The Hirsch Academy Founders
Leslie Cotton-Smith, M.Ed.
Founder
I am the mom of the amazing 6 year old who inspired the creation of Hirsch Academy – And it has been the most enlightening, joyous adventure!!!
I brought to Hirsch a BA in recreation and an MEd in counseling with years of experience in both. But bringing my love, passion, curiosity, respect and an open mind have been even more essential.
As our vision is to create an academic/social atmosphere. Everyone deserves to feel joyful about coming to school. Everyone deserves to feel safe, understood and respected, knowing everyone during the day is presuming that they are competent.
It remains an honor to know these amazing students who really are our teachers in many ways as they lead us all into our future.
Laurie Cotton-Smith, OTR, MSW, MHP
Founder
Laurie Cotton-Smith helped found the Hirsch Academy for her 6-year old son who needed a school that could meet his sensory needs and different learning style. While simultaneously working in her chosen field of Historic Preservation, she took on the financial and HR duties at the school for the first 16 years of Hirsch’s journey! She is presently retired from her preservation job, but continues to work closely with Hirsch staff and other members of the Board of Directors on the business management of the school. Laurie has degrees from Tufts University, New York University and Georgia State University. She enjoys spending time with her family and rowing on the Chattahoochee River.
The Hirsch Academy Staff
Shelley Carnes, MS, OTR/L
Executive Director, Co-Founder
Shelley has over 30 years of experience partnering with the neurodivergent community. She is a licensed Occupational Therapist, an Expert DIR Floortime Provider, and one of the co-founders of The Hirsch Academy. Shelley holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Rehabilitation Science from Auburn University (1996) and a Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Brenau University (2000).
Shelley is a passionate supporter and advocate for the neurodivergent community and is a voracious learner, constantly exploring how to support and empower neurodiversity affirming practices. She promotes international discussion, education, and partnerships between The Hirsch Academy and self-advocates, families, professionals, and educators.
Shelley is also a wife and a mom of two children. She enjoys traveling, exploring outside, dancing and rock climbing any chance she gets.
Tara Wu
Director of Operations
Tara’s career has spanned education, nonprofit leadership, public lands management, and geospatial data science. She has worked with the U.S. Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and Bentley Systems, contributing to environmental planning, disaster recovery, infrastructure resilience, and conservation. Earlier in her career, she served as a librarian and educator at Galloway and Westminster schools, and community outreach leader, developing programs that emphasized literacy, service learning, and the outdoors.
Tara has enjoyed building strong organizations, improving systems, and creating welcoming spaces where people feel seen, supported, and empowered. She holds a Master of Science in Spatial Data Science and a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems (Pennsylvania State University), as well as a Master of Library and Information Services (University of Rhode Island). Tara enjoys running, inline skating, hiking, trail stewardship, writing, fostering animals, and exploring the outdoors with her husband.
Elizabeth Klingman
Academic Director
Elizabeth was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago with a dual degree in TESOL and Bible Studies and has taught in the USA, China, Mexico, Russia, and Ecuador. She is also certified as a Trauma Informed Specialist. For a total of eleven years, Elizabeth has worked as an EFL teacher, learning support teacher, and core teacher with a variety of different grade levels.
As a late diagnosed autistic who loved learning but ended up falling through the cracks of the school system, Elizabeth deeply understands the importance of tailoring one’s educational approach to each individual student. She is passionate about fostering a love of learning in her students and is known for her creative, out-of-the-box approach to teaching. In her spare time, she enjoys writing and exploring the great outdoors with her family and her dog, Jojo.
Susan Lisenby
Communication Specialist/Trainer
Susan is a graduate of the University of Georgia (1990), and the Mercer University School of Law (1993). She began her affiliation with The Hirsch Academy in 2013 and has never looked back. Prior to joining Hirsch, Susan obtained a post graduate certification in Dyslexia and Language Based Learning Disabilities as well as an Intermediate Certification in DIR/Floortime. After joining the Hirsch staff as a Lead Teacher in 2016, Susan added the I-ASC (ACTS) Certification for Spelling to Communicate as well as multiple trainings and mentorships in Facilitated Communication and coaching. When she is not interacting with students and their families, Susan loves to be outside! She enjoys hiking, walking, gardening, tennis or golf with friends, playing with her dogs and dancing on the patio with her husband and family.
Julie Carnes, MA, LPC
Co-Founder/Counselor
Along with being a co-founder of The Hirsch Academy, Julie is a Licensed Professional Counselor working primarily with preschool and elementary aged children and their parents using a DIR/Floortime approach. She offers individual counseling, parent coaching and paired play sessions in her private practice located at Floortime Atlanta. She also does school observations and consultations as well as supervision of beginning professional counselors.
Julie has a Bachelor’s degree from Mercer University in Special Education with a minor in Psychology, Montessori primary certification, and a Master’s in Psychology/Counseling from Goddard College. She was a Montessori teacher for 12 years and the Education Director for 10 years of a Montessori school serving over 300 children from preschool through middle school. Julie has led parenting classes for over 30 years. For the last 20 years, she has been coaching parents in the DIR model and is a member of the national DIR faculty. She has worked in the areas of bereavement in young children, social cognition, and peer mediation. She supports our Hirsch parents and staff on such topics as floortime, understanding learning variations, helping children with emotions and social cognition, and conflict resolution.
