Deniz Baloglu is the founder of the Navigator of Giftedness, which offers support to families through consultations, educational advocacy, parent groups, workshops, social-emotional learning opportunities, and other resources. She is a trained facilitator for Supporting Emotional Needs for the Gifted (SENG), serves as Member-Elect for the California Association of the Gifted (CAG), and on the Parent Content & Advisory Board for National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC). She received a Professional Academic Certificate in Twice Exceptional Education at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education. Her interests include recognizing unique profiles of neurodiverse learners, especially the twice-exceptional learners with high intellectual abilities and specific learning differences, and behavioral and social challenges.  She advocates for gifted/2e children and their families through consultations, educational advocacy, parent groups, workshops, and social-emotional learning opportunities. Deniz was a data analyst in Turkey and a member of the National Turkish Chess Youth Team, and she has a master’s degree in information technologies. She lives with her husband and her son in the Bay Area.

Kim Overton has been working with families and children for over 40 years. She's worked with special needs adolescents, young children (ages 0-5), their parents and teachers, and most recently she worked for fifteen years in admissions at The Nueva School (gifted learners, PreK-12). She believes in caring for both the children and caregivers. We all need to work towards equity in education so all children are in environments where they are understood, cared for, and thrive. Kim has a psychology degree from Stanford University and an elementary school teaching credential, as well as many classes in early childhood and family development. Kim has two gifted children of her own - now in their 20's - and the joys and challenges of being a parent keep her on her toes - always learning! Kim's work with gifted children and their families inspired her to become a certified Supporting Emotional Needs for the Gifted (SENG) parent group facilitator.