Lori A. Irvine, MEd, with four decades of expertise in her profession, is an educational consultant in special education at Lighthouse Learning & Resource in Texas, where she develops curricula and designs strategies and interventions tailored to students’ needs, among other responsibilities. Previously, Ms. Irvine devoted 20 years to working with the Katy Independent School District (ISD) in Texas. She first joined the District in 2005 as a life skills teacher and was later promoted to Young Children with Autism Program teacher, lead teacher for life skills special education, and, last, program specialist for elementary life skills.
Concurrently with those roles, beginning in 2014, Ms. Irvine worked as a consultant for Holly and Ivy Autism, providing guidance on best practices for supporting students with autism. By the time of her retirement from the Katy ISD in 2025, she oversaw more than 50 classrooms and 100-plus paraprofessionals. Her foundational experience in education included tenures with the Boerne and Duncanville Independent School Districts. Her career began in 1985 as a special education teacher with the Margaret Chapman School for Exceptional Children (now the Hawthorne Foundation).
Among her most notable achievements, Ms. Irvine is especially proud of her international work in Moldova. Over the course of four years and five visits to the country, she trained general education teachers to integrate students with special needs into mainstream classrooms. Ms. Irvine’s efforts helped educators overcome apprehensions about the transition to inclusive education by equipping them with practical strategies and support.
Ms. Irvine’s contributions to her field were born of her academic background. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in special education and teaching from the University of Sioux Falls in 1984, followed by completing coursework in behavioral science at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Subsequently, Ms. Irvine earned a Master of Education in educational psychology from Texas A&M University in 2009. She has been certified in general special education, ED/autism, and English as a Second Language through the United Latino Students Association.
Attributing her success to compassion, faith, and the encouragement of family and friends, Ms. Irvine is recognized as an attentive listener who fosters strong relationships with teachers, paraprofessionals, and families. She values continuous learning from experts, integrating research-based methods, including applied behavior analysis, known as ABA, and the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication-Handicapped Children or TEACCH approach into her teaching practice. Ms. Irvine’s dedication was recognized when she was awarded the Smart Board Activity Preparation Grant from the Katy ISD Education Foundation in 2013.
A loving matriarch with two children and two grandchildren, Ms. Irvine cherishes time with her family and enjoys swimming, singing, and reading in her personal time. Though retired from full-time teaching, she is eager to continue expanding her impact on special education and society—simultaneously pursuing opportunities for international collaborations and ways to support underserved communities in the Houston area.
Ms. Irvine is particularly focused on developing a sensory curriculum at Lighthouse Learning & Resource to enable parents and educators to better address students’ needs in school and at home. This endeavor is the latest in her legacy of unwavering dedication to improving the lives of the young people with whom she works.