Knowledge Network

The WSA’s Knowledge Network is our team of expert consultants formed to support families in Education, IEP/Transitions, Therapy, Individual & Couples Therapeutic Support, and Adult Services - all areas that are critical to the success of individuals with Williams syndrome. These areas are essential for supporting families and educators in providing the best possible care and guidance.

WSA members are eligible for 3 hours of support per year, across all disciplines, to use as they need, at no cost to them. Some families work with only one specialist - others multiples. The WSA Knowledge Network consultants independent contractors, compensated by the WSA. We’re thrilled to be able to offer this support to families throughout the country, and are grateful for contributions from individual donors and other charitable organizations that make this network possible.

These services are offered to any of our members, from age 3 through adulthood. Services most commonly used by age of the individual with WS are as follows:

Preschool (ages 3 - 5/6): Education, Early Intervention, IEP, SLP, OT, PT, BCBA, AAC
Elementary (ages 5/6 - 11/12): Education, IEP, SLP, OT, PT, BCBA, AAC, Reading, Math
Secondary/Post-Secondary (ages 12 - 22): Education, IEP, Transition, SLP, OT, PT, BCBA, Reading, Math, Adult Supports
Adulthood: Transition, BCBA/social skills, adult supports, family therapist

We use a software platform to maintain confidentiality, manage intake, monitor consultation progress, create a collaborative environment among our entire network of consultants, and track consultation hour usage and payment to consultants.

Support is currently available for the following areas:

Education: Children and young adults with Williams syndrome require specialized teaching methods that build on their strengths. Our educational consultants help schools and teachers create effective, tailored learning environments.
IEP/ School Transitions: Navigating the special education system and planning for future transitions can be overwhelming. Our IEP/Transitions consultants act as coaches, guiding families through IEP development and post-secondary planning, while building capacity in the caregivers skillsets.
Therapy (PT/OT/SLP)
- Speech Therapy: Many individuals with Williams syndrome experience significant speech and language challenges. Our speech consultants provide expert support for families and professionals, helping to ensure that individuals with WS receive high quality, targeted services that directly address their needs
- Occupational Therapy: Individuals with WS experience significant challenges with visual perceptual tasks and fine motor tasks. Occupational therapy is an essential support to developing these skills and where necessary, implementing accommodations or adaptations to mitigate the struggles these deficits create when individuals attempt to complete daily tasks.
- Physical Therapy: (Support coming soon): The gene deletion that causes WS directly impacts the elastin gene, causing tone abnormalities or imbalances, contractures, struggles with meeting motor milestones and struggles with overall coordination. Physical therapists provide crucial support and consultation to ensure that individuals with WS are able to be as active and productive as possible.
Behavioral Consultation & Support: Individuals with WS sometimes struggle with learning socially appropriate behaviors. Our Behavioral Specialists have studied these patterns for years and provide consultation and support to families and school teams which encourage the growth and development of pro-social behaviors.
Individual & Couples Therapeutic Support
- Relationships & sexuality: Individuals with WS often struggle with boundaries in relationships, and have difficulty discussing romantic feelings and sexual relationships. Our specialists provide a safe space for caregivers to discuss these topics.
- Couples Support: Raising a child with differing needs isn’t easy. Our specialist offers support to couples who are raising a child with WS.
- Grief Support: Grief comes in many forms - navigating a new diagnosis, a younger sibling “passing up” their older sibling with WS, missed “milestone events” as someone ages, the anticipated death of a parent of the individual with WS, the death of an individual with WS, and more. We offer support in all of these cases.
Navigating and Advocating Before and During a Hospital Stay - There’s nothing easy about having a child in the hospital, but when you have a medically complex child, the challenges can expand exponentially. We offer support around navigating and advocating for your child when they’re in the hospital.
Adult Services: Most individuals with WS will need support of some kind into adulthood, in the form of SSI, SSDI, assistance with work or housing placement (coming soon), or life planning (coming soon). Adult services specialists help determine the needs our members have and help match them with the services that will best support those individual needs.

We're actively seeking consultants for additional areas of support.

You'll find a list of available consultants and the links to book their services below. If you're unsure who to book with, or if you need support that isn't listed here, please use this GENERAL INQUIRY LINK.

Robin Pegg, EdD, COTA/L, ATP, ROH

Education Consultant/Knowlege Network Coordinator

Dr. Robin Pegg, MEd, COTAL, ATP, ROH, is an internationally recognized education and access consultant specializing in the complex learning, communication, and social-emotional profile of individuals with Williams syndrome (WS). With nearly 30 years of experience supporting learners with WS across home, school, clinical, and community settings, Robin is known for translating cutting-edge research into practical, meaningful educational strategies that improve access, participation, and long-term outcomes.

Robin serves as the Education Consultant for the Williams Syndrome Association (WSA), partnering with families, educators, therapists, administrators, and school teams across the country. Her work focuses on helping schools truly understand how students with WS learn — recognizing that success is often less about ability and more about access, instructional design, communication supports, and responsive educational programming. Her consultation work includes classroom observation, staff training, program development, IEP review and support, assistive technology evaluation, curriculum access planning, and collaborative problem-solving with multidisciplinary teams.

Throughout her career, Robin has collaborated closely with leading international researchers and experts in Williams syndrome, neurodevelopmental disabilities, literacy, and communication, including Dr. Carolyn Mervis, Dr. Bonnie Klein-Tasman, Dr. David Koppenhaver, Dr. Karen Levine, Dr. Barbara Pober, and Dr. Jo Van Herwegen. This ongoing collaboration allows her to bridge research and real-world practice in ways that are highly actionable for schools and families.

Robin lives in the countryside of Western Michigan with her husband, Dan, their dogs Otis and Milo, and within easy driving distance of their children and grandchildren, who remain the center of their world. Outside of work, she is an avid reader, lifelong learner, and passionate advocate for presuming competence and potential in all learners.

If you, your child’s educational team, therapists, or school have questions about educational programming, curriculum access, assistive technology, or supporting a learner with Williams syndrome, Robin welcomes the opportunity to collaborate.

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH ROBIN

Michelle Self, PhD

IEP/Education Consultant

Michelle Self has worked for over 20 years with families of students with Williams syndrome to help them access an appropriate education and achieve their full potential. She started her career as a Materials Engineer in quality assurance, and then she opted for a career change and completed a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Special Education. She has worked as an adjunct professor at Bowling Green State University teaching junior-level students how to assess all types of learners, to write effective IEPs, and to assist in students’ transition from high school. At the same time, she regularly consulted with hundreds of families across the country.

Michelle has spoken at Williams Syndrome Association conferences on a variety of education topics since 2006. Her expertise is in early childhood, especially determining the best accommodations for students, assisting with transitions into junior high and high school, and planning for the future.

She and her husband Bill spent most of their lives in Ohio before moving to Celebration, Florida, a year ago so their son with Williams syndrome could fulfill his vision of working at Disney World. They have another son, Bill, and daughter-in-law, Alex, both of whom volunteer with children at the Williams syndrome camps and conferences.

Michelle looks forward to working with more families through phone consultations for IEP reviews and attending IEP meetings.

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH MICHELLE

Amanda Anderson, MEd

Math & Reading Specialist

Bio coming soon!

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH AMANDA

Cassandra Davide, MEd

Math & Reading Specialist

Hi! My name is Cassandra Davide and I am in my 14th year of teaching. From a young age I knew I wanted to be a teacher and that teaching was always going to be my profession. My path slightly changed when I noticed that my uncle was different from other people. I now know he was intellectually disabled, but then I just thought he was different. Despite those differences, I always wanted to hang out with him, talk or play games. One random day when I was in my early teens, I heard about special education and the rest clicked into place. My goal was to become a special education teacher and immerse myself in all things special education. That has been my path for a while and I continue to learn and grow in my area of expertise.

I learned about the Williams Syndrome Association through a student of mine (the boy next to me in the picture)! He taught me so much about life, teaching and most importantly Williams Syndrome. He changed my teaching in many ways; the way I teach math, the way I connect with students, and the way I understand what they need. He quite literally changed my life and I am so excited and grateful to be part of the WSA’s Knowledge Network!

