PEAL Center’s Central Region Hires Parent Advisor
PEAL Center, the Pennsylvania Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) and statewide Family-to-Family Health Information Center (F2F), today announced that Kathleen Haigh has joined the Parent Advisory Team as the Central Region Parent Advisor. Based in the Greater Harrisburg Area, Kathleen will provide a strong regional advocacy presence for families with children with disabilities and special health care needs, as well as the local professionals who support them. She is available to help navigate the education system and assist parents with IEPs, 504s, and parent rights.
“Kathleen has already shown to be a great asset to the PEAL Center. She came to PEAL with in-depth knowledge of special education and effective practices, with exceptional communication skills. The PEAL Center Parent Advisory Team looks forward to providing an even better experience to families and professionals in the Central Region of Pennsylvania,” said Cindy Duch, Director of Parent Advising.
Kathleen Haigh is a mother of twins, a boy and a girl. Her son was diagnosed with autism before the age of three. Through her advocacy, her son has been included throughout school; her children, together, are currently in high school and set to graduate in 2017. Kathleen joined the board of directors of the Autism Society of Greater Harrisburg Area in 2011 and has served as the president since 2014. She is committed to empowering parents to become the best advocates for their children, with the belief that every child, disability or not, has a gift to offer the world.
“If I had to do it all over again, I would. Considering all that I have learned and how much it changed me for the better,” said Kathleen Haigh.
The PEAL Center is an organization of parents of children with disabilities and special health care needs reaching out to assist families of children with disabilities or special health care needs, professionals who assist them, and children, youth, and young adults with disabilities or special health care needs (ages 0-26). The mission of the PEAL Center is to ensure that children, youth, and adults with disabilities and special health care needs lead rich, active lives and participate as full members of their schools and communities by providing training, information, parent leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance based on best practices to individuals and families and all people who support them.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Grace D’Angelis at 412-281-4404 or email at gdangelis@pealcenter.org.
