ABOUT US
Welcome to Access S2C!
We are excited to be part of the revolution of Spellers proving that non-speaking does not equal non-thinking! Our certified practitioners presume competence with every new student that walks through our door. We believe that communication is the key to independence and we work to provide the pathway for our Spellers to achieve their autonomy.
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We proudly serve non-speaking and minimally speaking individuals from age five and up with autism, apraxia, and other sensory, movement and communication challenges. Our Spelling to Communicate services facilitate the motor skills required for communication and daily living.
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Our mission is to enthusiastically support every Speller's human right to communication and self-advocacy and to continue to grow the community of Spellers in Ohio and worldwide. Everyone deserves to be heard!
MEET OUR TEAM
LEEANN
LeeAnn DiTomaso RN, BSN
Co-Founder, Access S2C
S2C Practitioner
LeeAnn received her bachelor of science in nursing from Ursuline College and has been a registered nurse for 24 years working in labor and delivery. She has always been passionate about helping others, which is why she decided to enter the Spelling to Communicate program. LeeAnn completed her training in 2022, rounding it out with a week-long internship where she was able to work with individuals and groups of Spellers.
LeeAnn’s desire is to create a community for the non-speaking, minimally speaking and unreliably speaking population. She has experience with Spellers of all ages and different levels of motor challenges. LeeAnn is passionate about creating a calming atmosphere and an individual plan for each of her students to help them reach their communication goals.
SAMANTHA
Samantha Paros
Co-Founder, Access S2C
S2C Practitioner
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Samantha began working with children with disabilities in 2016 and loved the experience of engaging with this neurodiverse population, which is too often overlooked. For three years she worked as a one-on-one provider for a minimally-speaking autistic teen. Samantha traveled to his very first S2C session in Chicago and was immediately hooked! She knew this was her calling.​
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Samantha completed her training and became a Certified Spelling to Communicate Practitioner in May, 2023! Her passion for bringing communication to those who need it most has become her life's vocation. Samantha is thrilled to work in partnership with LeeAnn, as they share the same vision and approach for working with their students. Together they both have big ambitions for growing the S2C community of Spellers in Ohio!
MARLENE
​Marlene Kole
Office Administrator
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Marlene's interest in Access S2C was first peaked by social media, viewing the Spellers Documentary, and reading the book, Underestimated. Prior to these experiences, while serving as the Director of Faith Church Preschool for 13 years, she often felt drawn to the child who struggled and needed extra assistance to succeed. She began her retirement three years ago, after serving as Executive Assistant to the Mayor of Highland Heights.
After meeting with LeeAnn and Samantha of Access S2C, Marlene has agreed to help them, in a volunteer capacity, with administrative tasks to allow them more free time for the important stuff of working with students! In her free time, she likes to read, travel, knit, and she is currently learning to play the cello!
KATIE
Katie McCandless
S2C Practitioner
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Katie earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences at Cleveland State University with a minor in Psychology. She has worked alongside the neurodiverse community since high school through clubs, camps, and schools. While on the Occupational Therapy track, trying to figure out how she can help individuals communicate best, she stumbled upon Spelling to Communicate through her good friend and hasn’t looked back. Katie became a Certified Spelling to Communicate Practitioner in 2023.
In studying human and health sciences, Katie has learned that there is more to the human body than what's on the outside. S2C has ignited a passion in her to work with and advocate for nonspeakers by helping them break through speech barriers. Katie has her torch held high to light the way for the S2C paradigm shift; releasing the brilliance of voices that would otherwise go unheard. Her mission is for the world to hear the voices of underestimated and speech-impaired individuals. They deserve a more meaningful life through access to reliable communication!
LESLIE
Leslie Rotsky
BEd, S2C Practitioner In-Training​​
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Leslie earned her Bachelor of Education at The University of Toledo. After teaching first grade, she worked in educational publishing for two decades, developing curriculum for learners of all ages and abilities. Leslie became passionate about autistic learners while raising her son, Jacob. Jacob inspired her work at a local autism organization, teaching parents and professionals best practices.
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Despite new knowledge and resources, Leslie watched her son struggle with communication day in and day out. Leaving no stone unturned, they tried one communication method after another. Nothing worked until Spelling to Communicate. At 22, for the first time in his life, Jacob can reliably communicate using a letter board. Through S2C, we now know that Jacob thinks Donovan Mitchell is the best Cavs player, his favorite flavor of ice cream is salted caramel or chocolate (depending on the day of the week), and he wants to write a book one day to tell his story.
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Leslie is thrilled to have an opportunity to help other families embark on this life-changing journey with S2C! She cannot wait to work with you!
JESSICA
Jessica Elsing
Certified Adaptive Personal Trainer
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Jessica completed her 200-hour yoga instructor certification training in 2021. Her family became immersed in the Spelling world in December 2021, when they traveled to Tampa for services for her oldest child, Marissa. She received parent training in Tampa that was unlike anything they had tried previously. Jessica was given a series of activities to complete at home, in addition to spelling. After gradually introducing more physical exercises into Marissa's life, she began to notice improvements across the board. Marissa was able to do things she had never done before, and her accuracy on the letter boards was improving.
After several unsuccessful attempts to find a suitable exercise program in Ohio for Marissa, Jessica decided to take matters into her own hands.
Along with sharing the gift of yoga with the world, she will share the benefits of physical movement with Spellers as a Certified Adaptive Personal Trainer.
YOUR KEY TO OPEN COMMUNICATION!