Lead Teachers
Becca Fernandez has 30 years of experience teaching Montessori primary and elementary aged children. She holds a BA in religion from New College of Florida and an M Ed from Loyola College of Maryland. She is certified through the Association Montessori International at the primary and elementary levels. Becca is trained as an Orton Gillingham tutor through IMSE and loves helping children learn to read. When not in the classroom, Becca can be found running or tending to the plants in her yard. She lives in Grant Park with her wife, their two children, a sweet dog, and a very needy cat.
Kristen has been working with children for over a decade in a variety of settings. After earning her degree in Human Development and Family Science from the University of Georgia in 2015, she began teaching preschool and quickly discovered her passion for education. She later transitioned into a Family Development Specialist role and spent several years supporting children and families within the foster care system. She loved the impact she was able to make in this field but found herself missing the classroom. She eventually transitioned back into teaching at a private STEM school and reaffirmed her passion for being an educator. Kristen has had the privilege of working with children ranging from toddlers to teenagers and has extensive experience supporting neurodivergent students in a variety of educational settings. She is passionate about building strong relationships with her students and understanding their individual strengths. She believes every child deserves an education that honors their unique way of learning and supports their growth as a whole person. In her free time, Kristen loves doing puzzles, playing games, and spending time with her husband and cat.
Kyah Watson-Fountaine has a background as an educator and inclusion specialist. She has supported students in classrooms, small groups, and one-on-one settings, designing instruction that aligns with academic standards while honoring each learner’s sensory, communication, and regulation needs. Kyah is passionate about helping students build communication, executive functioning, emotional regulation, flexibility, and independence. She has experience integrating AAC systems to support both speaking and non-speaking students and is deeply committed to creating learning spaces rooted in connection, safety, and curiosity. Kyah has an educational background in art, literature, and general humanities from the University of Maine. She loves the ocean, the Philadelphia Eagles, and her cat, Aibileen.
Stephanie was born and raised in New Jersey and has been living in Georgia since 2016. Her parents immigrated from Ecuador and El Salvador and have been residing in the States since they met. After moving to Atlanta in high school with her family, she received her degree in Modern Languages with a concentration in French and Spanish from Georgia Southern University. She has experience as a facilitator in a variety of school settings providing academic accommodations, regulation, communication support and inclusive opportunities for all age groups. With experience in Floortime Therapy, she is skilled in diverse teaching adaptations, communication supports, regulation techniques and is excited to share her knowledge and overflowing positivity with her students, families and the entire Hirsch team. Stephanie has an abundance of experience working with all age groups, particularly neurodivergent students, but flourishes the most when working with younger children who can appreciate her light heart and warm giggly personality.
Therapists & Specialists
Leigh has been at Hirsch Academy in various roles since 2017. Currently, she serves as both the Reading Specialist and the Art Specialist. She holds a degree in Psychology from Louisiana State University and has dedicated her life to studying human potential. An experienced Orton-Gillingham Reading Instructor and tutor since 2017, Leigh specializes in teaching students with dyslexia and other learning differences.
Since 2022, Leigh has also been teaching Art at The Hirsch Academy. She loves helping students translate their brilliant ideas onto canvas, paper, and clay while they learn about art and artists from both the past and present.
Talia was born and raised in New York City and recently put down roots in Atlanta. She holds a BA from Brandeis University and in 2024 received dual master degrees from Hunter School of Social Work (MSW) and Bank Street College of Education (MSEd), with a focus on infant and child development, family systems, and early intervention.
With work experience across early intervention, child therapy, and pediatric medical social work,
Talia brings a well-rounded, heart-forward approach to her work. She is currently working toward obtaining her LCSW and a certification as an expert Floortime provider. As someone with ADHD herself, Talia has a personal connection to what it means to experience the world differently, and is deeply committed to empowering children and affirming all developmental and neurological backgrounds. When she is not working, you can find her performing, exploring the outdoors, or saying yes to something she has never tried before.
Regulation and Academic Assistants
Emily earned her degree in Music Education from the University of North Georgia. Her enthusiasm for singing creates an enjoyable and enriching learning experience for students of all abilities. In college, she was a camp counselor for a camp serving neurodivergent teens and adults. At camp, she enjoyed helping her campers grow in confidence and self-efficacy. Emily was introduced to the Hirsch Academy when her son became a student at the school in 2022. She watched as her son’s life was radically transformed through the support and care of the teachers and staff. She was so inspired by Hirsch’s teaching philosophies that she decided to become a substitute teacher in 2023 and is now excited to be part of the team as an Academic and Regulation Assistant teacher.
Rachael brings a neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-informed approach to education grounded in connection, trust, and student-led support and learning. She holds a B.S. in Psychology and German Language & Literature, is a certified yoga teacher, and was a Division I track and field athlete at the University of Kentucky. Rachael is passionate about supporting student growth through meaningful relationships, Floortime and enjoys collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to help each child thrive. Outside of school, she enjoys gardening and life on her rural farm with her dog, Koda, and rescue cats, Honey and Earl Grey. Her holistic approach to life and teaching has made her a valuable asset as an Academic and Regulation Assistant and as an integral part of the After School Program Team.
Student Support Staff
Pioneering The Hirsch Academy as its first student, Ian and his parents have been trailblazers for the neurodivergent community, helping to create The Hirsch Academy. Post-graduation, Ian remains closely involved, contributing to the outdoor adventure program, recess activities, and executing handyman repairs on campus. Beyond Hirsch Academy, Ian enjoys blacksmithing, woodworking, and golf. Additionally, he co-owns Hotlanta Hot Sauce, a thriving Atlanta-based business.