Joining WILC in Spring of 2014 as the WILC Executive Director, I have loved being involved with working with individuals with special education needs including autism for most of my adult life. I was a teacher aide and media specialist prior to attending UW-Whitewater for my Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary/Special Education, and Masters Program in Emotional Behavioral Disabilities. I have over 35 years teaching experience in public schools grades k-12 and 18-21 in Southeastern Wisconsin. I have always looked for out of the box solutions to meet students and family needs especially involving technology and vocational opportunities from early on and respecting each student as an individual. I enjoy getting to know each of our WILC adult students and their families. My husband and I have a married daughter, and a young grandson who we love spending time with, along with remodeling WILC and our home, cooking, yard work and gardening. I am a lifetime learner.

I joined WILC in May 2017, after graduating from UW-Whitewater where I acquired my Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology. My autism experience started when I was 10, hanging out with my younger cousin with autism on holidays. I helped one on one in a classroom my senior year with a young girl with autism, worked as a behavior coach in line therapy, caregiving, and also respite care. The WILC job fell in my lap through a family I worked with; I couldn’t resist the opportunity and love being a part of the WILC team. In my free time I like to participate in pool leagues, coach youth soccer, hang out with my Iguana, Doc, ski in the winter and play video games with my sister.

I graduated from UW-Whitewater in 2017 with a degree in Business/Human Resources Management. I also have prior experience in medical records, banking, and as an ABA Line Therapist. I joined WILC in May 2018 as an Employment Specialist. My roles have included Job Coaching, Instructional Assistant, the DVR program, and Executive Assistant to the Executive Director. It is my goal to create relationships with businesses in our community that will provide more opportunities for work experiences for our students, and to improve the functionality and organization of the school. My hobbies include reading, cooking, baking, and sewing; however most of my free time is spent with my mother and four younger siblings.

I joined WILC in late 2018. I am the Culinary Instructor, Volunteerism and Business Outreach. I have a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Portland. I have extensive experience in Retail Management. My husband and son are both on the Autism Spectrum and have taught me so much about neurodiversity. I love to cook and I published my first cookbook this year. I look forward to teaching the students how to cook and prepare meals. I spend my free time with my family exploring Wisconsin, or relaxing at home reading and cooking.

I joined WILC in summer of 2019 as a Recreational Therapist. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science and Health in Therapeutic Recreations and a minor in Psychology, after completing an internship at Gio’s Garden in Madison, a non-profit organization whose mission is to nurture and strengthen families with children with special needs by increasing their access to needed services.
After graduation, working in Fort Wayne, Indiana as a contracted Recreation Therapist, providing Therapeutic Recreational programming I served individuals with all ability levels in their homes and community. I developed and facilitated different programs to help my clients improve or create new life and leisure skills to increase their independence. I moved back to Wisconsin to be closer to family and am excited to use my experiences to provide a positive attitude and the patience necessary to recognize and cultivate the potential in others. I enjoy doing crafts and art activities, being outdoors and staying active and working for our family business. As a Recreational Therapist, my experiences and skills will be positive addition at WILC, offering many new opportunities for our students from individualized to small group recreational skills.