Administrative Team
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The Backbone of WINGS, Supporting Student and Staff Success​
Program Director
Laxmi Ghale
Laxmi brings over 19 years of experience working with students with autism and their families, and her passion for supporting our students shines through in everything she does. With a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Early Childhood Education, she has been instrumental in training our dedicated staff, collaborating with school districts on IEPs, and leading admissions, recruitment, and hiring for our exceptional education and therapy team. When she’s not at WINGS, Laxmi loves exploring new destinations around the world, practicing yoga, and unwinding at the spa—always recharging for her next adventure!
Buisness Coordinator
Bethany Rios
Bethany Rios brings over 19 years of experience in business operations and human resources at WINGS. She began her journey as an instructional assistant, working directly with students in the classroom before transitioning to the administrative team. Over the years, Bethany has played a key role in managing human resources and nonprofit business operations, ensuring the organization runs smoothly while staying true to its mission.
School Coordinator
Emily Carambat
Emily has over a decade of experience supporting students with autism, intellectual disabilities, and their families. She earned her B.S. in Special Education and Rehabilitation with a focus on Deaf Studies from the University of Arizona in 2011. Since joining WINGS in 2018 as Family Liaison Coordinator, she has played a vital role in developing home support plans and strengthening the connection between school and home. Now serving as WINGS School Coordinator, Emily brings her deep expertise and dedication to this leadership role. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active, cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with loved ones.
Program Assistant
Jackie Cuevas
Jackie has dedicated 12 years to the education field. After earning early childhood education units at Foothill College, she co-taught in pre-K for a year, where she discovered her passion and deep compassion for supporting children with special needs. Jackie has been at WINGS for 7 years, initially joining as an instructional assistant. This role played a key part in her professional growth and expanded her knowledge, paving the way for new opportunities within the organization. She has served as Program Assistant for the past 2 years and as a Pro-Act In-Service Instructor for 4 years at WINGS.
Human Resources
Leanna Wynn
Leanna Wynn comes to us as our HR generalist, with over 15 years of experience in human resources. She is a native Pacifican with two adult children and two teenagers currently attending high school. She has been a part of the ASD community for 14 years, as she has a son with autism. Leanna understands the needs and goals of not only our school but also the needs of our families. Leanna is honored to be part of such a beautiful community and is looking forward to getting to know the students and their families here at WINGS.
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Sherry Feurtado, M.A., BCBA
Sherry has been working with children and adolescents with ASD since 2009 and became a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst in 2023. She earned her teaching credential and master’s degree in special education from Notre Dame de Namur University in 2015. With experience in early intervention, in-home therapy, and in-clinic behavior therapy, Sherry has contributed to WINGS since 2015. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, playing tabletop games, attending concerts, crocheting, and spending quality time with her family.
Meet our Dedicated Teachers
Empowering Students with Energy, Passion, and Expertise
Secondary Program
Michael Simon, B.A.
Michael worked previously at WINGS as an instructional aide for three years. He earned his teaching credential at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont and his B.A. in psychology with a minor in music from Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. He has experience teaching at Borel Middle School in San Jose and as an ABA therapist. He enjoys traveling, card games, basketball, and playing and listening to music.
Secondary Program
Kevin Skidmore, M.S.
Kevin received a Bachelor’s of Art Education from Ohio State University where became a credentialed art teacher. He relocated to California and continued his education at San Diego State University and completed the coursework for a special education credential, he then completed his special education credential and received a master’s of science in special education with an autism credential from the Dominican University of California. He previously worked as a lead teacher at the Cypress School in Petaluma for three years and at Oak Hill School in San Anselmo for five.
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Elementary and Middle School Programs
Leo Maltos, B.A.
Leo, a Texas native, has lived in nearly 20 cities throughout the country and enjoys coaching sports such as football, basketball, and softball. He is a dedicated Bay Area Panthers fan and a self-proclaimed "old soul" who loves spending his free time solving puzzles, watching TV with his wife while she crochets, golfing, and exploring the Bay Area. Leo attended public high school in Wisconsin, where he became the second student to earn a full International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. He received a full scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied History and Educational Policy. He volunteered with Autism Speaks throughout college, pairing with a local high school student for community outings. After graduating, he ran an educational systems company before relocating to California to be with his girlfriend, now wife, during her time at Stanford Medical School. Leo’s career path included roles as a behavioral therapist, casino worker, Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), and education specialist before continuing his work as an educator at WINGS!
Meet Our Expert Therapists
Compassionate Professionals Empowering Growth and Independence
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Occupational Therapist
Melissa Nuckolls
Melissa Nuckolls received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Oregon and then went on to earn her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from San Jose State University. She has always had a passion for working with children and individuals with special needs. Prior to earning her degree, she spent several summers working at summer camps and city-led events for families and children. Her experience includes pediatric outpatient settings, mental health, and acute care. In her free time, she enjoys crafting, reading, hiking, and spending time with her friends and family.
