Marie Sherrett
Born in D.C. in a family of seven children, Marie Sherrett worked part time as a teen to help the family income. After graduating from a private, business-only high school for girls in D.C., she was in two federal government agencies. She married her Air Force husband, later joining him on an unsanctioned one-year trip to Thailand. Return here, they lived in Tampa where she was on a law firm staff. After Mark, was born, she typed at home for court reporters. Once Daniel was born, she cared for her family, networking when she could.
When Mark was four, after a preschool teacher expressed concern, Mark was tested and incorrectly ID'd as ADHD with speech delay. Divorced and jobless six months later, with family help, she and her sons came to MD. Working in law firms, changing jobs, getting child care, having relatives with unmet mental health needs and seeking child support made life hectic, but Marie learned fast. When an early childhood teacher ID'd Mark with autism at eight, new issues arose, including ensuring his education needs were met as she learned of autism. She bought a home for them and changed jobs again.
Once the system put Mark, 12, in a private VA special ed school, life changed. Marie learned about ABA and behavior mod, upped their income and networked. Though working three jobs, she led an ASA chapter; spoke publicly, lobbied, volunteered for issues and met President Clinton. She filled legal advocacy actions for herself and her sons. Thus, Mark got adult child support for eight years. She is an expert on assertiveness and effective parent advocacy.
Her work experience increased her interest in public policy. She lectured on autism at colleges or universities; spoke at conferences on disabilities, parenting, child support enforcement and politics; did stories or articles for websites or letters to editors. Marie has been interviewed by CNN, Fox News, disability radio shows and local news media, including The Washington Post.
As respite, Marie got weekend-only rec aides for Mark via MD DDA. She earned a B.A. in business administration from Strayer University in 2008 (graduating cum laude) and earned an MPA there in 2011. Many of her research papers covered disability topics or politics. Now in Toastmasters, her speaking engagements include public policy conferences where her presentations are controversial to encourage the exchange of info and views.
Meantime, Daniel was in the Navy; worked; graduated from NY's Culinary Institute of America and works in a D.C. hotel. Mark works part time; bowls; swims and rides horses.
Stories on Marie and her family are in The Elephant In the Play Room; Adventures In Autism); in disability magazines and on web sites. Look for her web site in the future as she also writes her first book, Two Kids and a Mom: A Memoir of Autism.
Presentation topics would include:
autism in a young child and in adults
autism and special education law
raising a son with autism
being a single parent (of now an adult son with autism)
child support enforcement; earning college degrees after 40
Sarah Palin; parent advocacy; parent assertiveness training; due process; adult lifetime child support; MD smart growth; nonprofit management; political issues; etc.
Born in D.C. in a family of seven children, Marie Sherrett worked part time as a teen to help the family income. After graduating from a private, business-only high school for girls in D.C., she was in two federal government agencies. She married her Air Force husband, later joining him on an unsanctioned one-year trip to Thailand. Return here, they lived in Tampa where she was on a law firm staff. After Mark, was born, she typed at home for court reporters. Once Daniel was born, she cared for her family, networking when she could.
When Mark was four, after a preschool teacher expressed concern, Mark was tested and incorrectly ID'd as ADHD with speech delay. Divorced and jobless six months later, with family help, she and her sons came to MD. Working in law firms, changing jobs, getting child care, having relatives with unmet mental health needs and seeking child support made life hectic, but Marie learned fast. When an early childhood teacher ID'd Mark with autism at eight, new issues arose, including ensuring his education needs were met as she learned of autism. She bought a home for them and changed jobs again.
Once the system put Mark, 12, in a private VA special ed school, life changed. Marie learned about ABA and behavior mod, upped their income and networked. Though working three jobs, she led an ASA chapter; spoke publicly, lobbied, volunteered for issues and met President Clinton. She filled legal advocacy actions for herself and her sons. Thus, Mark got adult child support for eight years. She is an expert on assertiveness and effective parent advocacy.
Her work experience increased her interest in public policy. She lectured on autism at colleges or universities; spoke at conferences on disabilities, parenting, child support enforcement and politics; did stories or articles for websites or letters to editors. Marie has been interviewed by CNN, Fox News, disability radio shows and local news media, including The Washington Post.
As respite, Marie got weekend-only rec aides for Mark via MD DDA. She earned a B.A. in business administration from Strayer University in 2008 (graduating cum laude) and earned an MPA there in 2011. Many of her research papers covered disability topics or politics. Now in Toastmasters, her speaking engagements include public policy conferences where her presentations are controversial to encourage the exchange of info and views.
Meantime, Daniel was in the Navy; worked; graduated from NY's Culinary Institute of America and works in a D.C. hotel. Mark works part time; bowls; swims and rides horses.
Stories on Marie and her family are in The Elephant In the Play Room; Adventures In Autism); in disability magazines and on web sites. Look for her web site in the future as she also writes her first book, Two Kids and a Mom: A Memoir of Autism.
Presentation topics would include:
autism in a young child and in adults
autism and special education law
raising a son with autism
being a single parent (of now an adult son with autism)
child support enforcement; earning college degrees after 40
Sarah Palin; parent advocacy; parent assertiveness training; due process; adult lifetime child support; MD smart growth; nonprofit management; political issues; etc.
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