Peggy is a follower of Jesus Christ, a Navy veteran, a retired Navy wife, and mom to only-child Daniel, 18 years old, who has high-functioning Autism (not Asperger’s). She is the Attendance Secretary at George Mason High School in Falls Church, Virginia, where Daniel is a college-bound graduating senior. She and husband Jim (Executive Director for the Naval Sea Cadet Corps after 30 years of active-duty service) are beating the appalling odds of divorce among special needs parents (80%!) by celebrating their 26th anniversary in JAN. She had Daniel when she was 38 (after multiple miscarriages and infertility), and he was clinically diagnosed with autism at age 4. Because of their many military transfers over the years, Daniel has had a variety of educational experiences, and currently enjoys a mixture of mainstream (with one-on-one support) and co-taught classes (one mainstream teacher + one special ed teacher). Peggy and Jim have lectured frequently at masters-level Marymount University classes for future educators on the subject of parenting a child with autism. They are active members of Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church.

Contact: Peggy@chosenfamilies.org