# data[].attributes.body
Hi everybody! I'll be your instructor for the course. I have taught at NAU for the last 9 years and work as an ESS Director for a charter school in Tempe (New School for the Arts and Academics). This past year, I taught at Tianhua University in Shanghai, China. I am married with three children. We love going to concerts, traveling, and spending as much time as possible with family. I hope you enjoy the class!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello All,

I am excited to start this course. I am in my 10th year of teaching this school year and in my 6th year in resource. I am currently pursuing my masters in education leadership. I have been married for 12 years this year and have two sons (10 and 7). My youngest that you will see on the left side with my husband has level 3 Autism. He was diagnosed 3 years ago and my husband and I have been really grown into the view of the world through his eyes. I am excited for this course as my aspirations to learn more about Autism always have room for growing. Raising an Autistic child is our purpose and we love it everyday, even the difficult days. :) As you can see, we are a Disney family and love going to Disney at least twice a year!

# data[].attributes.body
Hi Everyone!

I am a Certified Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (C-SLPA), and I am currently pursuing my Master’s in Clinical Speech-Language Pathology at NAU! I am working as an SLPA in Scottsdale, Arizona while completing the program & I will be graduating in just over a year! I have several children with Autism on my caseload, and I am excited to continue learning new ways to support the them - both inside the therapy room and out! I absolutely love this field and I am looking forward to growing my skills to better serve the students I work with.

Outside of school and work, I enjoy reading, spending time outdoors, hanging out with family and friends, and traveling. Here’s a picture of me (pink headband) with my family in Copenhagen, Denmark last October! Looking forward to this class with all of you :)

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone~!

My Name is Sophia Griffin and I am a 22 year-old special education assistant at a very small school in rural Arizona. We have two non-verbal students whom I'm hoping to gain a better understanding of, while also learning how to ensure they are happy and ready to learn!

# data[].attributes.body
Hi everyone!

My name is Demaurice Basile, but I go by Dem. I am a Speech Language Pathologist in Paradise Valley Unified School District. I currently work at a special education preschool and a Level D behavioral school that serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade with emotional and behavioral disabilities. I work primarily with children on the autism spectrum in my preschool program. I was born and raised in Phoenix and completed my undergraduate degree at Northern Arizona University and my graduate degree at Midwestern University. I have been an SLP for eight years and feel incredibly grateful to love what I do and to work alongside so many dedicated professionals. I live with my husband and our three year old son. At this stage of life, most of my time is spent keeping myself and my toddler alive, but I still enjoy long walks through TJ Maxx and browsing Zillow for houses I will never be able to afford. Lately, I have also developed a greater interest in cooking and enjoy preparing meals for my family during the week.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone! My name is Kelsey Bretl.
I was born and raised in Wisconsin—Go Pack Go!—and moved to Arizona about thirteen years ago. I met my husband here, and we welcomed our baby boy in early January! Family means everything to me, and our Bernese Mountain Dog, Hazel, has definitely been our first “baby.” She keeps us busy and brings a lot of joy to our home.

Professionally, I’m passionate about education and helping students grow both academically and personally. I enjoy collaborating with others and learning new strategies to support student success. Outside of work, I love spending time outdoors, exploring new restaurants, and relaxing with my family and friends.

I’m really looking forward to getting to know everyone in this class and learning from each of your experiences and perspectives throughout the semester!

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My name is Chelsea Dake. I teach in Tempe Elementary District at their traditional academy. I am currently teaching 4th grade, but will be moving to 1st grade next year. I currently have two autistic students, so I am excited to apply what I am learning from the course into the classroom. I am a happy, busy mom of three wonderful kids. When I am not spending time with my kids, I enjoy running, reading, and working on my house.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Katie Stacey and I am a Speech Language Pathologist in Phoenix, AZ. I serve students from preschool to sixth grade, many of whom happen to have Autism. While I love being an SLP my favorite title/role is "Mom". My family and I love being outdoors and now that my kids are getting a bit older we are getting back into traveling which has been super fun. Excited to learn some new things so I can better serve my community!

