About Dr. Barbara Vokatis

I am an educator with international teaching experience, keynote speaker, award-winning and bestselling author, therapy dog partner, and parent of a neurodivergent teen. Currently, I am a professor at SUNY Oneonta, in Upstate New York.

I teach literacy courses to both future and current teachers. As a researcher, I have studied learning in innovative courses, innovative inquiry spaces for children, and my innovative animal-assisted education lab in a local elementary school.

Speaking about animal-assisted education and neurodiversity is my passion. In addition, I am also an author of books on animal-assisted education and neurodiversity.

In December 2024 I launched my podcast, Get Inspired with Dr. Barb. This project combines my professional expertise and a personal journey as a parent of an autistic child who experimented with creative animal-assisted education to create a better learning experience for all children, including autistic children. Get Inspired with Dr. Barb highlights creative and innovative ideas that have the power to improve education world-wide.

I believe that all children should learn in collaboration to truly learn about each other, respect each other, and work together to build knowledge they find relevant to their lives. Such a curriculum should be also focused on the strengths each individual child brings to the table.

Please join me on this journey by viewing/listening to the podcast, following it on podcast platforms and sharing these ideas.