About

professional Experience

Finding out whether you or a loved one has a specific condition, and learning about one's unique cognitive profile, can be life-changing. Getting answers to your questions will make your life journey more productive and rewarding personally, academically, and professionally.

Put my years of training and experience to work to you. I have conducted thousands of evaluations with children and adults since 2005. I completed Master of Education and Educational Specialist degrees at The College of William & Mary in Virginia and received a principal license from the University of Colorado. I have worked directly with children to provide early intervention in grades K-12 primarily as a school psychologist but also as a school administrator, school social worker, and school counselor. I have years of training and expertise in child development and behavior, interventions, and Special Education. I work regularly with adults to diagnose ADHD, learning disabilities, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. I conduct forensic evaluations and provide trainings for schools, life coaches, therapists, and legal teams. Recent engagements include Columbus City Schools, The Center for American and International Law in Texas, and legal networking forums.

personal Experience

I was an "Army brat." As a child and teenager, I loved military life. Moving every 1-3 years cultivated a sense of adventure and a love of change, but more importantly a deep appreciation for people and their various beliefs, cultures, and customs. With such a variety of experiences across the globe, I saw the commonalities we all share. This developed my curious nature and the keen ability to listen, observe, ask questions, and understand a person's unique traits.

Aside from the military lifestyle, a formative experience for me was living with a family member with disabilities. My Aunt had severe Downs Syndrome and doctors said she would not live past the age of 10 and would never see, walk, or communicate. But with love and nurturance, my Aunt surpassed the odds. She lived a fulfilling and beautiful life until passing in her 60s. One of many invaluable lessons she taught me was how inaccurately people with disabilities may be perceived and how their behaviors and communciation can be misunderstood. Sadly, this can result in biased treatment that is wrong, limiting, and even counterproductive. As a college student when I volunteered to tutor "challenging" students at a nearby school, I found this to be a broader problem affecting people of all ages. This ignited my passion to look beyond the surface to answer the question, "What's really going on?" I have built my career and professional activities around the premise that to provide the best support, we need to understand the person and know what to target.

Approach

Every individual is unique -- in terms of traits, abilities, strengths, needs, and experiences. My comprehensive approach integrates my findings with input from the client and their support system to "put the pieces together" and provide answers and solutions that work.

Why Us?

I bring to your case knowledge of special education, child development, comprehensive evaluation, and the impact of trauma on cognitive and social-emotional development over the lifespan. I am aware of the unique dynamic of the school environment and know the current laws, policies, and best practices. I have worked with a wide array of children, adults, and families over decades to identify and address barriers to success effectively using a "whole person," individualized approach.

facts about learning disabilities

According to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP):

Learning disabilities are neurologically based and involve cognitive processing deficits
Learning disabilities interfere with the acquisition of academic skills
Learning disabilities that are more severe can impact an individual throughout their lifetime
There are various types of learning disabilities
Learning disabilities can often be comorbid with other disorders such as ADHD, autism, or speech and language impairment
Individuals with above average intellectual ability or even giftedness can have a learning disability
Early intervention and evidence-based instruction are critical and can mitigate the impact of learning disabilities, though it is important to seek supports in adulthood too