Elsa earned her Master’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and a graduate certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorder from San Francisco State University. Prior to graduate school, Elsa graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology minoring in Human Development and Family Studies from University of Nevada, Reno. In graduate school, Elsa was awarded a grant through Project ALLIES, a graduated certification program issued by the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, where she received specialized training for working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She was introduced to a breadth of techniques for working with children and adults diagnosed with ASD, including training for and implementation of Integrated Play Groups, led by its founder, Dr. Pamela Wolfberg.  When not at Helix, you can find Elsa hiking on one of the many trails in Marin county, traveling the world with her husband, or skiing at Lake Tahoe near her hometown in Northern Nevada.