Deborah Rooks-Ellis, Ph.D.

TA Consultant

Deborah L. Rooks-Ellis began her career in early intervention/early childhood special education in 1990, having worked in Georgia, Maryland, Arizona, and Maine. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of Arizona in low incidence disabilities in 2009. Deborah is currently an assistant professor at the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development and coordinates the early intervention master’s program. Her research interests include personnel preparation and implementation fidelity of early intervention strategies for very young children with developmental disabilities and autism. Deborah has directed two OSEP personnel preparation grants to support EI/ECSE, as both principal investigator and Co-PI. Additionally, Deborah has been awarded four cooperative agreements with the Maine DOE to provide professional development to educators working with young children with autism and their families. Her leadership positions include serving as program coordinator, as a board member with The American Council for Rural Special Education, and a Gubernatorial appointment to the Maine Interagency Coordinating Council. Deborah lives with her husband, Matt, and four children in Bangor, Maine.