Linda Jean Heller

I met Linda Heller on the other side of the fence. She was working to assist a child that I was supervising within the school. Her compassion for the child I was 'defending' and who was in residential placement was so overwhelming that I approached her later with my own child's problems in the distri...ct where we both lived. As a mother and a person seeking real help for my child who was completely misunderstood and flailing in that district- I can only say that Ms. Heller changed our lives. She knows the law, the intricacies of districts and has the compassion and dedication of a mother and a professional. She is the best.

I have found that oftentimes, people think advocacy is about defeating an adversary. The words sound similar, and often it's portrayed as a 'fight' with 'winner' and 'loser'. Linda Heller understands and practices advocacy in its' truest sense: helping the team find the best solution for the child.... In all her meetings with us and our school district IEP team Linda never made a demand, never spoke negatively about anyone, never even raised her voice. This made it easier I think for our child's voice to be heard through her: She was that quiet force, saying over and over again "This is what they need". Of course, the answer was not always what we wanted, and often was no very quickly, however in the end the right solution came out for this child. There was no admonition, there was no condemnation, she recognized and helped everyone feel acknowledged that they were doing their best for this child, and that in turn prompted them to want to do their best. We are grateful that Linda was there for us, and grateful that she helped the team find the right solution for our child. She is a credit to her profession, and a joy to work with.