With over 30 years of dedicated experience supporting students of all ages—both with and without special needs—I founded Thrive Learning and Behavior to provide targeted, compassionate support where learners need it most. My career spans 24 years in Fairfax County, 8 years in Palm Beach County, and 5 years teaching internationally in England, giving me a broad, deeply informed perspective on educational and behavioral growth.

As a former Special Education Department Chair and Local Screening Chairperson in Fairfax County, I managed the end-to-end evaluation process, ensured strict compliance with timelines, and verified that every Individualized Education Program (IEP) delivered appropriate goals and services. A cornerstone of my work is diagnostic clarity: I am highly proficient in conducting detailed evaluations to pinpoint specific learning deficits, as well as demystifying external psychological and educational evaluations for parents so they truly understand what the data means for their child.

Beyond administrative leadership, my primary passion lies in direct, evidence-based intervention. As a CERI-certified structured literacy specialist who passed the Knowledge and Practice Examination for Effective Reading Instruction (KPEERI), I specialize in helping students navigate dyslexia, reading difficulties, and executive functioning challenges that lead to daily frustration across all areas of the curriculum and their school day. My goal is to transform complex evaluation results into practical strategies that reduce frustration, build self-regulation, and empower every student to thrive

Life Outside of Thrive

Off the clock, I enjoy hiking, sailing, scuba diving: anything outside near mountains or water and to survive winter, I am trying to take after my mother to be stained glass artist. My husband and I are currently embracing the empty-nest life as our son begins his freshman year of college—keeping company with our very full house of two big dogs: a standard poodle and a Great Dane!