Hi, I’m Mary, and I’m so glad you're here. My journey into advocacy wasn’t a straight path—it took me down some unexpected roads that ultimately led me to where I am today, working with families just like yours to make the special education process more understandable and less overwhelming.
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I started my academic career at Indiana University, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Political Science. I always thought I’d be a lawyer—after all, I’ve always had a strong sense of justice and a love for helping others. But after a few life twists and turns, I took a gap year after graduation and ended up at Loyola University Chicago, where I earned my M.Ed. in 2010 and Ed.S. in 2011 in School Psychology (and then way later, earned my Ed.D. in 2020).
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While in grad school I found my passion for working with children on the autism spectrum and thought that would be my "forever path", and for awhile, it was. I spent the majority of my first working years supporting students, families, and educators in their work with students on the autism spectrum. I hosted a variety of different counseling groups and maintained a large individual counseling case load while working at a variety of therapeutic day schools. These years were where I learned how to look at each child holistically and embrace the strengths they brought to the table. I also really began to understand the power of collaboration—working hand-in-hand with families and school teams to ensure that every child had the support they needed to thrive.
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While I loved working in therapeutic settings, I actually spent the bulk of my years as a school psychologist working in Chicago Public Schools. Anyone that has worked in CPS knows that it is trial by fire and I am thankful to have survived, and even thrived while working there supporting students on the South Side of the city aged 3 to 22. The caseload in Chicago was massive and each year I evaluated over 100 students, attending each of their eligibility meetings and then even more IEP meetings. In addition to serving on school based support teams, and facilitating groups for kids dealing with trauma and/or chronic stress, I also took on the role of supervising interns, guiding them to approach each child with an open mind and a whole-child perspective. It was both rewarding and challenging work. I became passionate about helping parents understand evaluation results in a way that made them feel empowered—no longer overwhelmed or frightened by the process. During this time, I started to notice the need for more support for parents navigating the special education system. Working alongside advocates made me keenly aware of the ways that both schools and some advocacy practices could fall short. It sparked a desire in me to help parents gain a clearer picture of their child’s needs and rights—while avoiding the reliance on external supports to the point where children feel disempowered.
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I went back to school in 2015 to pursue my doctorate, again at Loyola. I focused my energy there on strengthening my therapy and collaboration skills. In fact, in 2017, just two months after having my first child prematurely, I had the honor of presenting at the National Association of School Psychologists conference with one of my supervisors in CPS. Our presentation focused on the intern experience in Chicago Public Schools and the importance of having a diverse internship experience to best prepare for a career that could lead a million different directions. My culminating doctoral project, an examination of the lack of training provided in school psychology programs in working with gang-involved youth, was an idea ignited by my passion for working with students in Chicago. I truly thought I would never leave the city. However, when I graduated with my Ed.D in 2020, the world was a different place and my husband and I decided to try a new adventure with our two children and we packed up our things, threw out our snow suits, and moved south to Florida.
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Since arriving in Florida I've spent my time supporting my family at home. I'm enjoying my time volunteering my school psychology skills in my 1st graders class leading math groups and acting as Room Parent for my daughters Pre-K class. Recently, I've felt a call to work with families again, but this time in a position firmly on the side of the child. Always. As a mother of a neurodivergent child, I’ve walked the journey of advocating for my child’s needs firsthand. Even with all my experience and training, I needed support in finding clarity and keeping my heart from overriding my rational mind. That personal experience made me realize how valuable it is to have someone impartial in your corner to help guide you through the special education process.
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Again, I'm happy you're here. I really hope we can work together to give your child what they need to feel seen and supported! I’ve spent my career building a network of like-minded practitioners across the country. If I don’t have the answer to a question, I will tap into my network to make sure you get the guidance you need. My work is deeply rooted in my belief in social justice, and I’m especially passionate about advocating for safe, inclusive schools for all students.
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When I’m not supporting families or working in schools, you can find me spending time with my family and my two dogs, enjoying the beach, reading (I aim for at least 52 books a year!), or getting creative with crafts and painting. I’m also a proud member of The Junior League, where I enjoy volunteering and giving back to my community.
ABOUT MARY
