We’re excited to welcome two special guests this week! Dana Fair and Rabije Perezic join the podcast to share their journey of building and growing their business. They discuss some of the challenges they’ve faced along the way, as well as the importance of strong buy-in and a healthy company culture. Don’t miss this thoughtful discussion on leadership, challenges, and culture.
Bios:
Dana Fair:
I started my career as a special education teacher. I hold Master’s degrees as a Behavior Intervention Specialist, Curriculum Adaptation Specialist, and in School Leadership. Most recently, I was a school administrator in a public school district. My prior experience is almost exclusively in the private therapeutic day school setting. I take pride in advocating for students/families, working closely with districts on the most challenging cases, being a hands-on principal, and finding creative ways to serve students and lead teams.
I have dedicated my career to supporting students that struggle to attend school. I am relentless in my pursuit to individualize education for students that need it most, and I am unwavering in my belief that every student can thrive in the right environment with staff that care.
I was a single mom of two young boys for a while before I met my husband. I pride myself in my strong work ethic and ability to maintain strong, authentic relationships. I had humble beginnings as a special education teacher and would bartend in the evenings to save enough to pursue my dreams of eventually owning and operating my own school. I have worked with numerous clinicians over the years with my background in private therapeutic day school, and I was always waiting for the right person on the clinical side to start a school with.
I met Rabije and I instantly knew that we would be an unstoppable team- we were the teacher/therapist team for countless complicated cases. We share aligned values, work ethic, and an eager desire to have a greater impact in this field. This year, I am the most impressed with our staff. I have never worked with such a dedicated, values-aligned group of individuals. I am honored to walk alongside them as we tackle some of the most challenging cases of chronic absenteeism.
Rabije Perezic:
I am the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of Wallace Academy and Natura Academy, where I lead and develop therapeutic programming for students experiencing school anxiety, school refusal, behavioral, and social-emotional needs. I am a clinician with over 10 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and families, with clinical experience in both therapeutic day schools and private practice. I am also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, which informs my trauma-responsive approach to clinical care and program development.
Get In Touch:
Rabije Perezic LinkedIn Profile
Tips of the week:
Invest in your people as people, not just professionals.
Focus on culture and create opportunities for staff to connect.
Watch episode here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEi1Eeg5K7Q