Meet Our Team

You and your coach work as a team to identify practical goals related to areas of life in which you are experiencing challenges, such as relationships, finding and maintaining employment, recovering from burnout, financial management, executive functioning, college, and independent living. Then we identify your goals for coaching and collaborate to create and execute a plan for achieving those goals by leveraging your strengths and figuring out how to overcome the obstacles in your path.

We work to guide our clients towards unlocking their full potential through a process of self-discovery, goal-setting, and practical skill-building to help them work towards success. Just like a coach for an athlete, we take an already amazing person and help see them through to their fullest potential.

Get In Contact!

Veronica Rohrer has a master's degree in human services trauma and crisis response counseling and is working on an additional master's in clinical mental health counseling. She is a nationally certified personal trainer and assistant to the head coaches. Veronica is often the first point of contact when reaching out to Thrive Autism Coaching to make sure we pair you with the right coach for your needs.

Jaclyn Hunt is a Board Certified Cognitive Specialist (BCCS) at the Master’s level who serves as a cognitive coach for adults. She is the owner of Cognitive Coaching Solutions by ASD Life Coaches and currently manages a diverse team who focus on teaching clients how to leverage their unique strengths to achieve their goals related to independence, relationships, employment, education, and executive functioning to create the lives they desire and reach their full potential. Jaclyn has been coaching full time since 2013. 

Akilah Peynado is a Certified Cognitive Coach (CCC), motivational speaker, podcaster, executive functioning expert, business owner, and is very passionate about getting her clients organized and on a path to success!  She is so much fun to work with and strives to get her clients to where they need as quickly and effectively as possible. Akilah has experience with all gender identities. Akilah has been working for CCS since 2021. 

Anne Sabagh  is a Certified Cognitive Coach (CCC). She focuses on helping clients improve their executive functioning skills such as planning and organizing their time, and breaking tasks down into smaller steps to lessen overwhelm. Anne works with her clients to help them create the social and professional lives they want, that work best for them. As well, she has a solid background in assisting clients with creating resumes that showcase their strengths and talents and works with them to help them improve their existing careers or change careers altogether to something they find more meaningful. Anne is kind, direct, thorough, and provides detailed session summaries and progress notes via email. She is neurodivergent and can help clients understand new diagnoses. She is skilled at working with parents of neurodivergent adolescents and young adults. Anne is a passionate mental health advocate, and helps educate her clients on the importance of good mental health. She has been working for ASD Life Coaches since 2020, and has been coaching professionally since 2018. 

Christina Gundel is a Certified Cognitive Coach and our relationship expert. Certified in Relationship Science, she works with individuals, couples and families. She has a child who is neurodivergent and understands ASD on a very personal as well as professional level. She does very well with shy clients. Christina has been working for ASD Life Coaches since 2021

Maryam Mogawer holds the Student Mental Health Specialist Certification from IBCCES. She has completed a graduate certificate in Mental Health & Disability Management (OCGC), as well as a Psychology BA along with several years of diverse experience in mental health research and front-line work. She is certified in ASIST suicide prevention, therapeutic crisis intervention, collaborative problem solving, and multisensory environment therapy lab creation. As an individual with lived mental health experience, she is passionate about health and wellness as a means to improve mental health and overall well-being.

Francesco Paladino is a Certified Cognitive Coach (CCC) and is a big personality!  He is an actor, comedian, writer, director, and has over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry. He is a motivational speaker and was a featured speaker for Mental Health America which explored mental health and humor’s healing effects. His creative background makes him the ideal coach when working on the nuances of social communication with his clients, especially those who are exploring an artistic path.  After years of partnering with human resource professionals in various industries,  Francesco has garnered tremendous insight when mapping out career paths, exploring employment opportunities, teaching interview preparation, and understanding professional expectations. He is experienced in supporting clients that are struggling with personal organization, executive function, gender identity, self-esteem, and social anxieties. His clients have gone on to work for big companies, start companies of their own, write and publish books, entertain professionally, graduate with top honors, and fulfill their lifelong dreams. Francesco has been working for CCS since 2018.

Gretchen Venters is a Certified Cognitive Coach (CCC), has a strong faith and does well with clients who are on a Christian journey. A Poet, Author, Public Speaker (TedX) who is neurodivergent, Life Coach, columnist and Founder of BostonCalm. Her goal is to promote compassion for those who struggle. Gretchen has been working for CCS since 2019.

Jessica Day is an ACAS Level 2. She holds a Master of Liberal Arts in Psychology from Harvard University. Additionally, she is a trauma informed practitioner, Certified Healthy Families Coach and Certified Circle of Security Facilitator.  She is kind, sweet, but still holds her clients accountable. A highly trained professional. Jessica has been working for CCS since 2021 and has been a rehabilitation specialist, special education teacher, clinical counselor and child and family specialist going back to 2000.

Rosanne Mazzarelli is a Certified Cognitive Coach (CCC) and has been in the business for almost 30 years as a paraprofessional working with children and adults on the autism spectrum. Rosie is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and in addition to coaching works in a very prestigious school for the deaf. She is wonderful with shy clients and difficult clients. She can handle the entire spectrum. She is blunt and fun and really cool. She is good with clients who need work and real world experiences like managing their day to day life rather than clients looking to navigate college or university. Rosie also excels at working with parents based on both her personal and extensive professional experience. Rosie has been working for CCS since 2018.

