Our Story

A Letter From Our Co-Founder, Maria

The MindShift Academy was created from both my heart and my belief that we can do better for young adults with developmental disabilities and neurodiverse needs.

It came from years of living, learning, rebuilding, watching, listening, and understanding that life does not always unfold the way we imagined it would. I have learned that people should never be defined by the hardest chapter of their lives.

Life has humbled me more than once. It has taught me what it means to face uncertainty, to begin again, to find strength when I did not know I had any left, and to keep moving forward even when the path ahead was not clear. Those experiences changed me. They changed the way I look at people, at potential, and at what it truly means to have an opportunity. One lesson has stayed with me above all others: Never underestimate what someone can become when they are given opportunity, encouragement, patience, and someone who truly believes in them.

That belief became The MindShift Academy.Too often, when school ends, families are left wondering what comes next. I saw a gap — not just in services, but in meaningful opportunities for young adults to continue learning, building confidence, developing friendships, working, contributing to their communities, and discovering what they are capable of. I did not create The MindShift Academy because I believed young adults needed another place to simply go during the day. There are enough places to go. I wanted to build a place where young adults could live, learn, contribute, grow, work, laugh, belong, and discover who they are capable of becoming.

Because the world, as it exists today, is not always built with these young adults in mind.

I wanted to build something with purpose, a program that combines compassion with structure, real-life learning with meaningful experiences, and support with the belief that every member has something valuable to contribute.

As a business owner, I also understand that passion alone is not enough. Strong programs need vision, accountability, consistency, partnerships, and opportunities that can grow.

My goal is to build bridges between our members, families, businesses, employers, and the community so that inclusion becomes something we actively create, not simply something we talk about.

I care deeply about every young adult who walks through our doors, and I am equally committed to building an organization that can create lasting opportunities for them.

At The MindShift Academy, we see the person before the diagnosis. We believe in growth. We believe in contribution. We believe in possibility. And above all, we believe that every young adult deserves a meaningful place in this world. That is why I created The MindShift Academy.

Maria Iarossi - Co-Founder, The MindShift Academy

THE WORLD IS OUR CLASSROOM..

A Letter From Our Co-Founder, Oana

As the mom of an autistic young adult, I know firsthand what it's like to worry about the future. Like many parents, I spent years celebrating every milestone my son achieved. Every new skill, every step toward independence, every accomplishment reminded me that he was capable of so much more than people often expected. Then he turned 21 and aged out of the school system. I remember asking myself, "What happens now?" I wasn't looking for a place where he would simply spend his day. I wanted him to keep learning, keep growing, build friendships, develop life skills, and continue becoming as independent as possible. As I searched, I realized there were very few programs that focused on helping young adults continue reaching their potential. I knew my son still had so much to offer, and I couldn't accept that his learning should stop simply because school had ended. It was during that time that I met Maria. We shared the same belief—that young adults with developmental disabilities deserve more than supervision. They deserve opportunities to keep learning, contributing, building confidence, and living meaningful lives. Together, we created The MindShift Academy. Today, my son still attends The MindShift Academy, and watching him continue to grow, gain confidence, and build new skills reminds me every day why we started this journey. As both a mother and a co-founder, my hope is that every family who walks through our doors feels what I was searching for—a place where their son or daughter is genuinely believed in, challenged, supported, and given every opportunity to reach their fullest potential.

Oana Curelaru - Co-Founder, The MindShift Academy

Welcome to The MindShift Academy...