I have been working with families with autistic children for over 20 years and I've spent most of those as a Child Facilitator and Teacher at the Autism Treatment Center of America, training parents and professionals worldwide in the Son-Rise Program — a relationship-based, play-centered approach for supporting autistic children. When the organization closed, I co-founded the Loving Growth Collective alongside fellow long-term teachers Becky Damgaard and Susan Humphries, with the blessing of the Son-Rise founders, to carry this work forward.

Together, we created the JOIN Program — built on the original Son-Rise principles while integrating updated neuroscience, developmental research, and caregiver-centered support for autism. We believe connection, play and love are the foundation for meaningful growth, and I've dedicated my career to helping families experience that firsthand.