Kelly Bouldin Darmofal

Kelly Bouldin Darmofal is currently a freelance writer, wife, educator and stay-at-home mother. Despite her 1992 severe closed head injury, she graduated cum laude in Communication from Salem College (2000), later receiving a Masters in Special Education from Salem (2006). She studied Spanish in Merida, Mexico and took courses at UCLA, UNC-CH, and Wake Forest University. Kelly was employed by the Winston-Salem, NC chapter of the American Red Cross as volunteer coordinator before working in ESL at Reynolds High School, followed by a semester in Special Education at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. Kelly worked personally with Dr. Bethanie Tucker, Averett University, to be trained in Tucker Signing Strategies for Reading (2005). In 2005 Kelly joined the Forsyth Country Day School faculty in the Johnson Academic Center as an LD Specialist. In 2007 Kelly accepted a 2nd grade position at Summit School, and taught there four years until the birth of her son. She currently tutors children as a Wilson Reading Specialist and is a published writer. Her article on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and education was published in English Journal in 2005; "Our Teachers Are Not Prepared" won an Edwin M. Hopkins award in 2006 (NCTE). She is a feature contributor to Lost Treasure magazine, and has been a speaker on the subject of TBI at Wake Forest, Salem College, and the Summit School. With the publication of online articles related to TBI in addition to her memoir, Kelly continues to advocate for the TBI of America - especially students. "No teacher in high school or college was trained to work with students like me," says Kelly, the first TBI-certified student in her high school. She admits the American military and sports organizations are now attempting to address the TBI issue. However, IDEA, or the Individual with Disabilities Education Act, has made TBI a certifiable disability category (in 1990) without assuring appropriate teacher training. She remarks on this "black hole" in education whenever possible, and relates her early TBI experiences with hopes of affecting change. Kelly has found canine care and rescue to be both a rewarding and healing hobby. Currently she owns two rescue mutts - Mitzy and Buddie.