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Consultant spotlight: Elizabeth (Lily) McDonagh
The New England Consortium on Deafblindness is excited to introduce everyone to our new Education Consultant, Lily!
The New England Consortium on Deafblindness is excited to introduce everyone to our new Education Consultant, Lily! Lily earned her master’s degree from Boston College in 2019 and is currently enrolled in the Teacher of the Visually Impaired program at UMass Boston. She has extensive experience working as a life skills teacher for students with severe and multiple disabilities and is passionate about special education. Welcome, Lily!
Tell us a little about your background?
I started in this field as a teaching assistant in the Deafblind Program at Perkins School for the Blind, where I discovered my passion for special education. I graduated from Boston College with a Masters degree in Severe Special Education and I’m currently working towards a Masters in Teaching the Visually Impaired (TVI) at UMass, Boston. I’ve spent the past few years teaching life skills at The Campus School at Boston College, which was an incredible experience. I’m excited to use the experience and education I’ve acquired over the past few years in my new role as an Educational Consultant at NEC.
What do you love most about working in this field?
The dedication and passion of the teachers and students I’ve met in the past few years has been nothing short of extraordinary. I’m lucky to be in a field where you can build such strong relationships with students, families, and communities.
What’s one of your favorite memories from working with families?
It’s difficult to select one memory when special moments happen every day, but I think one of my favorite memories of working with families was the strong relationships that grew from teaching remotely. Virtual learning has brought so many challenges to education, but it did serve as a way to bridge the gap between home and school in a way nobody expected. I got to meet so many of my students’ siblings and pets!
Tell us something about you that might surprise us.
I am a Mets, Jets, and Knicks fan. My New England students have a lot to say about that!
You’ve got a day off, what are you doing?
On my day off I might be hiking, beekeeping, or hanging out with my friend Jack (the boy in my picture)! Jack and I both love baseball. As a matter of fact, that picture was taken right after Jack hit a homerun!
