Our Team
Melissa Keyes DiGioia, CSE; Co-Founder & Director of Education
Melissa Keyes DiGioia, CSE is a Certified Sexuality Educator by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists. As Co-Founder and Director of Education, she facilitates professional development workshops and education sessions on varying sexuality and sexual health topics and specializes in program delivery for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Melissa is author of Taking a Special Education Approach a guide for religious educators implementing Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education for Grades 7-9 (2nd Ed.) to adapt lessons and methodology for audiences with special needs. She is coauthor of Game On! The Ultimate Sexuality Education Gaming Guide and contributing author to Unequal Partners: Teaching about Power and Consent in Adult-Teen and Other Relationships (3rd Ed), Older Wiser Sexually Smarter, and Teaching Safer Sex (Volumes 1 & 2). She has a graduate certificate in Human Sexuality from Montclair State University and received her BA with concentrations in Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies from The College of New Jersey.
Tracy A. Higgins, MA, LPC; Co-Founder & Director of Counseling
Tracy A. Higgins is a Licensed Professional Counselor trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Applied Behavior Analysis. She specializes in sexual trauma and abuse prevention for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Ms. Higgins has worked as a therapist for the past 10 years and is responsible for the development of specialized services for survivors of sexual violence and at risk adolescents and adults with I/DD. Tracy serves as a consultant to varying agencies, organizations and schools, providing workshops and training on sexual violence, behavior management, positive communication, relationship and social skills development. She serves on the ESCAPE- DD project Advisory Board at the Center for Opportunities and Outcomes for People with Disabilities at Columbia University, is Chairperson for the Developmental Disabilities Task Force in Morris County, NJ, and serves as Board Member for the Rose House, a service provider agency for people with I/DD in Morris County.