Jo Anne Blades, J.D. is a retired Attorney in Oklahoma. Her great love in the law is special education. She interprets special education law, not in a way that favors parents or schools, but in the spirit of the meaning of education law under the IDEA.

Jo Anne began her career as a teacher for 15 years. She has a great love of children and looked for other ways to support them as an attorney. She practiced law after teaching, focusing her practice in special education. She was an attorney consultant to the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth in IDEA and 504 issues. Her work with OCCY included assisting the Legislative panel on problems of dispute resolution and due process in Oklahoma.

In 2005, she had the honor of joining the working the Special Education Resolution Center of Oklahoma State University as Assistant Director/Program Manager. Her tenure continued 18 years until she
retired on the last day of 2023. She now consults on special education matters. She delights in serving on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Parents Center. Her career prepared her for the most exceptional journey of raising a neurodivergent granddaughter.

Her life has been, and continues to be, rewarding!