Projects
Dr. Katie has met individually with thousands of teens + young adults to support their college plans, and has seen up close the dynamic challenges when Neurodivergent needs are not wholly supported. The reasons for why support services don’t hit the mark can be complex, but statistics related to employment and other life challenges, are undeniably abysmal.
@AutismNERD, we're empowered to do something about that.
Dr. Katie has the eye+experience on what works and why. Therefore by working simultaneously with both families and organizations, she aims to know first-hand what makes a right-fit resource and support clients with a personalized connection.
By partnering with select Colorado-based organizations, Dr. Katie provides consultative leadership to companies, non-profits, legislative policy, and schools toward assurance for understanding of ND student needs, comprehensive programming, and making resources a right-fit. By supporting organizations that support ND students and their families, Katie believes as a society we can build more effective and accessible resources that serve broader and more diverse individuals who deserve better support to meet their educational potential.
While many Ed and ND consultants may work with clients anywhere, Dr. Katie aims to be uniquely Colorado. Virtual services can be an option, and Katie views in-person working relationships as highlighting a social justice necessity, in particular, for spatial and kinesthetic learners. Serving both organization and family clients in-person, at least part-time, assures Katie has a well-rounded and comprehensive insight on what makes all types of clients right-fit connections to the services and resources they need most.
Foremost, Katie’s mission with AutismNERD is to build a network of resources that can be most supportive for a family like hers, and to treat her clients with the support and connections as she would for her own family. See the list of projects below for the roster of Katie’s current work. If you are interested in being a part of the AutismNERD mission, we would love to meet you: please connect with us at AutismNERD@gmail.com or on LinkedIn
As a board member, Dr. Katie organizes logistics for 2022's Walk for Autism, writes ASD guides focused on Colorado, improves the Autism Society's data collection efforts, and helps with advertising.
In 2022, Dr. Katie is reworking ASC's Autism 101 program and will serve as co-facilitator. This professional development training, offered to communities across Colorado, aims to improve public awareness of ASD and can be tailored according to an organization's need.
The bill asks post-secondary institutions to increase the data they track related to postsecondary outcomes for students with a disability, specifically graduation rates. Dr. Katie partnered with CDHE representatives to edit the bill proposal language, will partner with Colorado House Rep. David Ortiz (D-38) to present the bill to the General Assembly (anticipated Spring 2022), and plans to serve as a task force candidate (anticipated Fall 2022).
Bill HB22-1255 was approved Feb 14, 2022.
JeffCo Public School District
Dr. Katie is a credentialed substitute teacher in JeffCo Public Schools, and she offers SpEd support for elementary programs, especially Shelton Elementary School. She regularly volunteers for new teacher hiring committees, with particular focus on SpEd lead teachers.
Dr. Katie is also a parent representative for JeffCo's SpEd division middle school ASD center-based pilot program for academic year 2021-2022. Pilot schools include Moore, Drake, Bell, and Summit. She is also a volunteer parent focus group facilitator for data gathering purposes.
Dr. Katie qualifies and certifies special education (SpEd) teachers. Her goal is to support efforts to patch teacher pipeline leaks and employment placement.
Dr. Katie partners with UNC's SpEd program faculty to support post-baccalaureate, MA, and PhD candidates. She also contributes to pre-teacher training opportunities, guest teacher speaking events, and job fair recruitment.
Opening in Fall 2022, Prospect Academy is a public, grades five through eight charter school serving students with learning disabilities, regardless of medical diagnosis. As the academics committee chair, Dr. Katie led hiring of 20+ qualified teachers and support staff. She created a hiring rubric and faculty annual review documents.