We, as parents of individuals with significant disabilities, recognize the need for quality specialized care for individuals with significant disabilities. Providing this service empowers the individual, the family of the individual, and supports the full-time caregiver.
Yukiko Dove
Yukiko is a parent of three teen boys. The youngest, Aiden, is Autistic. As a parent of a son with a significant disability, She has found so many difficulties and obstacles in everyday life, which isolated her from the community. yet it gave her passion. Her passion has led her to become a special education teacher. She is currently teaching students with Intellectual Disabilities severe. She graduated from George Mason University, B.S. Management, Minor Entrepreneurship and Master of Special Education, K-12 Adaptive Curriculum. She is a founder of PWC Autism. She has received the Prince William Human Rights Commission Human Rights Award in 2020. She served as a board member for POAC-NOVA and Special Education advisory for Prince William County Public School.
Kristie Bowie-Young
Kristie Bowie-Young is a longtime resident of Prince William County. She is a mother of three sons, two of which have a primary diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. A graduate of Gar-Field Senior High School (Woodbridge, VA), she began her college journey at James Madison University where she studied Music Education and Special Education. When she discovered she could combine both studies, she transferred to East Carolina University (Greenville, NC) and obtained a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy degree. In continuing her studies, she obtained her Master of Education (with a focus in Intellectual Disabilities) from the Virginia State University (Petersburg, VA) and a certification in Behavior Analysis from St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia, PA). She taught special education in Manassas City and Prince William County (at the high school level) in the areas of Intellectual Disabilities and Autism for 17 years. She received her advocacy training through the Partners in Policymaking program coordinated by the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities. Currently, she works as a Waiver Service Facilitator for the Independence Empowerment Center (Manassas, VA). She is active in numerous community organizations and boards, such as PWCS Special Education Advisory Committee, Sigma Alpha Iota, the Arc of Greater Prince William and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.