What We Do…
Empowered Pathways offers IEP Coaching & Advocacy, Virtual One on One Tutoring Services & Educational Consulting. The mission of Empowered Pathways is to support, empower, and advocate for families and their children to ensure that all students get what they need to learn and thrive.
Oftentimes parents and caregivers feel disempowered and disconnected from the IEP process. Whether you are unsure what to say, feel lost, or are having some difficulty with your child's school, Empowered Pathways can support you in becoming the advocate you want to be for your child.
Move from feeling brushed aside at the IEP table to confidently leading the IEP team toward what success looks like alongside your child!
Our Mission
To support, empower, and advocate for families and their children to ensure that all students get what they need in order to learn and thrive.
Our Vision
To grow and develop a multi-faceted organization working towards improved outcomes for students through inclusive, student-centered tutoring, coaching, consulting, and educational advocacy. Empowered Pathways aims to give parents and caregivers the guidance, tools, and confidence needed to advocate for the needs of their children.
Our Values
At Empowered Pathways we believe in:
Empowerment: We believe in an empowered humanity.
Learning as we grow: Learning by experience is the way we grow.
We shouldn’t be afraid of failure if we’re trying, learning, communicating, and moving forward.
We should push ourselves to try new things both personally and professionally. This is something we want for both our clients and ourselves.
Creativity: Our clients rely on our ability to be creative—to think “outside of the box” and deliver unique solutions. We also encourage creativity for our clients.
Integrity: We believe in being honest with our clients and with ourselves in order to become the best people, co-workers, and advisors that we can be.
Fun: We all work to embody an enthusiasm for life, finding joy in our professional endeavors and cultivating a fulfilling life beyond work.
Embracing the spirit of enjoyment involves savoring freedom, setting aside intentional time to experience joy and welcoming more curiosity into each moment. We hope to create spaces and experiences that alleviate life's challenges.
High-quality work: Our work is our art, and we want to apply attention to detail, pride, and the highest quality behind every client account and company project we work on.
Both for our own professional development and for the services we provide our clients, becoming an even better version of ourselves and for our clients is important to the very core of Empowered Pathways.
We want to improve and innovate constantly and consistently, this is a core value that is important to the organization and our success.
Inclusivity: We embrace diversity and aim to foster an environment where everyone, regardless of abilities, feels valued and supported.
Katrina Delaney grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts and has lived and taught in DC since 2013. She is a Teach for America alum who worked in the DC Region focusing on Special Education. Katrina graduated from Bridgewater State University (BSU) in 2013 with a Bachelor's in Sociology and a concentration in Global Studies, and she has a minor in Civic Education & Community Leadership. Katrina continued her education and graduated from George Mason University with a Masters in Special Education in 2015.
Katrina believes in a holistic and joyful approach to learning. In her free time, she enjoys meditation, yoga, going on walks with her daughter, reading, and playing with her dog, Freyja.
Katrina worked in DC Public Charter schools for 9 years. When she became a mom in the Fall of 2021, she found out shortly thereafter that her daughter had some health issues. As time went on, her daughter’s diagnoses became more complicated and it became apparent that she would need to rethink her career path. Katrina chose to leave her full time school leadership position to move closer to family and to have more time to dedicate to her daughter. She took some time off and found a new way to support students and families by starting her own business in March of 2022: Empowered Pathways.
After taking part in hundreds of IEPs as a Special Education Teacher and School Leader, I knew I wanted to help students feel successful and support families navigate the IEP process. Empowered Pathways offers Virtual One on One Tutoring Services, Educational Consulting, and IEP Coaching & Advocacy. The mission of Empowered Pathways is to support, empower, and advocate for families and their children to ensure that all students get what they need in order to learn and thrive.
Katrina brings to the table her 10+ years of expertise as a general education teacher, special education coordinator and director, parent, and more to unravel the complexity of the IEP process so that you feel “in the know” rather than “out of the loop”!
Nicole Leland also grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts, right down the street from Katrina. Currently pursuing a degree in Business Management at Bunker Hill Community College, Nicole brings a wealth of managerial experience to the team.
Her professional journey began with her working as a supervisor and manager of customer relations at a community-focused grocery store in Jamaica Plain. Following that, Nicole dedicated five years to managing a performance-arts based manufacturing company in Salem, where she fostered connections within the vibrant fire arts community.
For the past decade, Nicole has been a devoted volunteer, contributing her leadership and project management skills to Firefly Arts Collective—a collaborative environment and community for participatory arts. In her free time, she indulges in diverse interests, from reading and playing D&D/ board games to engaging in movement-based arts like fire spinning and acro yoga. Her free time is happily shared with her feline companions, Harley and Meepo.
In the fall of 2023, Katrina welcomed Nicole to the Empowered Pathways team, with the mission of expanding our reach. With a passion for education, Nicole is eager to contribute to the team's commitment to empowering families to advocate for their children's needs.