It’s been an honor to talk with hundreds of young adults about the details of their lives over the 17 years I directed the Accessibility Resources office at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.  In some ways we’re all unique, and also there’s a strong thread that’s similar among all of us— we all want to feel understood, happy, and stable.  The ways we come closer to our goals are wide-ranging, but living a life that’s meaningful and fulfilling is at the core every time.  

Combining my experience teaching in the special education classroom with these many years of providing academic and life coaching to college students, I’ve come to see the long range of time from when young people start their education to where they end up.  I’ve read countless assessment reports, written when students were much younger than they are when they’re sitting with me.  I’ve been in the unique position of meeting the person they became, long after the diagnoses were made and the support systems were provided.  I love talking with them about what works for them and what their obstacles are to getting where they want to be. 

I also enjoy talking to parents and recognize the long and winding road they’ve traveled, and the trust they’ve placed in me, often at the juncture of their child moving out of their home and living in downtown San Francisco.  I’m a parent myself and relate to the concurrent feelings of wanting to help and protect your child and wanting them to develop the skills to be self-reliant and resilient.  

I’m warm and sincere, and I find ways to connect with each client, meeting them where they are. I have a large repertoire of useful strategies, and I make recommendations based on what could work for each individual and what they feel inspired to try. I’m an informed ally, nonjudgmental, and can identify the heart of the matter in a straightforward and compassionate way.

I’m proud to be a longstanding member of AHEAD, the Association on Higher Education and Disability, where I get to share ideas with professionals throughout the country who facilitate equal access to colleges and universities for students.