About Dusti

Dusti is a former sixth-grade teacher with a Master’s in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She began her career teaching in inner-city Philadelphia as a Teach For America corps member, where advocacy and closing the achievement gap were central to her work. She loved creating inclusive, dynamic classroom communities and supporting students with diverse learning needs.

At 35, Dusti was diagnosed with ADHD—a discovery that reshaped her understanding of herself and her life. It helped explain long-standing challenges with organization, activation, and emotional intensity, while also highlighting key strengths such as big-picture thinking, problem-solving, and a strong sense of justice. Learning how her brain works allowed her to replace self-criticism with self-compassion and develop strategies that actually support follow-through, habit-building, and emotional regulation.

This shift inspired Dusti to deepen her knowledge of neurodivergence and support others navigating similar experiences. She became a coach to help people learn to work with their brains rather than against them—because at heart, teachers never stop teaching.

Drawing on both her professional background and lived experience, Dusti also works as an educational advocate. She helps families collaborate with schools to develop and implement meaningful 504 Plans and IEPs that meet students where they are and support long-term success.