Summary
Dr. Turia M. Penkalski is an MTSS Professional Learning Coordinator for the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities PBIS Technical Assistance Center, located within the College of Education and Human Development at the Â鶹´«Ã½AV. She is stationed in Las Vegas, Nevada, where her primary role is to partner with school and district leadership teams to evaluate and sustain Multi-Tiered Systems of Support through technical assistance, training, and coaching across Nevada.
Dr. Penkalski specializes in early childhood education and special education, supporting teachers and young children with and without disabilities in classroom settings. Her areas of expertise include family-centered practices, Pyramid Model practices, and social-emotional and behavioral supports within an MTSS framework. She has more than 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher and has served as a mentor teacher, university instructor, and Nevada Pyramid Model Program Implementation Coach. Her previous experience includes supporting program-wide implementation, facilitating and developing professional learning, coaching leadership teams and practitioners, and supporting data-based decision-making.
Dr. Penkalski received her Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 2026. She also holds a Master of Education in Special Education and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from UNLV. In addition to her work with Nevada MTSS/PBIS, Dr. Penkalski serves as President of the Nevada Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children and teaches in paraprofessional pathways and advanced road to licensure programs for future and current Nevada Teachers at UNLV.
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education (2026), University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- Master of Education in Special Education, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Professional certifications
- Nevada Pyramid Model Program Implementation Coach
- President of the Nevada Division for Early Childhood (DEC)
- University instructor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas