About Branches of Life
Branches of Life exists to create supportive environments where people and systems can thrive. We started as three special educators who loved watching students grow—and who were heartbroken when young adults lost their momentum as soon as high school ended. The structures that helped them succeed simply weren’t there anymore.
Rather than accept “that’s just how it is,” we created something different.
What began as three teachers running every aspect of our first program has grown into a team known for practical expertise, steady leadership, and a deeply human approach. Shirley soon joined to bring her strengths in ASL interpreting, HR, book keeping and organizational operations—giving our work the business strategy and infrastructure it needed to grow.
We understand people, we understand learning, and we understand systems. Most importantly, we know how to design supports that actually work in everyday environments.
Our mission
To create supportive environments for people and systems through practical, accessible services that honor autonomy, dignity, identity, communication, and lived experience.
What makes us different
We understand learning deeply.
Our team includes trained K–12 special educators with expertise in significant disabilities, individualized curriculum design, adaptations, and meaningful instruction for any learner.
We specialize in real-life environments.
We have run day support (center and non-center), community engagement, supported employment, and workplace assistance services. We know what works because we’ve done the direct work ourselves.
We focus on communication and accessibility.
Several team members use ASL, and one is a licensed ASL interpreter. We understand the needs of Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and visually impaired individuals and build multiple communication methods into our supports.
We use evidence-based best practices—delivered plainly.
Our work is grounded in research and contextual understanding, but we communicate in clear, direct language that families, professionals, and individuals understand.
We collaborate across roles.
PBSFs, a BCBA, life coaches, educators, and supervisors work together. This eliminates the common “silo effect” and produces consistent, meaningful support.
We’re stable because we support each other.
As a small business, we prioritize healthy culture, good judgment, and shared leadership. Low turnover is a natural outcome of that.
We’ve led systems-level change.
- Traci brings over 15 years of experience supporting people with mobility, Deaf/HOH, and visual access needs—and was named Teacher of the Year three times, reflecting her excellence in instruction and student-centered practice.
- Wendi taught the state’s Positive Behavior Support Facilitation course through VCU’s Partnership for People with Disabilities for eight cohorts and developed a practical systems-change curriculum based on real-world needs.
- Jessee served as President of the Virginia Down Syndrome Association, leading board development and a successful executive director transition.
- Shirley, a nationally certified sign language interpreter with postgraduate HR credentials, served on a statewide HCBS Business Acumen learning collaborative focused on sustainability and strategy for disability-serving organizations.
We carry lived experience.
We are neurodivergent-owned, disabled-owned, and women-owned. Our lived expertise informs our values, our perspective, and the way we design support.
Our story
Branches of Life didn’t begin as a business idea, it began with a gap. As classroom teachers, we saw strong progress and meaningful learning for students with significant disabilities. But once they graduated, there were no truly instructional environments designed to continue that growth.
So we built one.
For the first year, the three of us ran the program ourselves. We learned what people needed by providing the support every day, and we didn’t hire anyone until we had enough grounded experience to teach and guide others.
Jacob, our first hire, is still with us. This is a testament to the stability and culture we’ve built.
Today, Branches of Life supports individuals directly and helps organizations strengthen their programs through training, certifications, and systems-informed leadership development. We’re sharing what we’ve learned so more people can experience environments that help them grow.
Our values
- Autonomy & self-determination: People have the right to make choices about their own lives.
- Identity safety & respect: We affirm and welcome people across disability, neurodiversity, culture, and gender/sexual identity. Everyone deserves support that feels safe and respectful.
- Communication access: We adapt to the person—not the other way around.
- Dignity & humanity: We speak with people, not about them, and we honor privacy and consent.
- Collaboration: Effective support requires teamwork across roles, families, and systems.
- Practical problem-solving: We focus on solutions that work in the environments people actually live and work in.
- Learning & growth: Learning doesn’t stop at graduation—and neither do we.
Our commitment
We are committed to creating supportive environments that honor identity, dignity, communication, and autonomy. We ensure that people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people across diverse cultures and identities experience support that is safe, affirming, and respectful.
We also commit to working skillfully within existing systems—schools, waiver services, DARS, Medicaid, and community organizations. We understand how those systems function and help people and teams navigate them without losing sight of the person at the center.
Who we serve
- People across diverse identities, cultures, and lived experiences
- Educators, paraprofessionals, and school-based teams
- Behavioral and mental health professionals (LPCs, LCSWs, social workers, psychologists)
- Disability service providers and human service agencies
- Support Coordinators, DARS counselors, and waiver case managers
- Organizations seeking to strengthen their programs, supervision, or staff practice
- Adults with disabilities & their families
- Neurodivergent people seeking support that honors autonomy and communication differences
- LGBTQIA+ folks looking for an affirming, identity-safe environment
- Schools, educators, & paraprofessionals
- Special educators, behaviorists, and related service providers
- Businesses & HR professionals
- Community organizations & nonprofits
We’d love to learn about you
If you’re exploring services, looking for guidance, or wanting to strengthen your team or program, we can help you figure out the next right step.