Patty is the mother of 2 children, Chelsea and Charlie. Charlie was diagnosed with Autism in 2004. He is 21 years old. Patty graduated from King University with her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and then received her BCaBA (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst) certification through Florida Institute of Technology. Patty is the author of Autism Is A Blessing which was first published in 2008. Her son accompanies her to radio, television, and various speaking events to share their book and journey with autism.
She has volunteered her time to help fellow parents of children with special needs understand their child's rights regarding services and support. Her passion and heart for children and adults with special needs is evident in all that she does.
Patty and her husband for years have advocated for children and adults with disabilities in many areas.
She previously was the Founder and President of a PT/OT/ST Therapy Company (All Southern Care Rehab) in Fort Lauderdale for over 9 years and then was the Principal for over 8 years at The First Hope of The First Academy (private Christian school for students with unique needs). She is currently the President/CEO of Pathways For Life Academy in Winter Garden, FL (www.pflacademy.com) where she serves students with learning differences incorporating life and social skills integration for Middle and High Schoolers. She is also the President/CEO of Building Pathways Foundation, a nonprofit in Florida (www.building-pathways.com) that helps teens and adults with disabilities learn life, social, and job skills.
Patty has been married to her husband Tony for 31 years + 1 in heaven and lives in Winter Garden, Florida. They were honored to receive the Heart Award from the Florida Network on Disabilities for the work they do to help Floridians with disabilities. Tony passed away in September 2021 due to deadly hospital protocols and it has been a difficult season for her. She now advocates for patients across the country giving them valuable information to save their lives.