Our Mission and Vision

Hello, parent heroes! My name is Demian, and my journey as an advocate began 12 years ago when my daughter, then in kindergarten, was receiving no meaningful educational benefit. She was eloping from class, unable to engage in instruction, and making no academic progress. It wasn’t until much later in the school year that the school informed us of her struggles.

At her first Kindergarten IEP meeting, she had not met her goals, and after I conducted a classroom observation, I requested a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) to understand the root of her challenges and the reason for her eloping and not accessing her education. The school district denied it. I was frustrated—how could they ignore such an obvious need? As a motivated and resourceful parent, I was determined to ensure my daughter received the education she was supposed to have. But what about other parents who lacked the resources, language skills, or confidence to challenge the system? That realization ignited a fire in me. I couldn’t just advocate for my daughter while ignoring the countless other children being denied the support they needed. When I started to join parent support groups, I saw families struggling—parents hesitant to challenge schools, fearing retaliation—and for good reason. Plus, some had cultural barriers that discouraged them from questioning authority. These parents needed a voice, someone to guide them, someone who was not afraid of taking on the system.

My passion for advocacy grew as I adapted my civil rights experience through the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). I saw firsthand how systemic issues disproportionately affected children with disabilities, particularly in marginalized communities. Determined to make a broader impact, I dedicated myself to empowering parents to navigate the special education system.

Over the years, I have prioritized advocacy and the acumen needed to sustain these efforts. As a proud member of COPAA and a Seat 3.0 completer, I’ve gained invaluable insights into building and maintaining advocacy enterprises. I have fought for the educational rights of children with disabilities, parental rights, and systemic changes within school districts. My work is not just about fighting individual battles but ensuring long-term policy changes that benefit all students.

I believe parents are their children’s primary advocates. I aim to coach and empower them to communicate effectively with IEP teams, articulate concerns, and identify meaningful support and goals for their children. My goal is to advocate for families and equip them with the skills to navigate the IEP process independently—ensuring their children’s educational rights are upheld, now and in the future. 

Every child deserves equitable access to an education. No parent should feel helpless in fighting for their child’s future. We can change the system together—one empowered parent at a time.

I am Thao Tran, a partner at SNACS, LLC and a dedicated advocate committed to advancing equity, inclusion, and systemic change for students with disabilities and their families. Drawing on my lived experience as a parent of a child with complex needs, along with my training in special education, nursing science, and family-centered care, I work to bridge gaps between families, school systems, and community organizations to ensure all children receive the supports they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

I serve as an advisory board member for Best Buddies International, a committee member for the Institute for Exceptional Care, Area Director for B6 in District 101 of Toastmasters International, and a regional advisory committee member for the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities. I am also a fellow in the inaugural cohort of the SpEducational IEP Empowerment Fellowship, where I continue to advance family-centered advocacy within special education systems.

I was invited to serve as an advisory member for the Employment Mentorship Pathways pilot project, funded by the Administration for Community Living, which focuses on developing parent-to-parent and peer-to-peer mentorships to support employment pathways for adults with disabilities across Tennessee, California, Kansas, and Virginia. I have also presented a national webinar for the United States Department of Education through the Lessons from the Field series, where I shared best practices for engaging families and improving student outcomes.

As a member of Leadership Fresno Class 40, a program of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, I remain committed to strengthening leadership in education, civic engagement, and inclusive systems of care. I am also a certified neurodiversity family and group coach, and I collaborate with neurodivergent adults to support their growth in self-advocacy, leadership, and public speaking through Toastmasters International.

Through my work, I am committed to elevating family voices, strengthening cross-sector collaboration, and advancing inclusive communities where individuals with disabilities are respected, supported, and empowered to live full and meaningful lives.

I’m Jade Bondoc, Director at SNACS, LLC. Before joining SNACS, I worked as a psychometrician in a small psychological clinic, where many of the children we served were referred by schools due to learning and behavioral concerns. That was where I first stepped into understanding how critical early support truly is.

Through working closely with children during assessments, I learned to look beyond test results. I saw how they think, how they learn, and where they need support. It became clear to me that there is always more to a child than what is reflected in scores or reports. Each child has strengths that can be overlooked and challenges that require understanding, not just labels. That experience shaped how I approach both education and advocacy.

My journey with SNACS began as an intern, where I supported intake calls, reviewed records, and analyzed assessment reports. Through this work, I began to see something deeper. Behind every evaluation was a child, and behind every child was a family navigating systems that often feel complex and overwhelming.

As SNACS grew, I grew with it. What started as learning the fundamentals of assessment and case review developed into active involvement in case strategy, advocacy preparation, and family support. Over time, my role expanded from working on individual cases to helping strengthen the systems that support our work as a whole.