Over the last 15 years, I have held positions that have given me the opportunity to work with children and teenagers with special needs, both in classroom and recreational environments. My areas of specialization include working with individuals with dyslexia, OCD, ODD, CP, ADD/ADHD, Down Syndrome, as well as those on the autism spectrum.After completing my Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology at UC Santa Cruz, I obtained a full-time role at Fremont High School as a differentially trained para-educator in a mod-severe classroom. In this position, I gained a great deal of experience in managing the classroom, coaching students both individually and in small groups, and communicating with parents, teachers, and specialists on behavioral and educational strategies to ensure student growth and success. I was then self employed and later became a ABA therapist, furthering my professional experience as as tutor, mentor, and child care provider for children with disabilities. Now that I have sucessfully completed my OTD program at Samuel Merritt University, I am a seeking a position which allows me to practice occupational therapy in a pediatric setting.