Alessa Giampaolo Keener homeschooled her two children from kindergarten into college. Throughout her years of homeschooling, she embraced a child-led learning approach, with an emphasis on social-emotional development and community-based learning.
With a Masters in Education and a Certificate in Gifted Education from Johns Hopkins University; a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Lehigh University, and a Certificate in Special Education Advocacy from the William & Mary Law School, Alessa is uniquely qualified and trained to provide educational testing, curricular support, and general consultations to families.
Alessa’s focus on special student populations, coupled with attention on affective development, has also allowed her to work with schools, start-up tech companies, and non-profit organizations across the country who seek assistance with developing innovative programs.
National and Regional Presentations and Webinars
Over the years, Alessa has worked and volunteered with numerous businesses and organizations, including:
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County – Department of Education
- The Johns Hopkins University
- Howard Community College
- Maryland Office of the Public Defender
- The Davidson Academy of Nevada
- Connections Academy
- Maryland Public Television
- Living Classrooms Foundation
- National Children’s Museum
- Baltimore’s Child Magazine
Since 2011, Alessa has also worked with attorneys providing expert educational testimony, reports, and technical guidance for custody, divorce, and juvenile criminal matters. She has been accepted as an expert witness in the areas of (1) special education, (2) matters of educational best interest, (3) homeschooling, and (4) special student populations. Alessa does NOT provide legal advice, but works as part of a civil or criminal team to address educational issues.
Alessa has volunteered 15+ years leading Maryland’s homeschool grassroots advocacy efforts to monitor legislative and regulatory issues that may effect a family’s right to educate their child at home. That work has led to the creation of the Maryland Homeschool Association, an all-volunteer group committed to providing free information for Maryland families.
As Seen in the News and on TV
Having started her career writing family travel articles, Alessa continues to write for parents and professionals. She has written curriculum for grant-funded youth enrichment programs, state-approved continuing education courses for childcare providers, and other organizations. Most recently, she was invited to contribute a chapter in the NAGC’s 2019 book Success Strategies for Parenting Gifted Kids. Alessa currently sells curricular enrichment products online.
Alessa continues to speak on educational topics at local, regional, and national conferences for parents, social workers, and attorneys. Her passion, however, remains in working one-on-one with families and children. Through listening to concerns and providing compassionate guidance, Alessa helps parents find the answers they need to their children’s educational journeys.
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