Education Consultant
Welcome!
I'm so glad you're here
The special education system wasn't designed to be easy for families to navigate. The language is dense, the process is confusing, and the pushback can feel relentless.
That's not a reflection of you. It's not a reflection of how much you love your child. This system was built by institutions, for institutions. There's no reason you'd know how to navigate it on your own, unless you've spent years working inside it.
That's exactly what I bring.
Hi. I'm Katie!
I'm an education consultant and former special education teacher with over 20 years of experience, in classrooms, in IEP meetings, and in the day-to-day reality of what school actually looks like for kids who learn differently. I left teaching recently enough to know exactly what's happening inside those buildings. And I've been doing this work long enough to know how to get your child what they need, strategically, efficiently, and without unnecessary conflict. I serve families across Virginia, with a primary focus on Northern Virginia.
Core Philosophy
Before anything else, I need to know your child. Not just their strengths and needs, but who they are: their quirks, their interests, their history, their preferences, the things that make them exactly themselves. That's not a nice extra. That's the foundation. You can't build a plan that actually works for a child you don't truly know. And nobody knows your child better than you. That's where we start.
Who I Work With
I work with families at every stage.
Maybe your child has been struggling for a while and you're just starting to wonder if they need support. Maybe they already have an IEP that isn't working, or a 504 that isn't being followed. Maybe you've been told to wait, to give it more time, to try another intervention first.
Wherever you are in this process, I can help you understand what your child is entitled to, what the school is required to provide, and how to get there as quickly as possible, without losing the relationships that matter for your child's day-to-day experience at school.
Because an IEP that looks perfect on paper means nothing if it isn't actually working in the classroom.
Specialty Areas
My specialty areas are dyslexia, autism, and ADHD. I have deep experience teaching and advocating for students across all three, from nonverbal students with complex communication needs to twice exceptional students who are excelling academically but struggling in ways that aren't always visible.
I also bring extensive experience with students with moderate to severe disabilities and with students who don't yet have a diagnosis but are showing signs that something isn't right.
Why It Matters
Here's something most families don't know: special education advocacy is an unregulated field. Anyone can call themselves an advocate.
When you're trusting someone to navigate this process for your child, that matters.
I bring something most advocates can't: not just a thorough knowledge of special education law and Virginia state code, but over 20 years inside classrooms, writing IEPs, analyzing evaluations, and understanding what's actually possible for a child on any given school day. I know how to read data. I know how to negotiate. And I never stop learning.