Shelley Hawkes is an international special educator passionate about the inclusion of students with differences in international school settings. She spent the last two years expanding the middle school learning support program at the American Community School of Amman, Jordan. Her previous school, the International School of Kuala Lumpur, received the International School Award for Initiative to Support Inclusion based on the Life-Centered Education program Shelley helped create. Shelley has spoken at several conferences across the Middle East and SouthEast Asia promoting the acceptance of students with autism and other differences. In 2018, she was the keynote speaker at the Special Education Network in Malaysia annual conference. Shelley co-authored the Next Frontier Inclusion (NFI) publication, Challenge Accepted.
Shelley has a master’s degree in teaching and curriculum (specific to autism spectrum disorder), and a bachelor’s degree in special education. When not teaching, Shelley enjoys traveling with her husband and three children, yoga, reading (preferably on a beach), and planning themed parties.
