Greetings! I am more excited to learn about you, but here is a bit about me. I grew up on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and continue to live in this beautiful place. I have an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina: Chapel Hill, a PhD in educational psychology from the University of Virginia and a graduate certificate in nonprofit and nongovernmental organization (NGO) management from Virginia Tech. I have worked as a professor at Bridgewater College, James Madison University, and the University of Virginia. My applied work is in the education of children with exceptional academic and creative abilities (aka gifted kids.)

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I have two adult children. One is a first year student of environmental science at Virginia Tech. The other is studying for his Masters of Fine Arts at the University  of New Orleans. As a parent I have extensive experience with school refusal behavior, twice-exceptionality (dual gifted and learning disabled labels), perfectionism, intensity, gender/sexual diversity, and parenting strong-willed individuals. And frankly, having a lot of fun while being an advocate for two humans who have become resilient adults!