the CoP Development Group which supports CoP facilitators across the nation who seek and share strategies for developing, growing and sustaining CoPs for professionals in early childhood intervention. Ms. Nichols also leads the Early Intervention-Early Childhood Professional Development Community of Practice (EI-EC PD CoP) and its numerous sub-groups which include professional development specialists, technical assistance providers, faculty, administrators, supervisors and program coordinators from across the nation. Ms. Nichols is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), an active member of the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) currently serving as the Professional Development Strand Leader on the Personnel Preparation Committee and is a former Co-Leader for the DEC Professional Development Special Interest Group (DEC PD SIG).
