Kat is a Colorado native and she misses the mountains greatly as she currently hails from Ann Arbor, MI. She has natural two sons 15 1/2 months apart. They will both be freshman entering high school this fall. Her oldest is medically challenged which has led to rare genetic duplication which caused global delays, asthma, alopecia, and diabetes type 1. Kat’s youngest is gifted, ASD, and ODD.

Kat is a second-generation special educator. The endorsement she earned in Massachusetts would be comparable to a mild cognitively impaired certificate. She has nearly a decade of experience in the residential treatment, group home atmosphere. Kat has worked up from direct care staff to director of a group home, to writing IEP/FBA/ and BIPs under a licensed psychologist in residential treatment.

Kat has taught classes in a residential treatment placement and Sylvan Learning Center groups in Compton and L.A. school districts. She was the director of education for Dearborn Sylvan before raising her children.

Since she acknowledged her youngest son’s medical diagnosis of Autism in the summer of 2015, she has begun work to shift her mindset about evidence-based behaviorism and its effectiveness. Along the way, she is aligning Stuart Shanker’s Self-Reg, and Kelly Mahler OT ‘s Introception. These bottom approaches align with Mona Delahooke’s work as well.

Kat is looking forward to working with all of you to advocate preventative measures over intervention strategies which lead to restraint and seclusion far too often.