About the Author

Most might say that you aren’t defined by your disabilities, and in almost all cases, I completely agree.  However, I don’t know where I would be, or who I would be, if it weren’t for the unique experiences I have had because of my disability.  When I was 15, I was diagnosed with a rare, juvenile form of Macular Degeneration, known as Stargardts Macular Dystrophy (SMD).  As a result of progressive vision loss, I am currently considered “legally blind”, although, I like to think of it more as “partially sighted”.  As a high-school and college student, I struggled endlessly with reading small print textbooks, seeing the professor’s presentation slides, and simply getting around independently in the community.  The first piece of assistive technology (AT) that I received was a dome magnifier (and I still have it!).  I remember the joy and relief I felt at finally being able to read print I hadn’t seen for years!  I have since been fortunate to live in an age where AT for visual impairments has made leaps over the dome magnifier.  I have personally reaped the benefits of these technological advances and I couldn’t imagine my life without these vital tools.  Technology got me through high-school, college, and grad school, and now, technology helps me do my job every day.

I am so fortunate to be able to share my perspective on AT and disability with kids and their families.  I am a speech-language pathologist, born and raised in Hollywood, Florida and currently living in the Seattle area.  I obtained a Masters in Speech-Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Ft. Lauderdale, where I also worked as a lab assistant in NSU’s AAC/AT Lab during my 3 years of graduate school.  It was here, through amazing hands-on experiences and mentorship, that I became enthralled with the power of technology in the therapeutic field.  After graduating, I built my clinical skills in the areas of AAC and AT as a full time therapist at Pediatric Therapy Associates (PTA)  in Plantation, Florida.  Being a part of the PTA family for 4 years allowed me to build amazing personal, professional, and therapeutic relationships with wonderful families and gifted therapists.  I served as AAC/AT specialist at PTA, while also doing private consultations in the school system and in the home for families in need of these specialized services.  I have presented on AAC and AT at the Florida Cleft-Palate and Craniofacial Symposium, as well as intra-office trainings and seminars for PTA families and professionals.  After relocating to Seattle late last year,  I started SNEAK outside the box (SNEAKotb) to stay connected with the colleagues and families I left behind, and to continue enjoying my favorite part of being an SLP, sharing valuable resources to help special kids.  In addition to authoring SNEAKotb, I currently work as a full time speech therapist at Children’s Therapy Center in the Seattle Area.