John Rubano
Education & Outreach
John Rubano brings more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit organizations, education, direct care, special education, and behavioral health to his role in Education & Outreach at Carolina Waterfowl Rescue. Throughout his career, his work has centered on education, mentorship, and supporting children and adolescents with disabilities and complex behavioral and emotional needs.
John began his nonprofit career in 2001 with The Salvation Army, where he served as a Curriculum Coordinator. Over the following two decades, he accumulated extensive direct-care and educational experience working with children and young adults, including individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), specific learning disabilities (SLD), social-emotional disabilities (SED), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other health impairments (OHI).
In 2012, John became a licensed teacher and went on to work extensively in special education and therapeutic educational environments. His professional experience includes teaching and providing direct care in residential settings at Tennyson Center for Children, as well as serving in educational and behavioral-health roles with the Mental Health Center of Denver, now WellPower. These experiences gave him a multidisciplinary background encompassing education, behavioral science, crisis intervention, and hands-on direct care.
John holds a Master's degree in Education with an emphasis in Special Education and Challenging Behavior, as well as an Associate degree in Graphic Design. He later pursued additional studies in Behavioral Science, Psychology, and Sociology through CSU Global. He holds a Special Education Generalist teaching license covering kindergarten through age 21.
Throughout his career, John has developed particular expertise in individualized education planning, behavioral intervention, crisis intervention, and positive behavioral support. He has served as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) specialist and leader and has led more than 200 IEP meetings, collaborating with students, families, educators, and multidisciplinary teams to develop individualized educational and behavioral supports.
His additional professional training and certifications include Qualified Medication Administration Personnel (QMAP) certification, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), and CPR certification. He has also provided freelance behavioral-health consulting, mentoring, and respite-care services.
At Carolina Waterfowl Rescue, John brings this extensive background in education, behavioral science, and youth development to the organization's education and outreach programs. His experience adapting instruction for people with different abilities, learning styles, and support needs provides a strong foundation for creating educational experiences that make information about animals, wildlife, conservation, and responsible stewardship engaging and accessible to a wide range of audiences.
John's interests outside of work reflect the same combination of creativity, teaching, and mentorship that has shaped his professional career. A lifelong musician and multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, guitar, ukulele, harmonica, drums, and bass and has experience teaching guitar and percussion. He is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, holds a purple belt, and has taught the sport to children.
Above all, John considers being a parent one of the most meaningful roles in his life. His experiences as a father, educator, mentor, musician, and behavioral-health professional have shaped his belief in meeting people where they are and helping them develop confidence, curiosity, and a greater connection to the world around them. He now brings that philosophy to CWR, using education as another way to foster compassion for animals and a deeper understanding of the natural world.