As the daughter of two school administrators both of whom earned PhD's during my early childhood, I learned about education from a young age. Stories about students successes and challenges were a popular topic of conversation around the dinner table. Additionally, my grandmother was one of my biggest role models: she earned her master's degree and taught History during a time when few women graduated college and even fewer worked outside the home. She instilled a passion and appreciation for education, and a commitment of improving the lives of others through academic work.

 

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

 

I earned my bachelor of arts degree in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross. During my four years there, I volunteered extensively in Worcester Public Schools and the Nativity School, particiated in the highly selective Washington Semester Away Program, was nominated into the Psi Chi program, and graduated Cum Laude.

 

I then began working in Burlington Public Schools at the high school as a special education teacher and liaison. At BHS, I created and implemented curricula for two courses: Study Skills and Writing. This role also involved administering, scoring, and writing reports of psycho-educational testing, and delivery of remediation and modified curriculum according to individualized education plans (IEPs). On nights and weekends, I earned my master's degree in special education at Salem State University and completed the Orton Gillingham certification program through Commonwealth Learning Center. I also began my independent professional development by attending conferences and trainings through ResearchILD/Harvard Graduate School of Education and Landmark School Summer Institute. 

 

I quickly realized that I loved working with students one-on-one or at least in small groups, so I began to tutor students privately and Collins Academic Services transformed from a hobby to a growing business within Boston-area suburbs. With the ability to dedicate individual attention, I could get to know the students on a deeper level: together, we determined what worked for them and what didn't work, which was valuable information for me to tailor lesson plans and for the students to get a better understanding of themselves as learners. I created each lesson based upon the individual students' aquisition of skills and strategies from previous lessons, and I offered direct, explicit instruction that appealed to the students' learning preferences.

 

I transitioned to my most recent role of Learning Disabilities Specialist in the Learning Disabilities Program at Northeastern University, which allowed me to work individually with students at the college level. Within the LDP, I delivered individualized support to students with a documented learning disability and/or attention deficit disorder; all students earned admission to Northeastern through the standard admission process, and they had a variety of majors, including nursing, engineering, business, communications, and psychology. During twice weekly meetings, I supported students' transition to college and development of skills and strategies to enhance their performance in the college-level academics. Additionally, I contributed to the Documentation Review Committee, reviewing documentation to determine reasonable accommodations under the ADAAA. 

 

HONORS

 

I co-authored Beyond Accommodations: Strategies for College Students with LD and ADHD and co-presented this manual at two national conferences through Post-Secondary Training Institute and Association on Higher Education and Disability in 2013. 

 

In 2014, Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern University, awared me the Unsung Hero recognition for my exemplary work with students. 

 

Currently, I am collaborating with other Northeastern staff to co-author another publication about college transition for students with learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorder.