Shelby Struxness Co-founder Shelby is a bright, beautiful, and determined young woman. She hopes to one day attend culinary school to become a pastry chef. Shelby loves reading, art, animals, listening to music, and baking! |
Natalia Jasso Executive Director Natalia is currently a senior at UTSA, majoring in kinesiology. She aspires to become an occupational therapist and work in pediatrics. She is a proud advocate for the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. Natalia was inspired to start Inclusion is Sweet after seeing the struggles that Shelby and other friends with disabilities have finding a job in the community. She is so proud of Shelby for taking on this venture with her, and she can't wait to see where it goes! |
Gabie Santiago Programming Director Gabie is a junior at Texas A&M-San Antonio. She is majoring in special education k through 6th. She hopes to be a sp.ed teacher and help promote inclusion and equality throughout school districts. Eventually she wants to be a professor in the education department, and facilitate the growth of future sp.ed teachers. Gabie is an advocate for the inclusion of everyone, and is excited to be working with Inclusion is Sweet. |
Peyton Myers Marketing Director Peyton is a sophomore in college, majoring in criminal justice. She advocates for the inclusion of everyone, and is very excited to be a part of the Inclusion is Sweet team! |
Magaly Maldonado Volunteer coordinator Magaly is a longtime advocate and supporter for the special needs community. She is several credits away from attaining her associate’s degree in psychology. Magaly has over 7 years of experience with folks of all different ability types- first as a volunteer counselor, then as a tribe leader at Camp CAMP in Center Point, Texas. She is excited to bring her skills to Inclusion is Sweet in order to combine her two main loves: the special needs community and delicious desserts! |
Cecily Lowe Administrative Associate Cecily was born with cerebral palsy. A great challenge this created for her was, although she loved dancing, for most of her early life she thought she would never be able to do it. Finally, she discovered a way to fulfill her longtime dream and express herself through choreographing interpretative dance. She now hopes to share the message that dance is for everyone with other disabled people. In addition to dance, she can also be found singing, writing, and spouting off insignificant trivia. |
Aaliyah Granderson Advisory Board Aaliyah focuses on helping families learn about how to fund for a lifetime of care and how it may affect the financial future of their child with Special Needs. Aaliyah advocates for inclusion of people with disabilities and enjoys volunteering alongside local 501(c)3 non profit organization Inclusion is Sweet. |
Jhonelle Bean Advisory Board Jhonelle has had the pleasure of being involved in the special needs community since 2014, where she began her adventure at Camp CAMP. Jhonelle now works as an RBT, which is a behavioral therapist for kids that have autism. She has been an advocate for those in communities that are often overlooked, such as the foster care/adoption community and the Deaf community. She honored to have a part in Inclusion is Sweet and empower others to let their Abilities SHINE! |
Bonnie Zimlich Advisory Board Bonnie is from Frisco, Texas and will be a freshmen at Texas State this fall. She will be majoring in Special Education. Teaching is extremely important to Bonnie and she feel very strongly that everyone deserves the right to a good education. She was introduced to the disabled community for the first time in 2015 through The Miracle League of Frisco (a sports organization for kiddos of all abilities) and was hooked! From there, she found Camp C.A.M.P. and continued to learn and grow more about inclusion and acceptance. Bonnie is so excited to be apart of the Inclusion is Sweet team this year and hopes she can continue to learn how to better advocate for her friends with disabilities. |
Natalie Crabtree Advisory Board Natalie has a Master's in Guidance and Counselling. She has been working with the special needs community for 14 years and will continue to advocate for inclusion through organizations like Camp Camp and Inclusion is Sweet. |
Marien Armstrong Advisory Board Marien has been working in the disability community since 2012. She volunteered at Camp CAMP for two summers while she was in high school, and then worked for two full summers as the Camp Photographer while she was in college studying Photography. Through those two summers she recognized a lack of professional photographers who had a love and passion for people with special needs and shifted her focus in her photographic studies. In 2017 Marien opened Marien E. Photography, a portrait photography business for the disability community in San Antonio, and her life is now dedicated to providing dignifying, professional, and fun portraits for families. Outside of work, Marien volunteers as a leader for a youth group for students with disabilities, volunteers for her church, and loves to do watercolor paintings and play video games with her husband. She is very proud and honored to be on the advisory board for Inclusion is Sweet, and cannot wait to continue to uplift the disability community in our city in this new way. |