Meet Kimberly Sterne

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Sterne.

Kimberly, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I believe every child has unique gifts and challenges and deserves to have a support team willing to meet their potential. I started Your Education Advocate as a way to provide individualized support for families going through the special education process.

It all started back in high school. I spent my summers volunteering at the Foundation for Blind Children and fell in love. It was a special part of my high school years. I loved building connections with the kids and working through whatever challenges came up. Little did I know how much I would learn and grow from this experience. Ultimately, it would lead me to my life’s work. In college, there was never a question of what I would study. Of course, it would be a special education! After college, my husband and I moved to Alaska. I got my first teaching job in Anchorage. I was fortunate to be part of an immersion program in a remote Alaskan village that opened my eyes to an amazing culture and the challenges faced with institutionalized education. I learned so much from my time teaching in Alaska. After a few years, we made a move back to Arizona, started a family and I continued teaching. As a teacher to exceptional students, you get to know families personally. What I found is that more parents felt overwhelmed by the educational process. They wanted to know their options, know their rights, have an expert by their side. I knew I needed to coach these parents and help ensure their voices were heard. Parents wanted to be informed to make better decisions about their child’s educational planning. It was a pretty natural transition to become a full time advocate.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m in my 10th year advocating and I’d say it’s been pretty exciting! I’ve certainly had challenges along the way. It was a leap of faith, leaving a stable career I loved to answer a calling that kept showing up. I had to lean into my support network -my friends, family, and most of all my husband. I couldn’t have done it without them.

By the time parents call me, they are often in the red zone -meaning, they are so frustrated and exhausted with the system. The team may be fractured, emotions running high -it can be challenging. We work to refocus the team on the child’s best interest. I want parents to know they can call an advocate when they first suspect their child needs help -when they are in the green zone. An education advocate can provide support at any point in your child’s educational journey, but they can also be your first option -to answer questions and walk you through the process. Parents don’t have to go through this alone.

Please tell us about your work.
When a child is struggling in school, parents often don’t know where to turn. My experiences as a teacher, coach, advocate and mom enable me to provide personalized support, professional representation in meetings, and consultations to help problem solve. I’m the best know for my ability to skillfully negotiate in school meetings. I love diving into a new case. I love the research, the collaboration, learning new things, and best of all -helping improve a child’s life. I’m proud of each and every one of my students, but I’m most proud of the students I’ve had the privilege to work with for many years witnessing them achieve their goals -that’s what keeps me going. Those are my proudest moments.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I grew up in a big family and my siblings are still my best friends. It’s hard to pick just one, but my favorite memories were probably when my parents left the four of us home alone. It was a magical time of mischief. Like when we got into an epic water balloon fight with the neighborhood kids. Or when we were sanctioned to load the dishwasher when my parents were out for the evening and accidentally filled the soap container full of liquid soap. Bubbles all the way to the living room!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.youreducationadvocate.com
• Phone: (602) 791-7109
• Email: ks@youreducationadvocate.com

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