Johmaalya Adelekan

By profession, Johmaalya Adelekan is an actor who has graced the stages of Broadway, off Broadway, National Tours, Regional Theater and Concert Halls across the U.S. and Canada. She holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater from the Boston Conservatory and a B.S. in Sociology from James Madison University.

After her son was diagnosed with autism at 21 months, Johmaalya took a hiatus from acting in order to help her child. She found herself immersed in the world of autism, doctors, neurologists, therapists and special education. It was through her struggle to help her son that Johmaalya begin to learn how to navigate the NYC Department of Education and learn about all of the traditional as well as the bio-medical and non-traditional therapies for treating autism.

After attending numerous conferences, clinics and workshops geared toward helping special needs children, Johmaalya has turned her focus from helping just her son to using her knowledge and experience to help others. She has been helping children and parents obtain the services and help they need on an individual basis for years. Now it is with great pleasure that she is able to have the opportunity to help more families as the Special Needs Program Coordinator at Gateway Academy, a private general ed, Christian school that welcomes children with special needs.

Johmaalya is still auditioning and pursuing her career in acting, but her experiences with autism and its impact on children and families has made her a passionate advocate. She hopes that her voice can bring help and healing to all who have been impacted by autism.