Michelle Haffenreffer
Discipline: Early Childhood Specialist
Faculty Mentor:
About:
Shelly Haffenreffer, M.Ed. is an Early Childhood Specialist with over ten years of experience in early care and education. She received her M.Ed. in Early Intervention from the University of Maine. Her research focused on the impact of interventions driven by access and parental knowledge of early intervention methods of autism spectrum disorder.
Shelly’s main interests include the enhancement of developmental and emotional outcomes in children with autism. Her work focuses on the impact of family engagement on child outcomes and building emotional support for the family system. Shelly has worked with infants, young children and their families in developmental preschools and in home-based settings. She is trained in Coaching Strategies to Support Executive Skill Development in Children. Shelly has facilitated community outreach support groups for care givers of children with disabilities. A dedicated advocate for children with learning disabilities, Shelly passionately worked with pre-school and elementary age children to achieve their educational goals and integration in the community. She is committed to the field of early childhood intervention and the optimal functioning of families.