As a parent and as a professional, Gayle Slate, M.F.T., has been involved for more than 30 years with families of children with disabilities. Having pioneered the specialty of working with families of the disabled, she's counseled hundreds of families, created support groups, and become an advocate for parental rights. She also spearheaded the formation of Kids Included Together (KIT), a national, non-profit organization. KIT, the first group of its kind in the United States, provides incentive funding, training, and technical support to youth organizations that would include children with disabilities.

In private practice since 1979, Ms. Slate holds a Master of Arts both in Psychology and in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling and has written numerous articles. She lives in Del Mar, California.