Biography

Dr. Rachel Santa is the Director of Special Services for the Cumberland School Department as well as an adjunct lecturer for the Community College of Rhode Island. She has her doctorate in educational leadership and advanced education in autism studies. Early in her career, she was a music therapist and special educator for a state mental health hospital and for a residential facility for adjudicated students with emotional and behavioral health needs. She then developed and taught for an alternative learning program in a public high school. Rachel uses her therapeutic and creative background to develop systems of support to meet the academic, functional, and emotional needs of students while remaining in a public school setting.