As Principal Investigator of the Great Lakes Equity Center, Dr. Thorius (TOR-yuss) developed the center’s design and received funding for its implementation, as well as directs the center’s strategic and research efforts, along with the Co-PIs. She serves as an Assistant Professor of Urban Special Education in Indiana University’s School of Education at IUPUI. Her expertise is in policy and practice related to eliminating racial and linguistic disproportionality in special education, including Response to Intervention frameworks, and educators’ equity-focused professional learning. Previously Dr. Thorius was a Co-Director at The Equity Alliance at Arizona State University, which was the Region IV Equity Assistance Center and served as the professional learning coordinator for two Department of Education national technical assistance and dissemination centers: The National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCRESt) and the National Institute for Urban School Improvement (NIUSI). Dr. Thorius’s research examines the ways in which systemic factors, including educational policy and educator practices and beliefs, converge to shape educational access, participation, and outcomes for students who have been historically marginalized. Dr. Thorius has a strong record of facilitating partnerships with state departments of education and school districts to create inclusive, culturally responsive educational systems. She also has extensive experience developing professional development resources and providing equity-oriented professional development to states, districts, institutes of higher education, and professional organizations.