As assistant project director for the General Supervision and Timely and Accurate Data (GSTAD) Project, a project of the Kansas State Department of Education's Technical Assistance System Network (TASN), Elena coordinates a team of technical assistance providers to support local educational agencies in a number of areas, particularly general supervision compliance and corrective actions and provides technical assistance to the state department's special education and title services team on IDEA general supervision systems. She is a co-lead for the New Frontier Community of Practice and served as a community of practice co-lead through her work for the American Institutes of Research on the Center for IDEA Fiscal Reporting (CIFR). Elena has over 20 years of experience in education including serving as the former Assistant Director of Special Education for the Kansas State Department of Education. Elena is also a former local special education director, legal consultant, education lobbyist, and secondary English teacher. She holds a Bachelor’s in English/Secondary Education from Washburn University, a Master’s in Education Administration from Emporia State University, and a Juris Doctor from University of Toledo College of Law. She is a licensed district administrator and attorney, and she serves as a board member for Special Olympics Kansas.