Central Ohio mom becomes change she wants to see in the world for kids on the spectrum

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• Jessie Kozak, a mother and advocate for autism awareness, has been instrumental in implementing sensory-friendly initiatives at her son’s school and in the wider community.
• Kozak’s efforts led to the inclusion of a sensory hour at the school’s annual Fairytale Ball, creating a more inclusive environment for students with sensory sensitivities.
• Kozak’s proactive approach and collaborative spirit have been praised by school administrators, who recognize her dedication to fostering inclusivity and acceptance for all students.

Jessie Kozak and her husband, Mike, were full-time working parents when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Beyond dealing with the world being shut down, the couple was also processing the autism diagnosis of their young son, John.

At the time, Kozak stared an Instagram account, @daily_dig, to document her family’s journey processing her son’s diagnosis. The online community became a space for other moms going through the same process to connect, she said.

When the Kozaks moved to central Ohio three years ago to be closer to Mike’s family and build a community for John, now 6, Jessie got to work.

The young mom, who now works for Glo Pals, a company that produces sensory-friendly bath toys, began creating positive changes for her son in each circle where he learned and played.

After enrolling her son in the New Albany Early Learning Center (ELC), Kozak began collaborating with the district to advocate for students of all abilities.

Each year, the school holds its Fairytale Ball, and Kozak thought, despite the magic, the event could be overstimulating for some students, like her son, who had extra needs.

Last year, she pioneered the addition of a sensory hour and a calm corner to the ball.

The 2025 ball was held Friday, and it kicked off for the second time with the additional hour of dimmed lights and muted music for kids with extra sensory needs.

“When I first brought up the idea, I wasn’t sure what the response would be, but our school was so excited to implement it,” Kozak said of the first Fairytale Ball sensory hour.

“It was just one of those things that reminded me that all it takes is one person to speak up to create meaningful change.”

Moving forward through inclusion

Kozak also started a recurring playdate for central Ohio kids at We Rock the Spectrum Columbus in Lewis Center. The monthly event seeks to build community for both children who can attend at a discounted rate to play and parents, who are provided the space to talk and bond.

“Whether it’s a parent feeling relief because they’ve found a community that just gets it, or a school creating a more inclusive event because of our advocacy — every one of these moments is proof that small changes ripple into bigger impacts,” Kozak said.

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“It’s about shifting perspectives and creating a world where neurodivergent kids don’t just fit in, but thrive. That’s what keeps me going.”

Michelle Levero, the ELC’s principal, said Kozak never approaches the administrative team with complaints or anger. She only ever speaks collaboratively about how to lift up all students at the school.

“She’s very involved in it, so it’s not just laying an idea out there and then walking away and saying, ‘Here’s the idea. You run with it.’ She’s like, ‘Here’s how I can help,’ and ‘Here’s what I can do,’ and she really was not only the idea behind it, but the structure behind it as well,” Levero said.

Moving forward, Levero said Kozak has helped the district prioritize students with different needs for special programming outside the normal school day, where space for these kids already has been structured.

“I think Jessie kicked that off for us. While we do that in our daily work every day within the school hours, when big events happen, they’re often run by a PTO or something like that where we’re supportive, but not necessarily involved,” Levero said.

“Now, with anything that we do, we look at it through that lens too. She just helped us look at things differently, and we’re always open to ideas, and I think that’s where it all came from.”

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Kozak said that her son’s diagnosis has inspired her to become the positive change she wants to see in her community to create belonging, noting that “having conversations about acceptance and inclusion is what moves us forward.”

This article was made possible by support from the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation, which has partnered with The Columbus Dispatch to profile those making our community a better place. Help us inspire kindness by suggesting people, initiatives, or organizations for Reporter Sophia Veneziano to profile. She can be reached at [email protected]. Learn more at Dispatch.com/Kindness. The Dispatch retains full editorial independence for all content.