Wendy Newman

“Wendy changed my life.  Period.  My life will never be the same.”

Named one of the top coaches in North America, Wendy is passionate about supporting people in living their dream lives, and sees a vision for the roadmap to accomplish that. She is dedicated to helping her clients achieve it thru a person-centered approach, including empathic understanding, congruence, and unconditional non-judgmental positive regard for each client. 

Wendy is a Board Certified Cognitive Specialist.  She is also certified in business, life and meditation coaching through Evercoach by MindValley, affiliated with ICF. Wendy's Person-Centered Branding™ theory is cited in university textbooks worldwide for her work with professional athletes. Wendy utilizes productivity and organizational tools that provide structure while meeting her clients where they are at and providing true emotional support. 

Wendy’s philanthropic work includes Founder of Innertaining Media Foundation (innertaining.com), Executive Director & Executive Producer of GATE, Global Alliance for Transformational Entertainment (Jim Carrey, Eckhart Tolle) and Oprah’s BELIEF series. Wendy has a Masters Degree in Spiritual Psychology and is certified by Yale University in Happiness & Science of Well-Being. She is a Certified Peace Ambassador, one of Oprah’s Belief Partners, & grateful to be of support.

“Rooted in values, innovative ideator, and consummate connector, who: Makes. Good. Things. Happen.” 
- CEO, Well Being Trust

Youssef Mogawer is a Certified Cognitive Coach and an autistic individual working diligently to help other autistic individuals build their dream careers. With his qualifications in BEngTech Petroleum and his MSc in Entrepreneurship and Innovation management he combines practical experience from both the technical and soft skills. He has work experience in a variety of fields and he brings both professional and personal experience to create ideal solutions for clients. In his own words: "After I was diagnosed I made it my mission to help myself and others realize their potential and take an active part in building a world that welcomes them."

Robin Love is a certified professional life coach and a counselor-in-training working toward her LPC in CO. And she is #actuallyautistic!
After a successful 20-year career in business, technology, education, and curriculum development, Robin pursued her dream of being a counselor. Her path to focusing on the autistic community has been a personal journey of discovery.
Robin is the proud mom of a teen son with autism spectrum disorder (ASD, level 1). With her background in education, her experience with her son, and her counselor education, she became an “expert” on autism - in males. It was years before Robin learned that girls and women on the spectrum present differently and that she is one of these women.
Robin received her official ASD (level 1) diagnosis with a sense of relief. Being autistic explains her many struggles in her career and personal life. Now, Robin wants to help others on the autism spectrum realize their hopes and dreams while honoring their neurodiversity.

Spanish Speaking Coach:
​
Yesica Hickey Empathetic, patient, caring, passionate about empowering mothers, fathers, caregivers, inclusive teachers and Spanish-speaking youth and adults with autism.
Yesica is a CAS Certified Autism Specialist and is also a BCCS Board Cognitive Certified Specialist,is a coach with more than 20 years of experience as a special educational needs educator and developer of programs to improve social and communication skills and strengthen skills for inclusion.
In all this time, among the main lessons she has learned, she can mention that:
"The family, the first step towards effective inclusion"
 "Empowerment is one of the main tools to achieve success, which is not only in reaching the final goal but in each small progress achieved on the way to it."
Yesica is a mother of a young man with autism, with him she learned from scratch to change their lives, managing to make autism a wonderful opportunity for growth
and awareness, in the same way it accompanies to change the lives of many neurodiverse people and their families in different parts of the world remotely, through the Internet or in person.
Empática, paciente, solidaria, apasionada por empoderar a madres, padres,
cuidadores, maestros inclusivos y jóvenes y adultos hispanohablantes con autismo.
Yesica es Especialista en Autismo Certificada por CAS y también es Especialista
Certificada en Cognitivo por la Junta de BCCS, es una entrenadora con más de 20
años de experiencia como educadora de necesidades educativas especiales y
desarrolladora de programas para mejorar las habilidades sociales y de comunicación y
fortalecer las habilidades para la inclusión.
En todo este tiempo, entre los principales aprendizajes que ha aprendido, puede
mencionar que:
"La familia, el primer paso hacia la inclusión efectiva"
“El empoderamiento es una de las principales herramientas para alcanzar el éxito, que
no está sólo en alcanzar la meta final sino en cada pequeño avance logrado en el
camino hacia ella”.
Yesica es madre de un joven con autismo, con él aprendió desde cero a cambiar sus
vidas, logrando hacer del autismo una maravillosa oportunidad de crecimiento.
y concientización, de la misma manera acompaña a cambiar la vida de muchas
personas neurodiversas y sus familias en diferentes partes del mundo de forma remota,
a través de la radio o presencial.

Coach Team:
Dillon Mariglia Certified Cognitive Coach, RSW and Emotion Focused Therapy Level 1. CTRI Trauma Informed Care and safeTALK trained. Motivated and committed to helping others feel empowered and achieve their life goals.



*You can learn more about the majority of our certifications at The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Educations Standards at www.ibcces.org.