Our Team

The people who
show up every
single day.

At Illuminate Academy, our team isn't just qualified , they're called to this work. Every person on our staff chose to be here because they believe every child deserves to be seen, supported, and celebrated.

The relationship is the most powerful tool we have.
Every staff member at IA is trained in our neuroaffirming, trauma-informed approach , and lives it out every day with our learners and their families.
Leadership

The vision
behind the work

Our leadership team brings decades of specialized experience to every decision , from how we design our classrooms to how we support our staff and serve our families.

Crockett Goode, Assistant Director
Crockett Goode
Assistant Director
Safety Care Certified SCERTS Trained Connection Expert
Clinical Leadership Team

The expertise
behind the framework

Our clinical leadership team brings specialized credentials in occupational therapy and behavior analysis , ensuring our approach is grounded in best practice and delivered with precision and care.

Kelly Eppler, Occupational Therapist
Kelly Eppler
Occupational Therapist
Clinical Leadership Trauma Informed Pediatric Sensory Expert
Heidi Snow-Witzeman, Behavior Analyst
Heidi Snow-Witzeman
Behavior Analyst
Clinical Leadership Trauma Informed PDA Expert
Hanna Elder, Team Development and Instructional Mentor
Hanna Elder
Team Development & Instructional Mentor
Clinical Leadership NLA-Trained Dignity Expert Neuroaffirming Specialist
Jessica Haedge, Lead Instructional Specialist
Jessica Haedge
Lead Instructional Specialist
Clinical Leadership SCERTS Trained Autism Specialist Cognitive Education Specialist
Free Resource for Families

Not ready to call yet?
Start here.

Home Base is a free app built by the IA clinical team — practical tools, guidance, and support for families of neurodivergent learners, available right now from any device. No waitlist. No cost. No catch. Just the best of what we know, in your hands today.

HB
Home Base
By Illuminate Academy
Free
Tools for home and daily routines
Guidance from the IA clinical team
Built on the House of Growth framework
Available anytime, any device
Open Home Base
Educational Leadership

The people who
shape the learning

Our educational leadership team ensures that curriculum is intentional, instruction is consistent, and every learner is moving forward in a way that is meaningful to them.

Hayley White, Team Lead Coordinator
Hayley White
Team Lead Coordinator
BS, Psychology Executive Function Training
Julia Cormier, Team Lead Coordinator
Julia Cormier
Curriculum Coordinator
BS, Education & Special Education MEd, Educational Leadership
Administration

The hub of support
behind every day

Every family communication, every enrollment detail, every operational thread runs through here. This team keeps Illuminate Academy moving so our educators can stay fully present with learners.

Dianna Gersana, Operations and Administrative Assistant
Dianna Gersana
Operations & Administrative Assistant
Operations Support Web Designer Email Marketing Graphic Design Systems & Automation
The Full IA Team

Every person here
chose this work.

Behind our leadership team is a full organization of Team Leads, Primary Instructors, and Support Instructors , each one trained in our neuroaffirming approach and committed to every learner in their care.

Our
Team Leads
The connective tissue of every classroom

Team Leads are the drivers of each classroom. They carry clinical and behavioral oversight for their team, coach and model engagement strategies and connection tactics, lead instructional planning and implementation, support data collection, and provide consistent follow-up with their team. They are the connective tissue between the clinical leadership team and the instructors in the room.

Our
Primary Instructors
Every learner's primary relationship

Primary Instructors are the heartbeat of every classroom. They deliver and implement lesson plans, bring content to life, and are first and foremost a safe, consistent presence for every learner in their care. Their work is relational at its core — building trust, creating connection-forward environments, and making every learner feel known before asking them to learn.

Our
Support Instructors
Alongside every learner, every moment

Support Instructors are the MVPs of connection. They know where each learner is — emotionally, sensory-wise, and relationally — and they meet them there. Their role is to support engagement in whatever lesson is being offered, serve as a steady and trusted presence alongside each learner, and be a seamless partner to the Primary Instructor in the room. Nothing gets missed when a great Support Instructor is present.

How our team works together
Each learner has a Primary Instructor as their main relationship , supported by Support Instructors and guided by Team Leads who carry the clinical and behavioral oversight for each classroom. Our Clinical Leadership Team and Executive Leadership inform the systems, the standards, and the culture that every team member works within.

This is the team that will
show up for your child.

Ready to meet them in person? Book a call and we will invite you in.

Book a Call
Join Our Team

Do this work
with us.

We're always looking for people who believe what we believe , that every child is already whole, that relationships are the most powerful tool we have, and that this work is worth showing up for every single day.

Neuroaffirming & trauma-informed. This isn't a buzzword here , it's how we operate every single day.
You'll grow here. We invest in our staff the same way we invest in our learners , with intention and belief.
Collaborative by design. We work as a team , no one carries a hard moment alone at IA.
Purpose-driven. The work you do here changes real children's lives. Every day.