Dr. Christie Bonfiglio joined the faculty at the University of Notre Dame in 2014. Drawing on her background in school psychology and special education, she founded the Program for Inclusive Education (PIE) in 2016 to expand access and opportunity for students with diverse learning needs in Catholic schools. Through PIE, Dr. Bonfiglio has worked to equip educators and school leaders with the knowledge, skills, and systems needed to build inclusive school communities where every student can thrive.
Before joining Notre Dame, Dr. Bonfiglio served as Chair of the Education Department at Goshen College after beginning her career as a school psychologist in public education. Her areas of expertise include academic and behavioral intervention, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), collaborative problem-solving, child study teams, and cultivating inclusive school cultures.
Dr. Bonfiglio’s scholarship focuses on translating research into practice to improve outcomes for students with diverse learning needs. She has published on the effectiveness of evidence-based reading interventions and function-based behavioral interventions and served as co-editor and contributing author of the special issue Inclusion in Catholic Schools for the Journal of Catholic Education.
Most recently, Dr. Bonfiglio founded Better Together Learning Design, LLC, a consulting organization that partners with Catholic schools and dioceses to build sustainable, inclusive learning communities. Guided by the belief that every learner is created with inherent dignity and unique gifts, her work is dedicated to helping schools ensure every student belongs, develops, and is empowered to flourish within the Catholic educational community.