​​My whole career, I’ve been driven to help bright, out-of-the-box people grow. My philosophy is that everyone can succeed when they have the resources they need.

Unfortunately, the world often feels like it doesn’t value kindness and divergent thinking. Capable, intelligent people end up struggling, feeling lost, alone, and without a way to contribute their gifts to make a better world.

My 15-year career has spanned the intersection of education and mental health. I’ve supported teens and adults with complex needs as a teacher, case manager, behavior counselor, tutor, educational therapist, and coach.

Working with incredible people who don’t fit neatly into the traditional education system taught me see the big picture, find the root of the challenges, get creative, and most importantly, to never forget the human at the center of it all.

​This work is deeply personal to me. I struggled with undiagnosed ADHD until my mid 30’s. It felt like I had two sides: the intelligent, analytic, creative, patient Stefan and the scattered, “all over the place” Stefan. Like most people, I learned to mask and inefficiently adapt, managing to succeed professionally while privately battling chaos, shame, and severe burnout.

It wasn’t until my ADHD diagnosis that I felt like I finally had the full picture of myself and a path forward. Unfortunately, finding resources specifically geared toward adults was challenging. It too a lot of experimentation, leaning on my support network, and finally connecting with the right coaches.

My own process illuminated how empowering or limiting executive function is, and how there’s not a single aspect of life that’s impacted by it. I’m now dedicated to helping others by being the person I wish I’d had along my journey.

Outside of work, I find joy in spending time with my loved ones, being in nature, biking, traveling, gardening, learning, going to concerts, and making friends with other people’s dogs (don’t tell the guy on the left I’m actually a cat person).