The Pod Squad: Gifted Ed Bestie Chat with Aritia Smalls, Lisa Pagano & Trinette Atri

Aritia Smalls brings nearly two decades of educational expertise to her role as Advanced Learning and Gifted Education Coordinator. A deep-seated passion for student potential defines her career; she works tirelessly to ensure that advanced resources and academic support are accessible to all students, empowering them to reach their full potential.Lisa Pagano currently serves as the Director of Advanced Studies for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). Lisa brings over 20 years of dedicated experience in gifted education. Throughout her career, Lisa has been recognized for her contributions to education innovation, i Lisa holds advanced certifications and degrees in School Leadership, Gifted Education, and Curriculum and Instruction. An accomplished educator and published author, she has shared her insights on gifted education in various professional publications, including Parenting for High Potential. She is thrilled to work on and co-host the podcast, They’ll Be Fine. Lisa has worked as a Per Diem Consultant with Thinking Maps for the past 8 years. She also works with schools and districts through her gifted education consulting business, bright & brilliant, LLC.Trinette Atri is a National Board Certified educator with 21 years of experience and an AIG Instructional Specialist for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, supporting gifted education across 100+ elementary schools. She serves on the NCAGT Board as a Presidential Appointee and co-hosts the podcast They’ll Be Fine. Trinette is also the longtime Program Director of Spectrum of the Arts, a summer program for students gifted in the arts. She also taught AIG teacher licensure courses at Queens University of Charlotte and holds degrees from Boston College and the University of Bradford in the UK.