Find an advocate to
fit your family

Paige Ryan

Caregiver Coach

I am a pediatric physical therapist and caregiver coach with over a decade of experience working with children with disabilities, neurodivergent profiles, and complex medical needs. I founded Foundation First Physical Therapy specifically because I kept watching families navigate impossibly complex systems alone — and I wanted to be the person in their corner. My advocacy work lives at the intersection of clinical expertise and systems navigation. I help families understand their child's PT needs, push back on insurance denials, navigate DME and equipment authorization, prepare for IEP meetings from a motor and functional perspective, and make sense of the medical language and recommendations being thrown at them by a team of specialists. What I bring that most advocates don't is the clinical background to speak the language of the providers AND the ability to translate it for families in a way that actually makes sense. I have sat in IEP meetings, written medical necessity letters, filed insurance appeals, and coached caregivers through some of the most overwhelming moments of their lives. I work with families of children with cerebral palsy, autism, rare and complex diagnoses, and medically complex profiles. I am based in Chelmsford, MA but offer virtual support nationwide through my caregiver coaching practice.

Ashley Traylor she/her

Special Education Advocate

I am a non-attorney special education advocate with a master’s degree in special education and nearly two decades of experience supporting students with disabilities and their families. My background includes work as a special education teacher, education consultant, and parent advocate, which gives me a strong understanding of both the school and family sides of the IEP process. I support families with IEPs, 504 plans, evaluations, eligibility, behavior plans, discipline concerns, transition planning, and parent participation in meetings. My goal is to help families feel prepared, informed, and confident while working collaboratively with school teams to address the student’s individual needs. I am also a parent of a child with disabilities, so I understand how emotional and overwhelming the process can feel. I believe families deserve clear information, practical support, and someone beside them who can help translate the paperwork, organize the concerns, and keep the focus on the child. My advocacy style is calm, collaborative, and solution-focused. I help families understand their rights, ask meaningful questions, review documents, prepare for meetings, and communicate concerns clearly and productively.

Kathlyn Roffina

Special Education Advocate

I have a physical disability and have lived this life for 31 years. My son and husband have different medical complexities and have been thrown into navigating everything as a parent. I would love to help you feel less alone and help you thrive again.

Rebeka Acosta she/her

Pediatric Healthcare Advocate

Rebeka Acosta is the first Board Certified Patient Advocate in Nevada, the visionary founder of A+J Patient Advocacy, and co-founder of Act4Kids Nevada. After a 15-year career in healthcare administration, Rebeka welcomed two children to her family with complex medical conditions. She left the workforce and spent nearly a decade navigating the pediatric healthcare system - from insurance to out-of-state care to long-term surgery stays across the country. Her healthcare business background did little to prepare her for this journey and she decided then to share what she had learned. Rebeka returned to the workforce in 2018, earned her Board Certified Patient Advocate credential and was determined to pave a path filled with guidance and resources for families in her community. Within three years she was recognized as the Independent Patient Advocate of the Year in Pediatrics by the Healthcare Advocate Summit and a Vegas Stronger Champion by KTNV Channel 13. Rebeka continued her education and commitment to the community by earning the Community Health Worker designation and co-founding the statewide advocacy group Act4Kids Nevada in 2024. In 2025 she was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Nevada Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics as Patient & Family Advocacy Champion. A+J Patient Advocacy closed at the end of 2025, so Rebeka could manage her son's medical needs. Rebeka lives in the greater Las Vegas area with her family, large number of houseplants, and Great Dane.

Hanna Mayfield

Parent Mentor

Familes can receive completely free parent mentoring services through the Family Resource Center for Disabilities and Special Needs. We are a community parent resource center and support families through the special education process for ages 0-26. Call our office at 8432661318 to complete an intake. We have served Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties since 1999.

Jordan LeVan

Special Education Advocate

I have been practicing IEP advocacy since 2020, and my work is deeply rooted in both professional experience and lived experience. As someone who had an IEP growing up, I understand firsthand what it feels like to navigate the special education system as a student. Today, I advocate alongside families to help ensure students receive the individualized supports, services, and protections they are entitled to under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). My advocacy approach is strategic, collaborative, and always centered on the best interests of the child. I believe every student is unique, so I adapt my approach based on what will be most effective in helping the learner access the services and supports they need. In some situations, that means working collaboratively with the school team to build consensus. In others, it means taking a more firm approach when necessary to ensure the student’s rights are protected and their safety/overall well being. Regardless of the strategy, I remain respectful, solution-focused, and committed to achieving meaningful outcomes for the child and their family.

Ysela Heim

Special Education Advocate

Please visit our website to learn about our team. www.yselaheim.com

Dr. Shelesha Taylor

Special Education Advocate

Ayala Horwitz

Diagnosis & Healthcare Advocate

I do alot of coaching for families

Barbara Swoyer She/Her

Board Certified Patient Advocate, Healthcare, Educational and Disability Support

Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA) with 29 years of lived experience navigating complex healthcare, educational, and disability support systems. Combines extensive firsthand knowledge of complex care navigation and coordination with volunteer advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and project-based work. Brings a deeply informed patient and family perspective to care delivery, resource development, and systems improvement.