Director at Bridges Academy

Maria Kennedy first joined the Bridges Academy staff as the director of the Phoenix Program. After successfully growing the program each year, she has taken on the position of Director of the Bridges Educational Group.

Maria hosts the popular monthly web series Crucial Conversations about Cognitive Diversity, which delves into issues facing the 2e community and recommends solutions. She has also been featured on “Bright and Quirky” as a panelist and educational expert. Her webcast, ‘Strengths, Challenges, and my journey as my son’s Advocate,” is a popular go-to for teacher training. An educator for almost 30 years, Maria received her B.Ed. and M.Ed. in education from Manchester University (U.K). She earned Advanced Teacher Status from the Manchester Department of Education for her ability to develop curriculum and her skills within the classroom.

She has traveled internationally, teaching students and training teachers to tap into the strengths of their gifted and challenged students. As a result of her work, she has received several awards: “Teacher of the Year” in North Carolina, “Golden Apple, Elementary Teacher of the Year” in the Cayman Islands, and “New American Hero, an award for teaching and leadership excellence,” in Louisiana.

Maria believes that to be an effective educator: you must continue to learn and grow as a person. With this in mind, she constantly reads and works closely with leading educators in the field of 2e education.