Our Team

Grace is an experienced educator and administrator with over twenty years of experience working with learners who approach learning differently. Throughout her career in New York City and the Bay Area, she has worked in independent schools, clinics, and private practice providing educational therapy and coaching to children, adolescents, young adults, and parents.

Grace uses a strength-based and data-driven approach to work with students to expand their capacity. She has extensive experience with assessment, instructional intervention, case management, and coaching. In addition, Grace partners and collaborates with allied professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, speech and language pathologists, pediatric occupational therapists, pediatric ophthalmologists, and teachers) to fully support an individual’s learning growth. She believes in skill-building by providing opportunities to empower all learners to develop self-awareness, confidence, and resiliency to recognize and reach their potential.

Currently, Grace provides academic support and coaching online. Please contact her for more information and availability.

Approach and Training:

• Wilson Reading System (Orton-Gillingham based approach)
• Lindamood-Bell Seeing Stars
• Lindamood-Bell Visualizing and Verbalizing
• Handwriting Without Tears
• Read Naturally
• Great Leaps Reading Fluency Program
• Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant Plus
• Social Thinking
• Executive Function Coaching

Education & Qualifications:

• Ed.M., Reading and Learning Disabilities, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY
• M.A., Learning Disabilities, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY
• AB, Sociology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
• Association of Educational Therapists, Board Certified Educational Therapist (BCET)
• Executive Function Coaching Certificates - Smart but Scattered Kids - Dr. Peg Dawson

Rita Mercado is an experienced Learning Specialist who has worked in the educational sector for 20 years. With a strong belief that all students can learn with the proper support, she is dedicated to increasing her effectiveness by discovering which methods work best for her students. She uses evidence-based programs and focuses on goal setting and progress monitoring to increase motivation.

Rita regularly attends conferences and training on learning differences, intervention techniques, executive functioning, and teaching strategies. Much of her training has been focused on approaches to improving literacy skills, as well as building an understanding of mathematical skills through using models and manipulatives to discover the generalizations and rules. She has experience working with students with mild to moderate learning differences, including students with ADHD, ASD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, auditory and visual processing issues, and executive functioning challenges. Rita works collaboratively with occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and psychologists and is skilled at interpreting educational evaluations to develop learning profiles to support students in and out of the classroom.  

Currently, Rita provides support and coaching online. Please contact her for more information and availability.

Approach and Training:

• Orton-Gillingham and Wilson reading systems
• Lindamood-Bell Seeing Stars
• Handwriting Without Tears
• Read Naturally
• Great Leaps Reading Fluency Program
• Bridges: Building Understanding in Math
• Social Thinking
• Executive Skills Coaching

Education and Qualifications:

• Reading and Literacy Specialist
• Learning Specialist
• Classroom Teacher in independent and public schools
• Orton-Gillingham Trained
• B.S., Elementary Education, University of New Mexico