About Us

Mission + Vision

Mission

Kids only get one chance at a quality education.

But too often, kids with unique abilities don’t get a chance at all.

Unique Learners Unite is a nonprofit organization that harnesses the power and beauty of our collective agreement that every child is unique and deserves an education that meets their needs. We won’t stop until each child has access to the schools and resources they need, regardless of their zip code, income, background, or ability!

Vision

A world where every child with unique abilities is seen, safe, included and empowered to succeed in education and all aspects of life.

Who We Are

Unique Learners Unite (ULU) is a 501c3 organization that advocates nationally for students with unique abilities.

Through our Advisory Council of impactful leaders in the unique-learner space and our action arm, we are positioned to have a voice in the arenas of influence. We speak out on public platforms, advocate with state, local, and national governments, propose solutions, provide accountability, amplify the voices of thousands of families, and harness the power of our collective voices to enact meaningful change.

Leadership

Dan Vosnos, Executive Director

Dan brings 20 years of leadership in education to ULU, where he has advanced his vision of the whole child. As a proud father of a 5-year-old son with unique abilities, he recognized early on that his son’s development is of paramount importance to the education he receives. Dan has seen students with unique abilities left behind, ignored, and diminished. He has a passion to lift up unique learners so they can reach their full potential and experience the education they deserve.

Dan launched Unique Learners Unite after a successful 20-year career as an educational administrator, where he served as a high school Athletic Director in the suburbs of Chicago. During that time, Dan developed an unrelenting desire to grow, learn and influence the school and community culture for which he served. His experiences in education enhanced his vision of the whole student and the critical role parents play in their children’s development.

Most importantly, Dan and his wife, Elizabeth, are proud parents of two wonderful children, Ellis (5) and Frances (2). As a father, Dan has grown to understand the challenges parents face when it comes to finding the best education for their children, especially children with unique abilities. Ellis is blessed with an extra copy of the 21st chromosome called Down syndrome. Advocating for Ellis has provided a new lens through which Dan has personally experienced the impact various educational policies have on unique learners. He is now channeling his experiences to bridge conversations between the general education community and the unique-abilities community and to passionately advocate for all students.

Dan is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, earning his Bachelor of Arts in History/Secondary Education. He went on to earn his Master of Arts in School Counseling from Northeastern Illinois University, as well as his Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from National Louis University. He and his family reside in Glenview, Illinois.