# data[].attributes.body
Hi Everyone! My name is Kerstyn Linde and I'm a Speech Language Pathologist in the Paradise Valley Unified Schools District. I have been practicing as an SLP for 3 years now. I absolutely love my job and working with Elementary school aged kids. They're so much fun! In addition to working with the general education students, I also work with a program for students with Emotional Disabilities. Whether it's in the specialized program or within the general education classroom, I am always working with individuals with Autism so I am always looking to improve my skills to help support their needs. I'm looking forward to learning a lot from this class and being able to apply it to my everyday work!

# data[].attributes.body
Hi everyone!

My name is Jessica. I graduated from ASU with a degree in Applied Biological Sciences. My whole life I thought I was going to be a vet...but when I actually tried working in the vet field, I knew it wasn't for me. I currently work as an instructional assistant at an elementary school in Mesa, Arizona. I don't know if I want to become a teacher or a SLP/SLPA, as I am considering both fields. I am taking this class not only as a professional development requirement, but also as a way to learn more about autism and what career I would fit in to.

# data[].attributes.body
Hiya everyone! My name is Emiley Flores, and I’m currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Clinical Speech-Language Pathology at NAU. I’m almost done with my program, just one more summer to go!

Right now, I work as a Speech-Language Therapist (not quite a pathologist yet!) at an elementary school in a small border town in the Imperial Valley of California. I have a caseload of 65+ kiddos, and I truly love working with each of them. The paperwork isn’t always my favorite part, but my kids constantly remind me why I chose this field and keep me motivated every day.

Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, fishing, and hunting, antiquing, and pretty much anything outside! I also enjoy volunteering at my church, where I help out in a class for kiddos with special needs, it’s such a meaningful experience for me.

My passion for this field started early. I grew up in and out of classrooms since my mom was a special education teacher, and I loved being around that environment then, and I still love it now.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello Everyone! My name is Justine Pasillas. I am a pediatric school-based Physical Therapist. I graduated with my DPT in 2021 and also have experience in outpatient orthopedics and home health. I was born and raised in SoCal. I moved to Arizona in 2013 for college, and have been here ever since. I currently work at Dysart Unified School District, serving students from Preschool through 12th grade. In my spare time, I love spending time with my high school sweetheart, loved ones, cats, cooking, and baking. When time and funds allow, I also enjoy traveling and going to Disneyland as much as possible. I look forward to learning and growing with all of you. (:

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone,

My name is Miguel, and I have been teaching in Phoenix for the past 20 years. I spent 17 of those years teaching 8th grade and am currently teaching 6th grade. Prior to my teaching career, I worked in Parks and Recreation in the Washington, D.C. area, supporting school-aged child care programs for several years.

I hold a B.A. in History from George Mason University and an M.Ed. in Secondary Education from Arizona State University. Throughout my career, I have worked in Title I schools, primarily serving immigrant communities and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

More recently, I have developed a strong interest in education reform. I have had the opportunity to meet with legislators and lobbyists to share my perspective as a classroom teacher and contribute to ongoing policy conversations.

I’m excited to be taking graduate-level courses again in a field I’ve long been connected to, but am now exploring more deeply.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi everyone! I’m excited to be part of this class. I’ve been working as an ESS Director for the past several years (they all start to blend together!), and before that I spent about 20 years teaching middle school reading and history.

Outside of work, I’m a big Disney fan and try to visit at least once a year. I also love swimming and spending time at the beach whenever I can. Family is really important to me—my husband and I are adjusting to having three adult children who now have homes and lives of their own, and we’re enjoying our role as grandparents to two wonderful grandkids.

At home, my cat Chloe keeps me company—especially during my swim time, when she’s busy bird-watching nearby.

Looking forward to learning with all of you!