Dr. Kristen Eccleston understands neurodivergent students because she was one.

Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, she knows what it's like to be misunderstood by systems designed for a different kind of brain. That lived experience, combined with 19 years of professional expertise, drives everything she does today.

Dr. Eccleston most recently served as Director of Social-Emotional Services at Weinfeld Education Group, where she built a specialized practice focused on complex neurodivergent profiles and school-based mental health. Growing demand for this work led her to expand independently through Eccleston Education Consulting.

Her credentials run deep. She holds a Doctorate of Education in Mind, Brain, and Teaching from Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Science in Special Education from Johns Hopkins, and a Certificate in Educational Leadership and Administration from Hood College. She is a National Board Certified Teacher: Exceptional Needs Specialist.

Dr. Eccleston created and directed the Enhanced Social-Emotional Special Education Services (E-SESES) Program for Montgomery County Public Schools, an innovative model that has saved the district millions in private placement costs. Her work earned recognition from the Montgomery County Board of Education for Distinguished Service in Public Education (2018) and the MCCPTA awards for Outstanding Special Educator and Outstanding Special Education Program (2019).

In 2022, she completed specialized training in Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) with international expert Laura Kirby. Since then, she has consulted on more than 50 PDA cases, bringing a nervous-system-first approach that prioritizes collaboration and autonomy over behavioral control.

Her expertise extends beyond individual advocacy. Dr. Eccleston consults internationally on school avoidance, partners with therapeutic settings to improve care for neurodivergent populations, and trains private school teachers on best practices for supporting complex learners. She has presented at the Schools of the Future Conference, the Education 2.0 Conference (where she received the Outstanding Leadership Award), and for organizations including NAMI and local school system agencies.

Dr. Eccleston has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Towson University in their Secondary and Special Education Graduate Programs and formerly on the Smithsonian's Zero Barriers in STEM Education Advisory Committee.

As a TEDx speaker, she shared her personal story of navigating education as an undiagnosed neurodivergent student, challenging the one-size-fits-all approach that fails so many learners.

Whether she's advocating at an IEP table, training educators, testifying as an expert witness, or presenting at a national conference, Dr. Eccleston brings the same core belief to every interaction: every behavior has a root, every nervous system is communicating something important, and every student deserves to be seen as a whole human, not a problem to solve.