Joy de los Santos is an educational leader and special education specialist with more than 20 years of experience supporting students, educators, and school systems.
She began her career as a self-contained special education teacher and later spent more than a decade teaching in specialized programs serving students with significant and complex needs. During this time, she collaborated closely with multidisciplinary teams to design inclusive, responsive learning environments and develop instructional supports that help students access meaningful learning.
After 14 years in the classroom, Joy transitioned into educational leadership, serving as a program supervisor supporting specialized programming and guiding staff in implementing effective instructional and behavioral supports. In 2021, she became the Curriculum, Assessment, and Professional Development Coordinator for a special education cooperative, where she currently leads system-wide initiatives focused on strengthening instruction, supporting educators, and improving outcomes for all learners. Her work centers on building educator capacity, strengthening instructional systems, and ensuring that all students—both with and without disabilities—have access to meaningful learning opportunities.
Joy lives in Bourbonnais, Illinois with her husband, daughter, their dog S’mores, and two dwarf hamsters, Tina and Hammy.
