8 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine ACADEMIA, EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES DENISE GEIGER SENIOR TRANSITION COORDINATOR FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION Leander Independent School District Leander, TX When Denise Geiger chose to leave deaf education after 12 years, she felt both exhilarated and scared. However, this leap of faith into transition services for special education has led to an impactful and fulfilling career during which she has shaped students, their families and the institutions that serve them. Ms. Geiger is the senior transition coordinator for special education at the Leander Independent School District in Leander, Texas, a role she has held since 1999. In this position, she helps students with special needs transition to adult life, aiming to improve their outcomes, whether they choose to attend college or enter the workforce. She also liaises with parents and helps them develop transition plans for their children. In addition to her direct training with students and their parents, Ms. Geiger oversees systems that support individuals with disabilities ages 3 to 22 as they seek sustainable outcomes. She focuses on the early development of self-determination, encouraging students to become aware of their disability and to use their voices in meetings. Ms. Geiger also supports the local high schools’ vocational adjustment team and supports the team working in 18+ transition services to work through systems. She collaborated with high school teachers to create the Transition English 4 class, which serves seniors at the six high schools and uses English language skills to address transition topics. Ms. Geiger’s innovative approach has set new standards within Texas and inspired educators statewide. She has been instrumental in expanding the district’s transition program from minimal service within 18+ from no teacher to nine teachers, 28 job coaches and a principal. There is also now a vibrant Vocational Services program with six dedicated teachers at each high school and 15 job coaches. The school district recently recognized Ms. Geiger by naming a new building for the transition services program in her honor. The Denise Geiger Compass Center can house up to 200 students aged 18 to 22; currently, 148 students attend. It represents the culmination of her work to establish a system that supports students with disabilities beyond high school by connecting the dots of transition to ensure meaningful lives. Ms. Geiger’s career in special education was inspired by her mother, who pursued deaf education at the University of Tulsa when Ms. Geiger was 8. Her mother volunteered with the speech and hearing services community and involved her children in her work, sparking Ms.
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