Michael and Anita Williams, co-founded DragonFly Academy Therapeutic and Educational Services in 2019.  Their journey to advocate for a therapeutic & educational learning environment started several years prior to the COVID19 pandemic.  Two of their grandchildren were diagnosed with Asperger's (ASD) & ADHD.  Anita wanted to advocate for change and better services not only for her grandchildren but for the neurodiverse community. 

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Anita Williams is the CEO and Director of DragonFly Academy.  She has a Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.  Her credentials include, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC), and a Licensed Clinical Supervisor (LCADC-S).  She is a trained EMDR Therapist and certified Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) provider.  She is currently working towards certification as a Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS). 

DragonFly Academy offers neuroaffirming practices that include play therapy, sandtray therapy, art, and music therapy.  These therapeutic modalities can be utilized to engage learners in learning, meaningful play, socialization, and reciprocal communication.  

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Anita collaborates with occupational and speech therapists, and other community providers to offer an integrated health and wellness program for all learners. Her focus for DFA is to offer neuroaffirming practices and to validate and affirm each learner to gain insight and knowledge into their self-worth and value.

Mallory received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of New England, Portland, Maine in 2011. Shortly after graduating, Mallory moved to Las Vegas, NV to pursue her career in occupational therapy in a sub-acute rehabilitation hospital.  After a few years of adult rehab, Mallory transitioned into the field of pediatrics working in schools and home health settings.  Mallory also serves as an adjunct professor and clinical field work educator for the Touro University Occupational Therapy Department.  In 2022, she started her own private practice, Miss Mallory OT, LLC as a means to help better serve children and families in NV and mentor new OT students and therapists.

Mallory’s vision is to provide quality occupational therapy that everyone can access and afford. By keeping costs low and tailored to individual needs, all families are able to bring their children in for quality and effective therapeutic groups and 1:1 direct therapy intervention.  She believes in the value of creating healthy habits and routines, engaging in supportive communities and social groups as a vessel for improved mental health and participation in daily life.

Mallory specializes in Sensory Integration therapy & Primitive Reflex Integration, working with children experiencing barriers associated with autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorder, motor delays, neurologic, social and communication delays and behavioral challenges.  She also has experience working with the cerebral palsy, down syndrome, torticollis, and genetic disorders populations. Mallory is trained in sensory integration, primitive reflex integration, Therapeutic Listening Program, Vestibular Rehabilitation, interactive metronome and Brain Gym.

On a personal note, Mallory is a wife & mother to a fun-loving 5 year old daughter, Evelyn.  Mallory enjoys spending time outside with her family and dogs, hiking, going to the lake and snowboarding, visiting friends and family back East and going to sporting events.

Angie began unexpectedly homeschooling in 2018, when it became clear that the traditional school environment was not the best fit for her son. It would be another two years before he would receive an autism diagnosis. With the help and guidance of amazing mentors and therapists, Angie's family has embarked on a journey of education about the autistic experience.

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Angie believes that "children do well when they can" and that a bottom up approach is key in supporting  neurodivergent young people to access their incredible skills, talents and strengths regardless of their disabilities. Dragonfly Academy's integration of therapeutic services with academic enrichment is the optimal way to address underlying issues such as retained primitive reflexes, sensory processing challenges, dysregulated nervous systems, etc. to help children get to a place physically, mentally, and emotionally where they are able to learn, grow and advocate as their authentic selves.

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Angie has a BA in public relations from Pepperdine University and has worked in PR, marketing and graphic design for 20 years. She has held many career and volunteer positions in the non-profit education sector, including at Hollywood HEART in Southern California, offering creative workshops for at risk youth, and later as the Communications Director at Bishop Gorman High School here in Las Vegas. She also served as board president at Kids' Co-op, a parent cooperative non-profit preschool, and founded Wildflowers Learning Studio, a hybrid homeschool program.

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Angie is excited to bring all she's learned from these experiences, as well as her passion as a mom of a happy and thriving neurodivergent son, to Dragonfly Academy as Program Director.

Dana’s journey with neurodivergence began when her son, Jay, was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum at age seven. Witnessing the burden imposed on Jay, having to balance regular therapy sessions and traditional compliance model education demands, she was driven to search for a therapeutic learning atmosphere. After one meeting with Anita Williams, DFA founder, it was evident that the emotional, physical, and social safe place for Jay existed. 

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Inspired by the vision and commitment from every member of the DFA team, Dana was impelled to bring her years of experience and passion for supporting neurodivergent learners to DFA fulltime. After completing her undergraduate degrees in Politics and Secondary Education at Whitman College, Dana moved into independent school education. Over the course of eighteen years in the classroom, she became an accomplished Advanced Placement History and Policy Debate instructor. Policy debate involves the development of high-level research skills, critical thinking, and public speaking. Dana’s teams were nationally successful, and she continues to work for the University of Michigan Debate Institute.

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Dana’s tenure at a premier independent school provided her with almost two decades of professional development, familiarizing her with the most up-to-date research on how students best learn. She spent last year applying these skills while leading cooperative projects for dozens of learners in the Las Vegas homeschool community. 

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Dana feels fortunate to be charged with developing lessons and projects that meet every DFA learner where they are, each day they arrive. Her passion for project-based learning is tied to her strongly held belief that students learn best when they are engaged in hands-on activities, covering topics about which they feel passionate. Having witnessed the profound impact debate has on young people’s ability to become powerful advocates for what they believe, Dana hopes to incorporate debate skills within many of the projects DFA learners select to investigate. Dana is thrilled to play a foundational role in creating a learning environment that lowers barriers, but not the bar, for our community’s exceptional young people.