Maria Luisa Echavarria, Ph.D

María Luisa has been a volunteer and facilitator with VELA for the past 5 years, teaching the Autism and Special Education classes for Spanish speakers. She is as lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, where she especially enjoys teaching first generation college students whose families immigrated from Latin America. She has taught Italian, and Spanish for Business at St. Edward's University, and Spanish for Healthcare at UT's Nursing School, which currently uses the textbook she co-authored. Before moving to Austin, María Luisa worked in international banking in New York City. Because she has personally experienced the ups and downs of raising a child with disabilities, she can understand the many challenges families face. Working closely with VELA's families, in their native language, gives her the privilege to support each family's well being, and their efforts to maximize each child's full potential.