Trainers

Dr. Peter Giroux is a full time tenured Professor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. He graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Northeast Louisiana University in 1987. He has a Master’s of Health Science degree (MHS) from Mississippi College and a Doctoral degree (PhD) in Clinical Health Sciences from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He is also a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association (FAOTA). He has numerous presentations, publications and research projects in the areas of occupational therapy; handwriting evaluation, intervention and instruction; and keyboarding evaluation, intervention and instruction. In addition to academic responsibilities, he remains an active practitioner by providing occupational therapy services and assistive technology services in a school-based setting in his hometown of Madison, MS. He has all-encompassing experience serving students with special and exceptional needs in addition to typically developing students. He has utilized LWT programs since 1995 with children of all ages in both public and private schools as well as with children in both regular and special education settings. Peter has been a National Workshop Presenter and consultant for LWT since March of 2000 providing training throughout the United States as well as international presentations and educational workshops.

Katrina Capola has over 18 years of experience in the field of education, which spans from teaching in a traditional classroom setting to online virtual instruction. After having implemented the company’s multisensory lessons and seeing firsthand the positive impact it had on her students, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of the LWT team. During her career, Katrina has been a classroom teacher for Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd & 3rd grades, as well as a reading and math interventionist, providing targeted instruction to diverse learners, utilizing the Response-to-Intervention framework. She has mentored student teachers and worked as a lead teacher, providing coaching on differentiation, tiered instruction, guided reading, Number Talks, integrating vocabulary into math instruction and classroom management. Katrina spent 9 years teaching in a blended-learning school setting and conducted national webinars to share her knowledge and expertise on best practices in virtual instruction.
In addition to presenting for LWT, Katrina is a Professional Learning Consultant for NWEA, a non-for-profit, which developed the MAP Growth Assessment. She is honored to be a part of an organization that tests over 10 million students every year across the globe, in grades K-12. Katrina also takes great pride in her work supporting students with special needs throughout the Chicagoland area. Katrina is a proud graduate of Michigan State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She also received a Master of Arts Degree in Special Education from Concordia University. Katrina holds a professional teaching license in the states of Illinois and Michigan, as well as a Learning Behavior Specialist Endorsement (LBS1). During her free time, she enjoys gardening, crafting, writing, snowboarding and spending time with family and friends.

Kami Bible is an occupational therapist with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy and a Master of Business Administration. She has been an occupational therapist for almost 20 years and has worked as an occupational therapist in the schools in multiple states and various service delivery models, including online school-based therapy. Kami has used the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum with success and loves sharing her stories with other therapists. Kami is a seasoned presenter nationally and at state occupational therapy conferences. She has written two manuals on the use of technology in a school-based program as well as presenting on strategies to strengthen your school-based program. Kami is excited to share her passion about Handwriting Without Tears as a workshop presenter!

Katrina received her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas in 1990. She has provided OT services to children and adolescents in a variety of settings from hospitals, private practice, and public schools. Her experience has reached beyond her OT training in the design and delivery of summer camps and private tutoring services to develop and improve handwriting skills. She believes that collaboration with teachers and parents is essential to student success. Her experience using the Learning Without Tears (LWT) curriculums include her private tutoring services, summer camps, and as a therapeutic intervention in her OT practice. Katrina began presenting for LWT in 2000. As a National Presenter for LWT, she provides training to teachers, specialists, and parents in the use of Handwriting Without Tears, Get Set for School, Keyboarding Without Tears, and Handwriting Assessment.

Bill has represented Learning Without Tears for several years providing instruction on developmental teaching methods to teachers, parents, and caregivers. He serves as an Occupational Therapist at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital and worked with children in the school system for several years. He is Level 1 Certified through HWT and can offer private handwriting services along with various summer handwriting camp(s) through his company Functional-OT. He is involved with the Autism Center at UIHC and has been trained in the various components of TEACCH. He also provides consultative services to the pediatric bio-behavioral clinics and specializes in treating children with feeding disorders. He is trained in various components of ABA and utilizes Constraint Induced Movement Therapy, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and various other modalities intended to increase function.
Bill graduated from St. Ambrose University with a Master of Occupational Therapy and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University. Prior to becoming an occupational therapist, he served in a variety of positions within the aviation industry.

Cathy Van Haute has been a national presenter for Learning Without Tears since 2003. She obtained a Bachelors of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Kansas, and a Masters degree in Child Development from the University of Nebraska. She is also Level One Certified Handwriting Specialist and Neurodevelopmental Treatment Certified. Cathy has been a pediatric occupational therapist for over 35 years. She operates her own therapy business, which provides therapy strategies in both school and home based settings. Through her energy and engagement, she makes Learning Without Tears® an amazing educational experience. Her passion for helping children fuels her dedication to providing top notch training for all attendees.