Our Staff

Leah completed her Undergraduate Degree in Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario in 2014 and continued her education with a post-graduate diploma in Behavioural Science in 2016. Leah has experience in Intensive Behavioural Intervention, group home settings, community support, family support and case management. Leah is currently working towards her Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology. Leah brings a caring and compassionate approach when supporting families to access the resources they need.

After earning his bachelor’s in psychology, Jim provided social services and therapeutic activities in long-term care facilities serving people with severe mental and physical disabilities. He went to law school to become a stronger advocate for people with disabilities and found a home at the public defender’s office representing indigent persons accused of crimes, many of whom lived with disabilities. For the past five years, Jim has built a litigation and business law office helping small businesses navigate disputes, government regulations and commercial transactions while always maintaining a volunteer caseload serving our communities’ most vulnerable. Jim’s unique blend of advocacy, policy and leadership experience aligns superbly with his mission-driven ethos here at WAAA.

Jim coordinates and leads WAAA’s statewide direct legal services program. The legal team advocates on behalf of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and related intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to secure access to necessary services such as applied behavior analysis (ABA) and mental health services. These efforts range from legal representation in appeals of private and public insurance benefits to special education advocacy. The team also works diligently to expand the program’s reach and impact through policy advocacy on systemic healthcare and education issues affecting WAAA’s members.

In 2007 she founded Washington Autism Alliance and Advocacy, developed the “Autism IEP supplement: Best Practice Guidelines for educating students with autism”. Her IEP supplement as well as guidelines for training teachers was legally adopted by the Washington State legislature in 2008 and became the requirement for all teachers working with learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders statewide.

Arzu introduced Shayan’s Law, Autism Insurance Parity to the Washington State legislature, petitioned the state Health technology Assessment of evidence based treatment of autism and ignited multiple legal actions that have clarified state and federal laws mandating insurance benefits for those with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Arzu designs, implements and manages local, statewide and national projects as well as provides technical assistance to agencies, providers and families on current insurance, education and social service practices and strategies.