Meet Frazer’s Inclusion Team

This spring, Ignacio Mendoza and Hannah Etchison joined Frazer Center as our new Inclusion Specialists—and quickly became a dynamic duo. Their mission: support children with identified needs and their families, and help teachers build inclusive classrooms where every child thrives.

Hannah and Ignacio each found their way to Frazer through different career paths, but they share a conviction—inclusion is vital and early intervention support is a much needed service in the community. 

Ignacio earned a B.A. in Psychology from Georgia State University, and an M.S. in Psychology from Kaplan University (now Purdue Global), concentrating in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). He worked in the Severe Behavior Program at the Marcus Autism Center, then provided in-home therapy for seven years before landing at Frazer.

Hannah’s career has taken a more circuitous route. She didn’t know anything about the world of inclusion and early intervention when she received her B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Alabama. But when her parents were assigned a foster child who had several diagnosed disabilities, “It opened my eyes to how much enjoyment there can be, how fulfilling it is to know people with disabilities.” 

Hannah’s work at a child development center in Seattle exposed her to special education and inclusion in an early learning environment. After moving to Atlanta, she missed working with children. So she completed her MEd in Childhood Special Education at Georgia State University.

While there, she worked with Dr. Gary Bingham of the Urban Child Study Center, whose team of graduate students helped Frazer create our research-backed inclusive nature curriculum—planting the seed for her future here.

No Two Days Are Alike

For Ignacio and Hannah, every day is different, depending on what situations they walk into. Each Inclusion Specialist is assigned classrooms to visit daily, and both check in across the center to offer support. “Maybe a child is expressing a certain behavior that a teacher is concerned about,” Ignacio explains. “We can come in and model behavior for the teacher, provide coaching, or share visual equipment like timers or other tools to help the teacher best support the child.” 

The pair share an office, and they both appreciate having each other to bounce thoughts and ideas off of.

In addition to providing classroom support, Ignacio and Hannah coordinate with any therapists who serve children at Frazer, and they facilitate communication with each child’s team—parents, teachers, therapists, and administrators—so strategies are consistent at school and at home.

Screening & Early Support

“We offer developmental screeners for all the families at Frazer,” says Hannah. If a screener indicates developmental concerns or a possible delay, Hannah and Ignacio support the child and family and connect them with appropriate early-intervention resources. When results simply highlight skills that could be strengthened—such as fine- or gross-motor—they partner with teachers to plan activities that reinforce those motor skills so the whole class benefits.

Growing Capacity, Strengthening Community

“As the Inclusion Team, we are trying to foster acceptance, understanding, and embracing differences,” says Hannah, “not only for children with disabilities but for diverse families, people of different demographics and identities.” 

Both Specialists hope Frazer can continue welcoming more and more children with identified needs. However, that growth requires capacity: staffing, space, time, and funding. With more resources, the team could expand trainings for teachers and provide workshops for families and community members seeking guidance.

Success in Action

Meanwhile, the Inclusion Team is dedicated to their mission of ensuring that each child, with and without disabilities, is able to thrive in their natural classroom environment. “That’s what success looks like for us,” says Ignacio.

One recent success involved a student who requires a g-tube to get their nutrition. The tube is inserted directly into the child’s stomach, and pureed food is inserted into the tube with a syringe. One teacher in the classroom already had experience with g-tubes thanks to a prior student, but all the teachers in this classroom, the administration, and the Inclusion Team received training. Within three days, the teachers were independently managing the student’s meals—giving the parents peace of mind. Not only that, but the child’s friends had a natural curiosity about the g-tube, so Hannah explained to them how it works. “Oh, that’s cool!” they responded. 

“When children grow up in inclusive environments, difference isn’t surprising—it’s familiar,” Ignacio notes. “Early exposure builds acceptance and empathy. Inclusion benefits everyone.”

Connect with the Inclusion Team

If you would like to know more about Frazer Center’s Inclusion Team and Early Intervention program, please email Hannah and Ignacio at inclusion@frazercenter.org.