About Me: From Investigator to Advocate

I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Business back in 2013 and have worked as a Credentialing Investigator and Program Manager since 2006. For my entire adult life, my job was to dig through complex paperwork, research obscure regulations, and become a subject matter expert. It wasn't always glamorous, but I was exceptionally good at it.

I just didn’t realize that my entire career was actually training me for the most important job of my life: advocating for my son.

In 2020, everything shifted. My son, Josh, was diagnosed with Jansen de Vries Syndrome (JdVS), Autism, and an Intellectual Disability. We quickly learned a harsh reality of the special needs world: we couldn't afford all the therapies and equipment Josh needed to live his best life, but on paper, insurance said we "made too much" to qualify for Medicaid.

I needed resources I knew absolutely nothing about, and there was no one there to hold my hand. I was lost in a sea of unfamiliar acronyms, unsure of what I was even looking for. I didn't know what I didn't know—and what I didn't know was a lot. When I finally learned about certain programs, I was hit with a new wall of panic: How do I get approved? What are the prerequisites? And how on earth do some of these waitlists take TEN YEARS?

It was completely overwhelming. But luckily, I was professionally trained to dig.

I treated my son's care like the most important investigation of my life. I spent hours digging through the red tape. Every time I looked for one answer, I uncovered ten new resources. I taught myself how to navigate the massive Katie Beckett Medicaid waiver application, gathering mountains of medical records. I learned how to find DME (Durable Medical Equipment) codes and how to translate my son's clinical diagnoses into a language that insurance companies couldn't ignore or deny.

But as I learned these new things and grew more familiar with this world, a question kept nagging at the back of my mind: How do people do this if they aren't already trained to investigate and dig the way that I am? If navigating this system was so hard for me, how much harder is it for someone who isn't well-versed in this kind of research? And then there was the issue of time. I barely had any time to spare, so the digging and learning took forever. What happens to the parents who have even less time than I did?

The terms that used to make me cry from confusion became my everyday vocabulary. From words that felt like a foreign language (Like CHIPRA, GAPP, IDEA, PLAAFP) all the way to Cubby Beds and adaptive clothing, my life looks completely different now than it did when I started this journey with fresh, terrified eyes.

Whenever I met a newly diagnosed parent, I would practically overload them with information because I wanted them to know everything I knew. I was desperate to save them from the hours of digging I had to do. But I quickly realized I needed a better place to put all of this knowledge. Instead of information-dumping on already overwhelmed parents just to ensure I didn't leave anything important out, I needed a resource I could send them to—a place where everything was laid out simply, ready and waiting for them whenever they actually had the mental bandwidth to absorb it. That is exactly why I started this website. It replaces that overwhelming "info-dump" and gives parents the grace, patience, and space to find what they need, exactly when they need it. Since 2020, I have supported so many families with resources, tips, and tricks, but through this platform, I realized I could finally do more.

As much as I have learned on my own, I am committed to being the best possible asset for the families I help. I joined COPAA (Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates) and dive deep into Wrightslaw special education materials. I regularly participate in legal and educational webinars, and I am incredibly excited to officially begin COPAA’s BSEAT (Special Education Advocate Training) courses.

I created this space to expand my reach and help families in a deeper, more involved way. You don't have to spend hours drowning in research, and you don't have to walk this path alone.

I've already done the digging. Let me help you advocate for the life your child deserves.