Who is Desirie Sykes?
As the Founder and CEO of NESS Cares & NESS Behavior Consulting, my journey has been shaped by a background as a former Behavior Specialist with OPWDD and a contracted in-school Behavior Consultant. In this role, I've dedicated myself to strengthening the capacity of school professionals, navigating the intricacies of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 Plans to ensure students thrive within their school districts.
In addition to my professional endeavors, I am also a proud mother and wife, bringing a personal perspective to my work. As a public speaker, I advocate passionately for inclusive education and the empowerment of individuals with developmental disabilities and treating the family unit as a whole when providing therapy. Furthermore, I am a self-published author, and my book, available on Amazon, Who Do You Think You Are is a motivation workbooks that dives into my personal mental health crisis experiences. This additional dimension allows me to connect with a broader audience and share my journey in supporting families and professionals in the special needs and mental health community.
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Podcasts & Interviews
Discovering Your New Identity | The Black Girl Encourage-Her
Join us for a deeply moving episode of The Black Girl Encourage-Her as Desirie Sykes, CEO of NESS Behavior Consulting and NESSCARES, opens up about her personal mental health journey. Through her heartfelt message, she shares how her struggles gave birth to something beautiful. Desirie passionately advocates for mental health awareness and supports special education through her non-profit organization. She challenges and inspires you to answer the powerful question, "Who do you think you are?"—a question that can unlock immense personal growth and healing.
TashaTalksLife:
Parents of Children with Special Needs: What You SHOULD Know
Attention educators, parents, and all family members of students with special needs! Tune in to this enlightening episode featuring Desirie Sykes, the founder and president of Ness Behavior Consulting. Join us as we delve into how her company enhances the capacity of school professionals to address students' needs through behavior specialist services. This episode is packed with valuable insights and is a must-listen for anyone involved in supporting students with special needs. Don't miss out!
Suffolk Center for Speech:
Talk the Talk Episode #5 with Desirie Sykes
On this episode of Talk the Talk, Janine and Toni-Ann speak with Desirie Sykes, the founder, and president of Ness Behavioral Consulting. Desirie and her team of Board Certified ABA therapists provide evidence-based treatment designed to help children with a primary diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. They also pair Parent Training with ABA therapy to help parents and guardians effectively maintain their child's new skills and behaviors.
Publications
Bold Journey Magazine: Meet Desirie Sykes
I'm Desirie Sykes, the creative force behind NESS Cares & NESS Behavior Consulting. Imagine this: a former Behavior Specialist with OPWDD.
Canvas Rebel: Meet Ms Desirie Sykes
In 2018, my entrepreneurial journey began with a sobering realization: the education system was failing to provide adequate care and support for students, leaving a significant gap in resources and parental involvement. Witnessing this firsthand fueled my determination to make a difference. I set out on a mission to empower parents and emphasize their crucial role in their child’s development.
The Island 360: 40 under 40
Her immersion in developmental disability services took a profound turn when her own child encountered speech challenges, sparking my journey into the transformative world of Applied Behavior Analysis.
Stop & Shop: NESS Cares
Desirie Sykes took a leap of faith during the early pandemic to start this nonprofit that provides resources for mental health and special education for children and adults. Stop & Shop has supported NESS Cares through the Community Bag Program.
Medium: Who is Desirie Sykes?
As any parent of a child with special needs knows, maneuvering the public school system often means compromising on the quality of necessary services. School districts may not always provide the personalized care and consistency to help special needs students achieve their academic and social goals. This threatens to set students with special needs back in their learning processes: jeopardizing their futures and abilities to be independent.