meet our team
Mary Maluski
I am a native Texan who grew up in San Antonio where I became acquainted with a young man with Down’s Syndrome. He was my best friend’s older brother. Because of him and my desire to understand more about his thought processes and abilities, I started volunteering as a teenager, in a local program socializing with developmentally challenged young adults. I have been engaged in that role ever since. I moved to Austin for my third year of college to attend the University of Texas where I could earn a degree that would qualify me to teach Special Education.
At UT Austin my scholastic focus was on education with a Major concentration in Math and a certification in Special Education. I received a Bachelor of Science in Education which prepared me for a career in teaching. After one year of teaching middle school Special Needs students, I returned to Austin. While teaching students, 17-22 years old with intellectual or emotional disabilities and/or Autism during the day, I took evening classes and earned a Masters in Special Education in order to get more in depth information about the people I was working with. Most recently I have been working with young adults with low incidence disabilities who have completed high school requirements and need transition services in order move into the next stage of life beyond High School.
That’s why we always ask ourselves the question, “What’s Next?” We understand there is no single answer to that question. Everyone’s circumstances are different and constantly changing, but we hope to offer one more opportunity for parents and caregivers to expand the social circle of the special needs loved one in their care. I am truly thankful I have the opportunity to work with the young women and men in our online group, and I believe we can enrich the social lives of many adults with special needs.
Celeste Thompson
I am a Texas girl, and even though I moved around somewhat in the early years, I found my way back in 1998 and have been living in Round Rock ever since. After graduating from a business school in Austin, I worked as a conference coordinator at the University of Virginia, then was married and moved to Vermont, where I was the assistant to the superintendent of the Colchester School District.
After learning my son had autism at eighteen months of age my life changed forever. My primary focus became my two children, especially my son, as I became immersed in learning everything I could to make his life as fulfilled as possible, knowing the challenges we would face in the years ahead.
When he started school at three years of age I joined a group of professional language therapists in a practice focused on young, speech delayed children, many of whom were autistic. Later, I joined Round Rock ISD so I could be with my kiddos during the summer months. At RRISD I have worked with special needs students from Preschool all the way through 18+ age groups.
I understand the difficulty parents face trying to find an affordable program for their sons or daughters once they leave the public school system. Just finding something constructive to do with their time can be a challenge. That’s why I am really excited to be a part of Friends Shine Online. We have great expectations for the program and the options it will provide for our friends in the special needs community.
Denise Myers
Hi! I’m Denise Myers, a co-host here at Friends Shine Online.
I was raised in Northern Virginia and studied organic chemistry at Radford University where I met my computer guru husband. After nearly three decades of marriage we have two beautiful children: a daughter who is a nurse and a son who is a computer programmer. Our love for animals has led us to become big animal advocates, fostering dogs alongside our 3 little dogs. One day we dream of owning a large piece of property where we can save the lives of more animals.
My journey working with special abilities began six years ago with a young man whom I assisted with his academic lessons and life skills. When the pandemic hit and learning moved online, I helped this young man with his virtual classes and group communication. That experience led me to meet Mary and Celeste through the public high school VISTA program. Their ideas and collaboration started Friends Shine Online and created our community of friends. The group has become like family to me and I was subsequently offered a position co-hosting the daily sessions. I am so grateful to step into my job each day as I help to guide our friends on a fun-filled journey of engagement.
Aside from my passion for special abilities, I also love music, singing, crafting, laughing, cruising, and traveling. And, I have discovered a new love of sign language from our virtual classroom sessions.
Friends Shine Online is a beautiful silver lining after the pandemic that shines as bright as the sun and I am forever grateful to be standing side by side with each of our friends. I can’t wait to see where the road leads with our Friends Shine Online community.