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH CASSANDRA

Elena Heisler, MEd

Math & Reading Specialist

Elena Heisler is a dedicated educator with over 15 years of experience specializing in reading instruction, multisensory learning, and differentiated support for students with diverse learning needs. She holds degrees from the University of Kansas in K-6 General Education and High Incidence Special Education.

As a Special Education Teacher and private tutor, Elena develops individualized, research-based instructional plans that promote measurable academic growth and build student confidence. Trained in Orton-Gillingham strategies and committed to inclusive education, she also provides full core instruction in a private school setting for a student with Williams Syndrome, designing and implementing comprehensive programming across all subject areas. Elena partners closely with families to ensure every child feels supported, capable, and successful.

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH ELENA

Kayla Gearring, MEd

Transition & Inclusion Specialist

Kayla joins the Williams Syndrome Association with over two decades of dedicated experience bridging the gap between the classroom and the community. As a certified special education teacher and a multi-award-winning advocate, Kayla specializes in helping families navigate the critical transition from secondary education to meaningful post-secondary lives; whether that involves higher education, employment, or independent living.

Kayla’s approach is rooted in the belief that "real-world" skills are just as vital as academic ones. She has spent 12 years as a secondary special education teacher, pioneering programs across two different districts that merge specialized direct instruction with project-based learning. Her work is defined by a commitment to inclusion and the power of peer-to-peer relationships. Kayla holds a Master’s in Special Education from Syracuse University and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University. She is currently completing her third Master’s in Special Education Leadership. Her dedication to student success and equity was recognized with the Holland Public Schools Impact Award (2024) and the City of Holland’s Social Justice Award (2026). From launching Unified Sports partnerships with the Special Olympics to creating district-wide "Inclusion Weeks," Kayla has a proven track record of changing school cultures to better support and celebrate neurodiversity.

Kayla’s history with the Williams syndrome community is deep and personal. Her journey began as a teenager teaching Sunday school for students with special needs and evolved into a 12-summer tenure as a camp counselor for the WSA Teen and Young Adult Music Camp. Having served as a Co-chair for the youth program at two WSA conventions, she understands the unique strengths and challenges of individuals with WS and is passionate about helping them find their place in the adult world.

When she isn’t building inclusion programs, Kayla lives in a log cabin in the woods with her husband and her two dogs, Chuckster and Fitz. She is an avid artist who finds joy in working with wire, fiber, and paper—bringing the same creativity to her crafts as she does to her transition planning.

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH KAYLA

Melissa Hoffmann, MA, CCC-SLP

AAC, Communication Device Specialist

Melissa Hoffmann is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with over 30 years of experience. Since 2010, she has focused her practice on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), helping individuals of all ages who cannot rely solely on verbal communication to find their voice — through communication devices and a multimodal approach that honors every form of expression.

Melissa's introduction to the Williams syndrome community came in 2019, when Robin Pegg invited her to serve at therapy camp. That experience opened a door she has been grateful to walk through ever since. She brings both deep clinical expertise and a genuine passion for ensuring that individuals with WS have access to the communication supports they need to connect, participate, and thrive.

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH MELISSA

Bianca Corozzo, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech - Language Pathology Consultant

Bianca J Corozzo is a NYS Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with over 23 years of experience in the field. In addition to her credentials in the field of Speech-Language Pathology, she holds a NYS School Building Leader Certification, demonstrating her commitment to educational leadership. Throughout her career, Bianca has held various roles, including Speech Therapist, Assistant Principal, Speech Evaluator, and Consultant. Her expertise lies in diagnosing and treating speech, language and behavioral challenges in both preschool and school-age children.

Bianca's contributions extend beyond her professional practice. She has published articles in parenting publications, sharing her insights and knowledge with a broader audience, as well as presented for various organizations. Bianca firmly believes that all children can thrive when provided with the proper tools, support, and interventions.

Bianca provides a variety of support for families. For those who would like to connect individually, you can book a virtual session with her to discuss anything communication related. She can review your child’s current therapy goals and treatment plan, make suggestions for home based activities, and refer to the appropriate professional where necessary. In addition, she will be conducting regular webinars on topics of interest to families, as well as monthly Family Support group meetings where she can address your speech, language and feeding concerns.

