Meet the FACE Admin
Sydney Sampson – Principal
This is Sydney’s seventh year with FACE and first year as Principal. She received her BA in Psychology from UVA and her MA in Autism Spectrum Disorder from the USF. Sydney has her Professional Educator Certificate as well as her Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification. Before becoming Principal this school year, Sydney served on the FACE Administration as the Assistant Principal after three years as the Curriculum and Instruction Specialist. She also enjoyed two years as the Upper Elementary Transition Teacher, and loves visiting her former students throughout the school! Sydney feels very confident and blessed to be leading the FACE program into the 2023-2024 school year. Outside of FACE, Sydney enjoys reading by the pool, listening to Taylor Swift, and cheering for the Tampa Bay Lightning! Go Hoos, Bulls, and Bolts!
Sarah Howard-Willms – Assistant Principal
Sarah is a recent transplant to the Tampa area originally from Saint Louis, MO. Sarah spent the first 11 years of her professional career working with special needs students in a variety of positions, from Special Education Teacher to School Administrator, at a similar type of school in St. Louis. Sarah received a Bachelor’s in Special Education and Elementary Education and went to further her education with a Master’s in Special Education, with an Endorsement in Autism and Developmental Disabilities from University of Missouri and a second Master’s in Educational Administration from Southeast Missouri State University. This will be her second year at FACE and working in the Florida School system. Sarah has enjoyed becoming a Disney Passholder, all things hockey, traveling with her family and spending all her time with her two nieces.
Rebecca Null – ESE Specialist
Rebecca Null is one of the FACE ESE Specialists, helping to maintain compliance with student IEP documents. She is a St. Petersburg native, born and raised. She attended Saint Petersburg College where she received her Bachelor’s in Special Education, and later her Autism Endorsement. She has been in Hillsborough County for going on 10 years, with this being her 7th year at FACE.
She has a passion for advocating for students with special needs, as well as for their families. Rebecca enjoys serving at her church, being a wife and mom, and listening to true crime podcasts in her free time.
Juliana Giraldo-Isaza – BCBA
Juliana was born and raised in South America, Colombia. She received her BS in Clinical Psychology. Juliana moved to the United States in 2009 to continue with her professional development. She lived in Pennsylvania for 9 years where she obtained a Master’s in Leadership, Adult and Organizational Management. Juliana worked as an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) for three different clinics in the Philadelphia and New Jersey areas. In 2018, Juliana completed her second Master’s in School Psychology & Applied Behavior Analysis from the Philadelphia College of Medicine (PCOM). In 2019, she obtained her License as a Behavior Specialist (LBS) and also became a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Juliana joined FACE as a BCBA in 2020. Outside of FACE, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Juliana also works for an ABA Clinic in the evenings.