Wendy Behrens, M.A. Ed., is the Gifted and Talented Education Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education, where she leads and advises educators, administrators, and parents. She provides technical assistance to and collaborates with institutions of higher education, educator networks, and others interested in promoting rigorous educational opportunities.

Prior to her service to the state, Behrens worked as a district gifted services coordinator and a consultant for the Science Museum of Minnesota. She presents frequently on the nature and needs of gifted learners, instructional strategies, comprehensive service design, and policies that support highly able learners. She has been an invited speaker in the United States, Middle East, East Asia, and Europe. Behrens is President of the Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted, and received the President’s Award from NAGC in 2013. She is an elected US delegate to the World Council on Gifted, and a member of NAGC Policy Task Force, Development and Fund Raising Committee, and advisory councils for the Center for Talent Development, and the University of St. Thomas. Behrens co-authored the 2013 Prufrock Press and NAGC co-publication Exploring Critical Issues in Gifted Education: A Case Studies Approach and a soon-to-be-released book of case studies on differentiated instruction.