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ABOUT ME

As the mother of a young child with autism in the 1990's, I struggled to make sense of school system and regional center resources. My child was placed in an educational program that we eventually realized was inadequate to meet his needs. 

 

We did not know how to move the process forward and we attended many unproductive IEP meetings that did not result in the changes my son needed.

 

Then I met a more experienced parent who helped me to advocate effectively for my child's needs. Many professionals supported the efforts to meet my child's needs. Eventually my child was able to receive the necessary interventions and placement. It was a long and difficult journey. 

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I began providing advocacy services to other families in 2002. Working with a wide range of student disability profiles, from mild to complex, I have assisted many families to achieve improvements in educational programming for their children.

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I am not licensed to practice law and do not give legal advice. I am not a therapeutic or educational professional, and I don't evaluate or diagnose children or provide educational services to children.

TRAINING

In 2007, I completed the 230-hour Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) program through the University of Southern California (USC) University Centers for Excellence in Developmental  Disabilities (UCEDD) and COPAA. I interned at Protection & Advocacy, Inc. in Oakland (now known as Disability Rights California), and Community Alliance for Special Education (CASE) in San Francisco.

 

In 2018, I completed 18 hours of training to receive an Advanced Advocate Training Certificate at the COPAA 2018 Conference in Monterey, California.

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Since 2002, I have completed over 200 additional hours of special education advocacy training:

  • 2020 California Special Education 2020 (PLI 1-day seminar)

  • 2019 California Special Education 2019 (PLI 1-day seminar)

  • 2019 CAPCA Annual Special-Education Conference (2 days)

  • 2019 COPAA Conference, New Orleans (2 days)

  • 2018 COPAA Conference, Monterey (2 days)

  • 2018 COPAA Pre-conference training: IEP and Beyond (6 hours)

  • 2018 COPAA Pre-conference training: Assessments (6 hours)

  • 2018 Wrightslaw Special Education and Advocacy Training, Oakland (6 hours)

  • 2017 COPAA Conference, Dallas (2 days)

  • 2017 COPAA Pre-conference training: Educational Benefit (3 hours)

  • 2017 COPAA Pre-conference training: Technology (3 hours)

  • 2016 California Special Education 2016 (PLI 1-day seminar)

  • 2016 COPAA Conference, Philadelphia

  • 2016 COPAA Pre-conference training: Mediation

  • 2015 CADRE Trauma-Sensitive Strategies webinar

  • 2015 COPAA Conference, San Diego

  • 2015 COPAA Pre-conference 2-day intensive skills-based training for advocates

  • 2015 COPAA Webinar Series (14 1-hour trainings)

  • 2014 Michelle Garcia Winner/Social Thinking Seminar (3 hours)

  • 2007 COPAA Conference, Baltimore (3 days)

  • 2006 Protection and Advocacy, Inc. Conference (2 days)

  • 2006 COPAA Conference (2 days)

  • 2005 COPAA Conference, Atlanta (2 days)

  • 2004 Wrightslaw Bootcamp (2 days), Sacramento

  • 2004 COPAA Conference, San Francisco (3 days)

  • 2003 COPAA Conference, Orlando (3 days)

  • 2003 Reed Martin Conference (2 days), Sacramento

  • 2002 IDA Executive Processing Seminar

  • 2002 Wrightslaw Advocacy Seminar

  • 1996-2006 many other seminars and conferences, with a focus on autism

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