Get to Know the Authors

Jack A. Naglieri, PhD is a Senior Research Scientist at the Devereux Center for Resilient Children. He started out as a school psychologist in 1975, earned a PhD in 1979 and held university positions at Northern Arizona University, The Ohio State University, and George Mason University. Throughout these years he focused on applied educational and psychological research and the development of psychological and educational measurement tools. Dr. Naglieri is the author of Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test and the Naglieri General Ability Tests: Verbal, Nonverbal and Quantitative. He is also well known for his PASS neurocognitive theory as measured with the Cognitive Assessment System-2nd Edition and the instructional handouts book Helping Children Learn-2nd Edition. Dr. Naglieri has consistently emphasized the role tests play in accurate diagnosis, relevance to classroom intervention and especially equitable assessment based on sound theory. For more information go to www.jacknaglieri.com.

Dina Brulles, PhD, is the director of gifted education in Paradise Valley Unified School District in Arizona as well as the Gifted Program Coordinator at Arizona State University. Her work in these roles, along with her consulting and publications, emphasize and encourage inclusive identification practices and programming in gifted education. Dina serves on the NAGC Board of Directors as Governance Secretary and served two terms as School District Representative. 

Dina received the 2019 and the 2020 NAGC Book of the Year Awards and their inaugural 2014 Gifted Coordinator Award.  She co-authored the books:  A Teacher’s Guide to Flexible Grouping and Collaborative Learning; Designing Gifted Education Programs: From Purpose to Implementation, Differentiated Lessons for All Learners; The Cluster Grouping Handbook; Teaching Gifted Kids in Today’s Classrooms; Helping All Gifted Children Learn; and the Naglieri Ability Test – Verbal (2021). 

Kimberly Lansdowne, PhD, is the founding Executive Director of the Herberger Young Scholars Academy, a secondary school for highly gifted students at Arizona State University (ASU). She has a lengthy career in teaching and administration at universities, colleges, public and private schools. At ASU (2004-present), she develops and teaches undergraduate and graduate level education classes for Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. She typically teaches education courses on curriculum, instruction, testing, measurement and special needs. 

She received the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented Administrator of the Year award in 2014. She has served locally, nationally and internationally in organizations that advocate for gifted students: Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented (2000-2008), National Association for Gifted Children (2003-2010) Diversity and Equity Committee, and Center for Talented Youth, Ireland Advisory Board (2014-present).