Holly is a parent of a child with complex special needs and grew up around other family members with a variety of disabilities. She has worked as a Certified Family Support Partner working with families who have children with mental health care needs, is a cofounder of the Special Education Parents’ Alliance parent group, served 3 years on the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities, and 4 years as the President of Camp Hayden. Holly has built her life around her passion for helping others. She has spent many hours as a volunteer parent advocate helping other families navigate through the school process for special education services. After earning a certificate in Special Education Advocacy from William & Mary Law School, Holly opened A+ Collaborations, LLC , a Special Education Advocacy and Training company designed to help parents and schools meet the needs of students receiving special education services and 504 accommodations.

Laura is a Professional Civil Engineer, Advocate for Children’s Mental Health, Member of the Region 7 Children’s Mental Health Subcommittee, and what feels like a Professional Meeting Sitter-Inner.  Laura loves speaking at events where she can share a bit of her journey as a parent of a special needs child in the hopes that her (sometimes hilarious) stories will help families feel less alone and the professionals who work with families like hers feel more confident and able to impact positive change. Laura is grateful to have been a part of the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) implementation process and  looks forward to the day when every child has access to the mental health supports they need.