Who We Serve

D. Reed Coaching, Consulting & Advocacy, LLC proudly serves and partners with educators, instructional leaders, families of individuals with disabilities, organizational practitioners, and community leaders who are passionate about fostering positive change. Whether you are a teacher seeking to enhance your classroom environment, a school leader aiming to build a more inclusive culture, or an organizational practitioner looking to implement equitable practices, we are here to support you. Our approach is holistic and personalized, ensuring that we meet your unique needs and challenges.

Why We Exist

D. Reed Coaching, Consulting & Advocacy, LLC exists to cultivate accessible, equitable, and inclusive ecosystems where individuals of all abilities have opportunities to thrive. The three-fold mission aims to evaluate systems, equip changemakers (i.e. practitioners, employees, leaders, etc.) with relevant and meaningful tools for improvement, and empower communities to engage in intentional practices that nurture generations to impart positive changes for individuals of all abilities across educational and organizational settings.

What We Envision

Guided by the belief that everyone has the right to thrive, we envision a future where every individual, regardless of ability, thrives in supportive, affirming, and inclusive environments driven by empowered and informed leaders, connected by the power of community and collaboration, and focused on continuous meaningful improvement for all.

Meet Our Founder

Dr. DeShanna Reed seated in an armchair wearing a navy blue suit and gold blouse at her appearance for TEDxRaleigh in 2023.

Dr. DeShanna Reed is a researcher, consultant, educator, and former school administrator with two decades of expertise working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in day programs and at all levels in public education. Her background is in psychology and, as the sibling of an individual with Level 3 Autism and mother of neurodivergent children, her first-hand experience equips her to provide insights and guidance to other neurodivergent families seeking equity and inclusion for their children.

Dr. Reed is a veteran of the US Army Reserve, a two-time TEDx speaker, and a three-time author. She also holds credentials as an Employment Services Provider and consultant for individuals with disabilities in the State of Texas.

She is passionate about improving accessibility, equity, and inclusion for individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. Dr. Reed regularly presents her research-based, practical strategies for improving outcomes for individuals of all abilities through professional development sessions, workshops, campus and district-level consulting, and keynote addresses to audiences of all sizes nationwide.

Client Feedback & Testimonials

  • "Dr. Reed's workshop performance was exceptional. She truly understands what eduators need and you can feel her passion as she speaks"

    -Anonymous client, Campus Principal

  • “It meant so much that she [Dr. Reed] took the time to explain everything I need to know about my son's 504 services. She explained the process and laws in a way that helped me better advocate on my son's behalf.”

    -Jami N., Parent

  • “The professional development was so empowering! Dr. Reed emphasized how valuable we are as paraprofessionals and empowered me to feel more confident collecting student progress data.”

    -Helen F., High School Special Education Paraprofessional

  • “Dr. Reed ‘s guidance and advocacy for my child helped us finally get connected with community resources. She truly listened to us, explained each step of what we needed to do, and stood by us through it all. Thank you so much, Dr. Reed!”

    Advocacy parent client

  • “I really enjoyed Dr. Reed and her professional development session for Special Education teachers. Her approach to developing better systems and routines for teachers, paraprofessionals, and leaders is nothing like the typical ‘sit and get’ trainings I have received in the past. She understands what we need because she has been in our shoes and knows what truly works to make the data collection and reporting part of the SPED teacher’s job easier and better. She just GETS it!”

    -L. Tagen, Resource Teacher

  • "Mrs. Reed was my son's Transition teacher his final year in high school. He had been applying for a job since he turned 16 but had never gotten a call for an interview. Within the first month as his teacher she walked him through his first interview and he was hired! She texted me even after she was no longer his teacher to check on him. Recently, he purchased is first car with his own money! Her compassion and understanding of what a kid like my son needs changed his life. Before her he never thought any job would hire him. Now he KNOWS he can do it. Everyone remembers that special teacher that makes a difference in your life. Mrs. Reed was Nick's!

    J. Beckwith Millsap, 18+ Transition parent

  • "It was truly a pleasure to hear Dr. Reed speak at our school district's pre-planning professional development session. She truly has a wealth of knowledge in her field and is able to easily translate her knowledge to an audience in a way that is easy to understand. So much of what Dr. Reed spoke about resonated with me not only as a Professional School Counselor but also as an LPC. It is so critical that we as school counselors understand the effects of trauma and brain functioning in the work we do with youth and are able to easily apply it using the strategies that Dr. Reed explored and reviewed in our session. Dr. Reed is professional, skilled, and poised, and yet still keeps the attention of the audience by infusing humor, enthusiasm, and a sense of connectedness in her presentation. I would highly recommend Dr. Reed for your next workshop and or speaking engagement."

    Larri R., School Counselor

Let’s get to work, together.