Kathy Matthews

Kathy Matthews has spent the bulk of her career working in special education and behavior analysis, supporting individuals with disabilities and the families who love them. For years, she believed—as many professionals do—that the best support for disability was a strong continuum of services. That belief deepened and changed when she became a parent of a child with a disability herself.

What she came to understand is that the most painful part of this journey is not the present, but the future—the fear of a time when your child is alive and you are no longer here. It is a fear that can quietly overwhelm families. Through her own path, and through meeting Kristin Carleton and Mary McDirmid, Kathy discovered that special needs planning could transform that fear into something actionable. By putting certainties in place, this made room for peace, stability, and even joy.

Her children drive everything she does. Care Protect Grow was written from the dual perspective of clinician and parent, with the hope of sharing information that has grounded her own journey and can help others feel less alone. This is work born of lived experience and shared conviction: we walk this walk together.