What brought you to Apraxia Kids?

The first time I had ever heard the word “apraxia” was when I saw this job posting. My background is in marketing and I knew I had a passion for nonprofit work and helping children so I decided to apply! Once I learned more about this organization, I realized quickly that this was  something I was passionate about. After I posted online about my new position, it was amazing to see so many friends and family members say, “my neighbor was just diagnosed!” or “I had a student with apraxia!” and suddenly I was shocked that it was something I had never heard before. 

What is the biggest impact Apraxia Kids has had on your life?

Being involved with Apraxia Kids has given me the opportunity to connect with so many incredible people! I was so nervous for last year’s National Conference since it was my first time being around our community in-person. That changed very quickly within the first hour of being there! I quickly realized how accepting our community is and how much everyone is willing to be there for each other. After the National Conference, we had our Walk for Apraxia in Pittsburgh and it was so fun to reunite with familiar faces! I then decided I wanted to drive to my hometown of Hershey, PA to participate in the Hershey Walk for Apraxia as well! It was a wonderful experience connecting  with my local community and even better to meet up with some long time friends that came out to support Apraxia Kids! It was such a great way for me to see just how small (and big!) our apraxia world is!

Do you have any advice for the apraxia community / someone just starting on their journey?

My biggest advice to anyone starting their apraxia journey is simply, know you are never alone! It might sound cliche to say, but it is true. When you reach out to Apraxia Kids, you are reaching out to a real human (and oftentimes if it’s through social media, it’s me!). I think human connection is so important and I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with numerous families and professionals and direct them to the resources they need to best support their Apraxia Stars. Always feel free to message us and ask any questions you may have along your journey – we are here for YOU.

Do you have a personal connection to apraxia?

When I started working for Apraxia Kids, I did not have a personal connection to apraxia. Now, I feel like I do! One of my favorite things about working at Apraxia Kids is getting to interact with families. I love logging into our Facebook groups and seeing an Apraxia Star’s success story posted or even just being able to connect a parent with a resource they need for their child. Communicating with our families has allowed me to make friends within our community and I love being able to see our Apraxia Stars achieve so many of their goals! 

How has your contribution made an impact on the apraxia community?

I like to think that my impact on the apraxia community is “connection.” I am fortunate to be the middleman for a lot of questions that come through and I get to direct people to the resources we have that can help them. Being the “social” and “connection” piece of the apraxia puzzle helps me be the eyes and ears on the ground to help fill in the gaps of what else Apraxia Kids can do to help our community.