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH BIANCA

Brent Sherwood, OTR/L

Occupational Therapy Consultant

Brent Sherwood, OTR/L received his Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Central Arkansas December, 2000. After several years working in hospital and clinic settings with clients of all ages, Brent began working for an Arizona public school in 2009 where he continues to provide K-12 occupational therapy services to students and supports their teachers with how to modify learning activities and materials.

Brent has extensive experience with how occupational therapy functions as a related service in the school setting and how educationally related services are somewhat different from the medically based therapy services that families may be receiving in a home or clinic setting. Brent also offers valuable input with regard to assessing the need for classroom accommodations that can be requested for inclusion in a student's individualized education plan (IEP), including which accommodations may be useful for a variety of educationally related challenges. Brent is also helpful with generating ideas for functionally based and meaningful goals that could be proposed and considered by the IEP team. While Brent does not attend IEP meetings with WSA parents, he can be an excellent resource to support families in communicating with teachers and therapists in the school setting as they advocate for their child's unique needs. Additionally, Brent can offer strategies for encouraging independence with home and school routines including self care and participating in household chores, etc.

Before pursuing occupational therapy, Brent studied music which helps him instantly connect with children who enjoy music and singing. Brent loves to travel all around the world on school breaks. He has three children and one grandchild. Brent speaks Spanish as a second language.

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH BRETT

Marisa Fisher, PhD, BCBA-D

Behavioral Support Consultant (all ages)

Bio coming soon!

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH MARISA

Barbara Bush

Adult Supports Specialist

Barbara is a National Social Security Advisor which brings a broad base of experience in planning for and meeting the needs of adults with special needs and their families. Having worked for many years as a legal assistant for law firms specializing in estate planning and probate, Barbara applies extensive knowledge of both legal and long-term planning for the family.

Prior to starting Solutions for Special Needs Families, Barbara was the Director of Admissions, at Marbridge Foundation in Austin for eight years. At Solutions for Special Needs Families, we listen to families’ concerns for their loved ones current and future needs, discuss the family’s immediate needs and the long-term goals. We, at Solutions for Special Needs Families will then determine how we can assist the family by either, assisting with an SSI application, an appeal for denial of SSI benefits, receiving the maximum SSI benefit, and what happens if their disabled adult child is working and how not to lose their benefits.

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH BARBARA

Erika Schmitt, MSW, LSW

Grief, new diagnosis, navigating hospital stays consultant

As Director of Counseling & Family Support Services, Erika is responsible for overseeing all social work and counseling program functions at The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh, including their Outpatient Counseling Program, Medical Social Work, & Adoption & Permanency Program. In addition to management duties, Erika directly provides counseling services and runs monthly support groups. Erika was integral in formally launching the Outpatient Counseling Program in 2025. Specialty areas of this program include trauma, grief, loss, helping families cope with genetic, medical and/or developmental diagnoses in a child, helping families navigate NICU and hospital stays, parenting children with complex medical needs, and all aspects of reproductive mental health including infertility, pregnancy loss, and postpartum depression, anxiety and adjustment.

Erika also serves as a trainer for foster families and has presented at grand round presentations, seminars, and at state and local conferences. Erika has been at The Children’s Home since 2006. She earned both a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in social work through The University of Pittsburgh, and obtained her social work license in 2006.

Erika is Aunt of an amazing 13-year-old nephew who is diagnosed with Williams Syndrome. Erika has attended conventions and walks, and very much looks forward to meeting new families as part of the Knowledge Network. As a seasoned social work and counselor, she looks forward to providing supportive consultation services to families who might be experiencing grief and adjustment following a new diagnosis or change with their loved one, grief from loss in the community, navigating hospital stays, coping with medical trauma, or in a related area. Erika can support families in taking steps to process the hard, both honor and move forward from grief, learn new coping skills, feel empowered to advocate, and help locate local resources for ongoing needs.

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH ERIKA

Kelly Williams, MS, LMFT

Grief, Caregiver/Couples Support, Sexuality Consultant

Bio coming soon!

BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH KELLY