Occupational Therapist
Elisse Azofeifa
Elisse Azofeifa attended Boston University's accelerated Occupational Therapy program where she earned her bachelor and master degrees in Therapeutic Studies and Occupational Therapy, respectively. She began her career in Bay Area psychiatric hospitals and community settings where she developed novel programs focusing on wellness and crisis management. Elisse transitioned to school based occupational therapy in 2022 and had the pleasure of working with students in moderate-severe special day classes and private, non-public, and county schools in San Mateo County. Elisse brings over 14 years of experience in occupational therapy and believes collaboration and creative problem solving can enhance participation and quality of life. In her free time, Elisse enjoys exploring antique stores and dancing, singing, and swimming with her children, Avery and Arryn.
Speech Language Pathologist
Elle, SLP
Elle received her bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Saint Louis University in Missouri and continued there for her master’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. She has been working with children and adults with special needs for over six years, with specific experience in school-based, outpatient, and private clinic settings. She is especially passionate about working with AAC users and the autism population while providing student-centered and neurodiversity-affirming treatment. In her free time, she enjoys being outside, spending time with friends and family, singing, and playing her guitar.
Music Therapist
Alison Mahal
Alison completed her Graduate Equivalency in Music Therapy and is currently completing her MME at the University of Kansas. She recently completed her clinical internship at Music to Grow On in Sacramento where she worked in school settings, with adults with Intellectual Disabilities (ID), Autistic adults, transition programs, memory care, early intervention, and emotionally developing students. In graduate school, Alison also gained clinical experience in hospice, inpatient pediatric psych, assisted living and volunteered with a local suicide crisis line. She has a BME in Music Education from Southern Methodist University where she completed her Orff Schulwerk certification and masterclass. She has contributed to the American Orff Schulwerk Association’s publications, Reverberations and The Orff Echo. Prior to coming to music therapy, she taught K-5 music for five years and is now in her 8th year of teaching private lessons. Her current research interest is on the applications of lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals. She strives to prioritize self-determination and needs of the client as experienced from the client’s perspective. Alison loves hiking, reading, traveling, and spending time with her spouse Vineel and her cat Adeline.
Our Board of Directors
Passionate Leaders Advancing Our Mission and Vision
Board Chair
Anita Carey
Anita holds a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from MIT. She is a Staff Site Reliability Engineer at LinkedIn and a vocal director for community musical theatre, specializing in sensory-friendly productions. Anita’s son has flourished at WINGS for over 10 years, and she is committed to helping the organization grow while preserving its special impact.
Board Member Emeritus
Irma Velasquez
Irma, originally from El Salvador, has lived in the Bay Area since 1963. After studying at the University of San Francisco and working in finance, she focused on family and art. In the late '90s, she founded De Colores, an art school for children, and later created WINGS for families affected by autism, earning a Jefferson Award in 2005. Irma serves on various boards, including the Autism Society of America San Francisco, Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art, and more.
Secretary
LaDonna ford
La Donna holds a doctorate in medicine from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. After her residency in anesthesiology, she served in the U.S. Air Force and worked in private practice. Following her son’s autism diagnosis, she shifted her focus to supporting his growth and independence. La Donna is dedicated to helping him achieve happiness and enjoys mountain and lake sports with him. She is also committed to working with WINGS to guide her son into adulthood.
Board Member
Josh Johnson
Josh, one of our newest board members, brings over 20 years of commercial real estate experience as the First Vice President Investments at Marcus & Millichap in Palo Alto. A Brigham Young University economics graduate, he transitioned from CBRE to investment brokerage. Josh is also dedicated to helping children with ASD access quality instructional programs.
Board Member
Andie Rich
Andie holds a teaching credential in mild to moderate learning disabilities and a master’s in Special Education with an emphasis in autism from Santa Clara University. With experience across public, non-public, and charter schools, she is now the Co-Director and Co-Founder of Thriving Minds Learning Center in Campbell, CA, providing individualized tutoring for students with diverse learning challenges. Andie feels honored to have worked with so many wonderful children and families throughout her career.
Board Member
Dahlia Uchihara
Dahlia is a Senior Vice President and Private Client Advisor at Bank of America Private Bank in San Francisco, specializing in wealth structuring and investment management for high-net-worth clients. She serves on the board of WINGS Learning Center and is involved with Financial Women of San Francisco and the Asia Society of North America. A San Francisco native, Dahlia lives in the Bay Area with her family.
Board Member
Cody Sammut
Cody works with his family at Artichoke Joe’s Casino in San Bruno as the President of the company. In this role, he collaborates closely with many charities and the local government. He is also the former President of the Rotary Club of San Bruno. Additionally, Cody has an older sister with special needs and understands the unique challenges of raising a child with special needs.
Board Member
Myoung Kang
Myoung Kang, the newest board member for WINGS, is currently working at MotherDuck. Previously, she has worked as a consultant for startups, often serving as the CFO and overseeing finance, HR, legal, and other key areas. In this role, Myoung helped founders focus on product development and sales by handling tasks such as board presentations, performance reviews, compensation strategies, and more.
Apply Today
We need YOU. WINGS is looking for Board and Committee Members to help the organization grow and prosper in our mission. If you have an affinity for our mission and want to help WINGS enhance our current program and transform the future, then we have a volunteer role for you. The experience we need includes sales, financial management, HR/recruiting, marketing, community engagement, social media, investments/wealth management, foundations, government, and law.