About Ms. Waldinger
Ms. Waldinger has served as an Advocate and Educational Consultant in Southern California since 1980 in the field of special education. In her private practice, she has worked with families and professionals in advocating for students’ educational rights to secure appropriate educational services and placements. She works with a broad range of students with varying needs and disabilities who qualify for Special Education, including: students with learning disabilities, autism, emotional disturbances, physical disabilities, and vision and hearing impairment, as well as gifted students.
Ms. Waldinger conducts trainings and workshops on such topics as IEPs, parent rights, and educational advocacy for parents, teachers and professionals working with Special Needs students. She is a frequent speaker at professional conferences and seminars on the subject of Special Educational advocacy and Student Rights.
Through her active involvement in professional educational associations, Ms. Waldinger is knowledgeable about the ever - changing State and Federal laws that can effect resources and services available to this population. Most notably, she participates as a member of the Southern California Education Task Force, charged with the task of reviewing and monitoring Special Education policies and legislation. In addition, she was appointed to the Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) Chanda Smith Consent Decree Sub-Committee, on which she served for 4 years.
Since 1997, Ms. Waldinger has been employed as a Rehabilitation Specialist and Educational Consultant on the staff of UCLA TIES for Families. TIES is an interdisciplinary university-based program, dedicated to optimizing the growth and development of children who are or have been in foster care or are in some stage of adoptive planning.
Prior to entering private practice, she taught students with special educational needs at the private school, Marianne Frostig Center, as well as in a public school setting. Ms. Waldinger holds a Master’s Degree in Human Development, with an emphasis in Special Education and State of California teaching credentials in Elementary Education and Special Education (Learning Handicap and Severely Handicap).