REEL Team | Profile

Profile

Join date: Feb 15, 2022

About

ABBY KIRIGIN, Ed.D.

Executive Director

Abby worked in tech and startups as an interaction designer for several years before pivoting to education as a result of raising her own twice-exceptional children. Abby received a doctorate from the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education, where she developed a curriculum to support neurodivergent middle schoolers in strengths-based career exploration. She holds a Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon and a BA from NYU.

CALLIE TURK

Co-Founder, Board Chair

Callie is the mom of three teens, one of whom is 2e. Callie draws on her 15-plus year career working with ed tech companies and school districts at the cutting edge of educator professional learning. Callie received her MBA from Stanford University and BS from Miami University (Ohio). She is also a doctoral student with the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education.

YAEL VALEK

Co-Founder, Board Secretary

Yael has two 2e sons in middle and high school. Yael co-founded start-ups in the parenting community and children's creativity spaces. She has served on the board and advisory committees for several education-based non-profits. Yael received her BS and MS in Computer Science from Stanford University.

Posts (120)

Jul 11, 2026 ∙ 16 min

2e Transition From Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Your teen can debate philosophy with a professor, and still can't remember to eat lunch. It's not a contradiction, it's a scaffolding gap. ADHD therapist and coach Danielle Park joined REEL and Parents Helping Parents to unpack why twice-exceptional and neurodivergent youth hit a wall between adolescence and adulthood, and the practical scripts, science, and mindset shifts that help close it.

May 27, 2026 ∙ 8 min

Late Identification of a 2e Child: A Letter to the Parent I Used to Be

A letter to the parent I used to be, and to every parent who is wondering right now. Dear younger me, I know you're tired. You've been to the parent-teacher conferences where they tell you your child is "on level." You've smiled and nodded while a quiet voice inside you whispered, but something isn't right. You've Googled things at midnight and then closed the tab, half-convinced you were overreacting. You weren't. It would take until high school for someone to finally put a name to what you...

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May 22, 2026 ∙ 10 min

Video: Academic Path for 2e Students

We highlight our students' high potential, their creativity, their empathy, their determination. These are all qualities that the colleges want on their campuses. We tell the story of our students' academic journey — one of challenges and adversity, but also of successes and life lessons. We want to tell the colleges this is a kid who is going to be persistent, going to be successful.