Kristin Kane
Information Specialist / Webinar Coordinator
Virginia Parent Training & Info Center; PEATC
Milestones
My road in life has taken me all over.
My younger brother received special education for learning disabilities.
Watching my parents navigate the special education process definitely affected me subconsciously.
Nine years ago, my son was diagnosed with dyslexia.
Shortly after his diagnosis, I helped found the Virginia chapter of Decoding Dyslexia.
My work with Decoding Dyslexia spans grassroots awareness to lobbying state & federal legislators.
I educated myself on special education through Virginia's Parent Training and Info Center (PTI).
I started working at the PTI, enabling me to extend that same help to other parents and educators.
In 2015, my son & I spoke about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act at the White House.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Information Specialist / Webinar Coordinator
I help families maneuver through the special education process.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Law
Communicating / Sharing Stories
Day to Day
Half of the time, I work out of the PEATC office, where I communicate with families and do community outreach. The other half of the time, I'm out on the road: this consists of traveling to various cities in Virginia to do workshops with different communities. I'll usually address a room filled with parents and educators, and I'll present on what we do at PEATC and then on a certain topic (e.g. transitioning from elementary school to middle school in the special education system).
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Many of the causes you care about offer ways to start participating in an advocacy role from a young age. For example, PEATC has a Youth Advisory Board where high school students can get involved inspiring other youth with and without disabilities throughout Virginia.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Peers:
"You're not the best student. You won't find a career after school."
Challenges I Overcame
Learning Issues
