Rachelle Spielvogel
Founder and Director of Urban Exceptional, Rachelle is a human rights educator, mother of two sons, and native New Yorker. She has worked in the field of diversity education, human rights advocacy, and social science research since receiving her Masters in Social Science from the University of Chicago in 2001. She received her B.A. in psychology from Columbia University in 1995.
Rachelle has coordinated various early intervention services for her children since their toddler years, and has a son attending a private special education school. After having been approached by many families over the years seeking advice and consultation concerning early intervention and special education, she decided to create Urban Exceptional, an online resource by parents, for parents of children with developmental, social and learning differences.
Adele Schwartz
A respected learning specialist and child/family special education advocate in NYC and the greater New York area. She left teaching at the NYC public schools for a college teaching and administration position at Hunter College in the School of Education and later became an Associate Professor of both General and Special Education at Marymount Manhattan College. After 20 years in academia, she is spending her retirement running a private education consulting practice in which she works with children, families, and schools.
Vera Oliva
A 16-year veteran of the retail industry having worked for J.Crew, Tiffany & Co., Coach, and Kate Spade, Vera now currently manages social media and marketing for the dental practice of Sonny Torres Oliva, D.D.S. As mother to a son born with a cleft lip and palate who has also experienced developmental delays, she has been devoted to advocating for her son in the medical and special needs worlds in NYC.
Denise Dorn
Denise Dorn is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach with a background in film and television production (PBS, BBC/Discovery, Food Network, and Nick Jr.) Inspired by her own family’s experience, she started Core Needs NYC, an online video resource for parents who are interested in learning about nutrition and other natural, holistic ways to help their children with developmental challenges learn and grow. She received a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1997.
Gail Krieger
Gail-Ann Krieger worked in the grant-making departments of two New York-based private foundations following graduation from Barnard College in 1995. She then transitioned into technology, working for a grant-making software company. Ultimately, following her desire to aid people more directly, she enrolled in law school, clerked at Legal Aid and earned her J.D. from Southwestern Law School. She is currently raising three children and enjoys volunteering her time at their public charter school.