Rita Ellis

Rita is the Teaching and Technology Specialist for our team. She provides direct transition services to students throughout our service area, such as assessments and seminars. She also provides a variety of direct services to teachers, staff, parents, and community members, such as technical assistance, training, and coaching. Rita has always been about helping people to be the best they can be regardless of their challenges and providing the supports necessary to help them achieve their goals. In addition to the work she does with our team, she also serves on a variety of state and local transition council boards, and is currently a CEC Liaison and Membership Chair for the Florida Division on Career Development and Transition Executive Board. Over the span of her career in Education, she has presented at a variety of state and nationally recognized conferences. Prior to joining our team in 2015, Rita taught in a Lee County center school for almost 20 years. While teaching, she was honored to be selected as a Golden Apple Finalist and as the Lee County High School ESE Teacher of the Year. Rita holds a bachelor of Science degree in Special Education K-12 and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, with a focus in Instructional Technology, both from Florida Gulf Coast University. She previously received her national board certification as an Exceptional Needs Specialist. She resides in SW Florida with two entertaining Boston Terriers, Roxie Dee and Monte Python, and one very feisty cat, Peaches, aka Diesel. When not working, Rita enjoys spending time with her fur babies, creating works of art, cooking, cycling, and reading.