Our Team

Amanda is the Education Specialist for Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Adapted PE, and Assistive Technology at the Education Service Center – Region 13. After receiving her M.S. in Occupational Therapy from UTRGV in 2016, Amanda entered the public charter school system as a campus-based OT and later took on a leadership role. As part of the ESC 13 Instructional Support team, Amanda’s work includes facilitating workshops, providing consultative services and offering networking opportunities for related service providers, Adapted PE teachers,  and AT specialists. Amanda is passionate about promoting best practices in school-based therapy and assistive technology.

Ariana serves the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) student populations, implementing auditory communication access in the classrooms and providing troubleshooting support with personal hearing devices and Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT). She strongly encourages self-advocacy and responsibility regarding a student’s hearing levels and technology, providing developmental support in their transition to adulthood. Please contact Ariana for more information concerning the Region 13 Hearing Assistive Technology Loaner Program.

Erica is a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI) and Deafblind Specialist  who began working with children who are blind and visually impaired in 2003 in the Chicago suburbs. She advocates for student independence and collaborates with educational staff to ensure equitable access for all students who are blind or visually impaired.  She has worked with a wide array of AT for BVI students, including screenreaders, braillenotetakers, and refreshable braille displays. 

Marissa Alonso is a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies and has been working in the accessibility field for almost a decade. She has over  7 years of experience as an Alternate Media Specialist. Her passion for producing braille adaptations and tactile graphics led her to a love of assistive technology. She now manages the AT Preview Center and Special Education Library at Region 13.