Sacha Cartagena, Ph.D., is a special education researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Dr. Cartagena supports large-scale research and technical assistance projects related to special education, educator development, and effective teaching practices. Dr. Cartagena directs projects that provide educators and educational leaders with coaching, mentorship, and professional development through virtual or blended learning models. She also serves as a content expert for projects related to Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and High-Leverage Practices for special education and inclusive settings (HLPs). Additionally, Dr. Cartagena coordinated the development of several modules for the PROGRESS Center, a national center originally funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs.

Dr. Cartagena earned her Ph.D. in Special Education at the University of Central Florida, where her dissertation focused on implementing the UDL framework in a virtual module for special educator preparation. She also has experience in higher education, including teaching undergraduate and graduate courses and coordinating internships. Prior to her doctoral studies, Dr. Cartagena served as a special education teacher for students with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder. 

Dr. Cartagena serves as a peer-reviewer for the Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities (ETADD) and Journal of Special Education Preparation (JOSEP) academic journals. Prior to joining the Board of Directors, Dr. Cartagena served as a CEC professional chapter president and served in various other leadership roles for university, state, and division-level CEC components.