Hidden Gems: Meet LeeAnn DiTomaso and Samantha Paros of Access S2C

Today we’d like to introduce you to LeeAnn DiTomaso and Samantha Paros.

Hi LeeAnn and Samantha, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
LeeAnn- I have been a labor and delivery registered nurse for 23 years, but when my friend showed me what her non-speaking son with autism was learning, I couldn’t get it out of my mind. For 16 years, everyone thought since he could not speak, he could not understand. That all changed when he began to use spelling as communication (S2C). When I witnessed how smart and articulate he was – I was blown away! My friend told me to look into becoming an S2C practitioner. Without hesitation, I enrolled in the program through I-ASC (International Association for Spelling as Communication) and never looked back. At the time, Ohio only had one practitioner, so the need was great. Luckily, a few months later, I was introduced to Samantha, who had just entered the program. We knew right away we had to work together. We share the same vision: to help non-speakers towards open communication, create a community for non-speakers and their families, and show everyone we can that non-speaking does NOT equal non-thinking. 

Samantha- Back in 2016, I started working as a one-on-one provider for an individual with Autism. After falling in love with this neurodiverse population, I knew this was my calling. In 2020, I was introduced to a family of a 16-year-old non-speaker. I assumed that because he couldn’t talk, he couldn’t understand. After a whole year of working with him, his mother read the book, “Underestimated: An Autism Miracle” by J.B. Handley. After the emotional read, she scheduled his first Spelling to Communicate session in Chicago, since there were no practitioners in Ohio at the time. I joined them on this trip and was awestruck watching him spell words that I didn’t even know how to spell. My view of Autism & non-speakers immediately flipped. I signed up for the S2C practitioner training so that I can help even more non-speakers set their voice free! It is a MUST that everyone presumes competence in these brilliant individuals! I’ve met so many extraordinary families along the way, but most importantly, I crossed paths with the most amazing business partner! LeeAnn & I are on a mission, and it is to help as many non-speakers as possible find their voice! We are your key to OPEN COMMUNICATION! 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We learned quickly that it takes perseverance and patience to start your own business. It wasn’t easy, but with the help of friends and family, we navigated through the process and got all systems in place. We are so lucky to have amazing families who bring their Spellers to S2C sessions with us. They love to spread the word about what we do and often bring other families to observe sessions. Through these internal referrals, our website, and referrals from I-ASC, we are building the community we hoped for….and it’s still growing! 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Access S2C?
Access S2C, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a Spelling to Communicate (S2C) center. Spelling to Communicate teaches individuals with motor challenges the purposeful motor skills necessary to point to letters to spell as an alternate means of communication. The goal is to achieve synchrony between the brain and body. As Co-Founders / S2C Practitioners, we have both been rigorously trained to teach motor skills through a hierarchy of verbal and gestural supports. As the Speller’s skills improve through consistent practice, they progress from pointing to letters on a letter board to typing on a keyboard. Access S2C is one of only a few practices in the state of Ohio! Our goal is to help each student become independent communicators and create a community of Spellers and families! 

What does success mean to you?
At Access S2C, success is all about making a difference, one student at a time. We believe that everyone deserves to be heard and should have access to communication that meets their needs. We feel successful when our Spellers know that their voices are finally being heard. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.accesss2c.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accesss2c/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/accessS2C