Our Team

Veronica is the President and HR – Generalist of Life Development Institute. She holds a BA in Psychology, MA in Human Resources Development and is a Board Certified Senior Disability Analyst. For her thesis in graduate school, Veronica did her research study on Diversity in the Workplace including individuals with disabilities as a minority population. Her career includes both professional and the practitioners experience the adult domains of life, training/working one on one and in groups with LD, ADHD, High Functioning Autism, Aspergers, Substance Abuse, PTSD, Mood Disorders, Mild TBI, Personality Disorders and family dynamic issues. She was an adjunct college professor teaching life skills and career planning, worked for a Fortune 100 company as a Human Resources Training Manager and Recruiter ensuring compliance of ADA, training on employment laws, team and leadership roles, diversity in the workplace, and employee relations. Veronica is a member on the Education and Training Committee of Jobing.Com, SHRM (Society of Human Resources Management), NETPA (AZ Networking Employment and Training Professional Association), VSHRA (Valley of the Sun Human Resources Association), EMA (Employment Management Association), DLA (Diversity Leadership Alliance), LDA (Learning Disabilities Association America), ASA (Autism Society of America) and the ABDA (American Board Disability Analysts).

Her book “Embracing the Monster: Overcoming the Challenges of Hidden Disabilities,”which was released in 2002 by Brookes Publishing and is in it’s second printing. She has been featured in numerous publications including LDA News briefs, NCLD/Our World magazine, LDonLine/First Person and Smart Kids with LD. Veronica is a respected spokesperson on behalf of and for adults with LD, ADHD, and mental health issues across the nation and speaking at local and national conferences. She is a passionate and tireless spokeswoman working to enhance the recognition of adults with hidden disabilities as the most unrecognized and misunderstood minority in our society. Veronica works with LD staff to integrate our students into the community where others can see their talents and contributions not knowing they are any different from other millennium generation young adults! It is her great joy for others in the community to see how talented and amazingly involved LDI students are that they want in to what we have going on! Even more meaningful to her is that the students begin to see their own power develop as they start to present themselves as a representative minority for their up and coming generation.

About Life Development Institute

LDI offers internationally recognized and fully-accredited high school, college and career-focused programming in a community-based apartment setting for young adults with LD, Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD, NLD and similar conditions.