Slavica Stoevska
Co-founder and Chairwoman of the New Steps Foundation | Expert in Strategic Management and Development
Slavica Stoevska is a leader with over 20 years of professional experience in the non-governmental sector, organization management, and development of educational and social programs. Her career has been consistently linked to the mission of supporting people and communities through education, leadership, and sustainable development models, combining strategic thinking with a deep understanding of human and social processes.
Since 2016, Slavica has been Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the New Steps Foundation in Sofia, where she bears overall responsibility for the strategic management, financial stability, and program development of the organization. Her work is focused on the creation and implementation of educational initiatives for children with special educational needs and their families, as well as on building effective teams, partnerships, and sustainable financing models.
Previously, Slavica held the position of Project Manager at the Dynamis Foundation, where she led the development and implementation of leadership and training programs. Her professional path also includes management roles in international and regional NGOs in Bulgaria and Serbia, as well as experience in the field of microfinance, corporate social responsibility and project management of public importance.
Slavica’s education combines technical, managerial and humanitarian perspectives. She holds a Master’s degree in Family Counseling and has completed a number of specialized trainings in leadership, financial management and microfinance, including international programs in the United States. This multidisciplinary experience allows her to view education as a key tool for social change and long-term social impact.
Slavica is fluent in Bulgarian, English and Serbian and is known for her cooperative working style, strong communication skills and ability to inspire people around a common cause. The foundation of her professional philosophy is the belief that accessible and quality education is the foundation for the development of individuals, communities and a sustainable society.
Diana Hachikyan
Neurodevelopmental Specialist | Parent Trainer and Consultant
Diana Khachikyan is a specialist with many years of experience working with children and families in the field of neurological child development and inclusive education. Her professional path began during her student years while studying Archaeology, as a music and English teacher in a private kindergarten, in parallel with active volunteer work in orphanages, initiatives to support children deprived of parental care, organizing and conducting children’s summer camps.
She has completed specialized training in the field of occupational therapy and inclusive education, including a postgraduate qualification “Occupational Therapy in Inclusive Education” and a certification course for a Montessori specialist.
Diana is also a certified specialist in the English “Portage” home visiting program and has worked on the program for several years.
Since 2017, Diana has been the director of the New Steps therapeutic center, where she participates in the development and implementation of a comprehensive model for working with children with different needs and their families.
As a trained specialist in the neurodevelopmental approach, she conducts and / or assists in the preparation of neurological assessments by American specialists and works directly with parents and therapists, training and consulting them in the implementation of individual neurological programs at home.
In her work, Diana places a strong emphasis on partnership with parents, movement as a primary tool for development and belief in the potential of each child.
Cyndi Darling
Neurodevelopmental Specialist | Founder of ICAN
Cindy Darling is a specialist in applied and developmental psychology and a certified neurodevelopmental specialist. She is the founder of ICAN – International Christian Association of Neurodevelopmentalists and has over 30 years of practical experience working with children and adults with diverse needs.
In addition to her professional path, Cindy is also a foster and adoptive parent – the mother of one biological child, 4 adopted children and the foster parent of another 18 children with special needs. Her personal experience and the real changes she observes in children through the application of the neurological approach motivated her to become certified and dedicate her work to this method.
In her practice, she has worked with clients aged 0 to 103 and has helped hundreds of families around the world. Over the past eight years, Cindy Darling has traveled regularly to Bulgaria, where she has performed over 200 neurological assessments and developed individual programs for children and families, supported by the New Steps Foundation.
Stephanie Lankhorst
Certified Neurodevelopmental Specialist | Teacher and Mentor
Stephanie Lankhorst is a Certified Neurodevelopmental Specialist with over 20 years of experience as a teacher and mentor. Her personal story is closely related to the approach – she grew up in a family where her younger sister had Down Syndrome.
Her parents implemented the neurological approach at home, and the results she observed in her sister’s development became the main motivation for Stephanie to train and develop professionally in this field.
Today, she works with children and families, emphasizing partnership with parents, consistency and practical application of the program in everyday life.
Dr. Melanie Bryant
Inclusive Education Expert | Speaker and Consultant
Dr. Melanie Bryant lives and works in Austin, Texas (USA) and has over 24 years of experience in the public education system. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education, a Master of Education Administration, and a Doctorate in Special Education.
Her professional background includes working as a teacher of students with severe physical and behavioral challenges, as well as a long-standing leadership role in school administration, where she was responsible for special education teams. Since 2017, she has worked regionally with teachers, principals, and support staff in a district with over 120 schools and approximately 80,000 students, of whom 13,000 are in special education.
Dr. Bryant is a guest speaker and long-time partner of the New Steps Foundation. She has visited Bulgaria several times to participate in seminars, trainings, and the foundation’s summer family camps, and in the 2024–2025 school year she is leading a series of webinars by the New Steps Foundation for teachers and specialists dedicated to inclusive education.
Jodie Moore
Educational Expert | Instructor and Teacher Trainer
Jodie Moore (AS, BSE, MEd) is a certified educator and trainer with 28 years of experience in the private, public, and international education sectors. Her professional experience includes working as an elementary and middle school teacher, principal of three schools, and her current position as a digital learning instructor for teachers and administrators in Angleton ISD, Texas (USA).
In 2016, Jodie visited Bulgaria as a lecturer at the New Steps Foundation’s summer camp for families with children with special needs. Since then, she has returned many times to train parents and educators in various cities across the country.
Jodie continues to support the Bulgarian education community through online trainings, seminars, and a long-term partnership with the foundation.
Tiffany Crow
Behavior Analyst | ABA Therapist and International Speaker
Tiffany Crow (MA, BCBA, LBA) is a board-certified behavior analyst with extensive experience in implementing behavioral and ABA therapies in clinical and educational settings. She works with children, adults, families, and professional teams, providing individualized therapy and consultation focused on building functional skills and a supportive environment for development.
Her professional experience includes working in public education as a teacher in general education and special education settings, a member of a multidisciplinary team supporting children on the autism spectrum, and a consultant to schools, faith-based organizations, and non-governmental organizations.
Tiffany is the founder and clinical director of Intentional Actions: A Behavior Analytic Approach, LLC, where she leads therapeutic programs and trains professionals in the application of purposeful, ethical, and practical behavioral strategies.
As an international speaker, she is deeply committed to the mission of sharing logical and applicable approaches from behavioral analysis that support inclusion and create an environment in which every child and every person can be a full part of the community.
In her work, Tiffany places a strong emphasis on family, compassionate care, and partnership with parents and professionals, believing that sustainable change is achieved through understanding, consistency, and humane treatment.