About Wendy

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Wendy holds a Bachelor of Science in elementary education with concentrations in both early childhood and special education from Butler University in Indianapolis. A desire to help families, as well as children, led her to post graduate study and a Master of Social Work degree at Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois Chicago. She worked in the schools with a  K-8 grade student population and at an all special needs school for children ages 3-21 years. After many years of working within the PANDAS/PANS non-profit community, Wendy received board certification in patient advocacy. Wendy is a current member of the National Association of Social Work (NASW) and the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), as well as the Alliance for Private Healthcare Advocates (APHA) and  the National Association of Healthcare Advocacy (NAHAC).

As a veteran PANDAS parent, Wendy has actively worked in the community for the last 12+ years. Like you, she has struggled with being seen and understood in the schools, with physicians, with insurers, even within her own support system. However, not only has she survived it, she has learned to thrive in spite of the challenges she has faced. Over the course of these last 10 years Wendy has successfully advocated for her own children, as well as for the entire community through a deep involvement in non profit work to support PANS and PANDAS families, by changing public policy, and by helping many others to do the same. She has individually coached hundreds of parents who also just needed to be seen, heard, and ultimately understood. Wendy intimately understands PANDAS/PANS and the issues it creates having lived it. She will guide you through your experiences and help you create solutions for yourself and your child as you navigate the pitfalls, and discover the pearls, of living through PANDAS/PANS.