Gina Ferrara – Owner and Program Director
Gina, originally from New Jersey, completed her undergraduate & graduate degrees in special education at Arcadia University in Pennsylvania. After completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, she moved back to New Jersey to find a teaching job close to her family, while continuing her graduate work. This was when she discovered her love for early childhood education. After a combination of substitute teaching, babysitting, and teaching in a private preschool while taking online graduate courses, she completed her Master’s Degree in Special Education with an additional certification in Autism. In her quest to find an early childhood special education teaching position, she had the opportunity to work with elementary and high school special education students in the classroom. While focusing on academic and social needs, she realized how important it was to also focus on social and functional life skills in the home and community settings (and this seemed to be lacking). These experiences helped shape her focus that students are most successful when home, school and community come together to support them. She is currently in her fourteenth year of teaching, now as a preschool special education teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools. During this time within Fairfax County, she completed a second Master’s Degree program for Curriculum and Instruction for Diverse Early Childhood Learners. Her goal is to help support her students inside the classroom as well as support their needs, and the needs of their families, outside of the classroom as much as possible. When she is not at work, Gina enjoys reading, cooking/baking, camping and spending time with her dogs!
Tori Lee: Group Facilitator and Practice Manager
Kristin Forsht– Group Facilitator & Camp Counselor
Summer Dillard – Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Summer Dillard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over a decade of experience providing clinical treatment. She assists clients coping with depression, anxiety, relationship issues and trauma using a blend of cognitive behavioral and client centered therapy while also incorporating elements of strengths-based focused therapy. Summer works with young adults, individuals and families using an eclectic approach tailored to the unique needs of each new client. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Masters of Social Work from George Mason University. She is clinically licensed in VA, DC and MD. Summer is also licensed to provide supervision for Social Workers looking for supervision hours.
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