DanaKae Bonahoom, M.A.
Early Childhood/Developmental Specialist
Co-Director SmartStart Developmental Learning Center
Founder Heartworks Intervention Services®
DIR® Faculty for ICDL

When you first meet DanaKae and she shares what she has done in her life, she tells you that in her first life as a nurse she solidified her passion for babies and the elderly, and during this time she was also a foster parent for babies with prenatal drug exposure. The foundations of these early experiences shaped her understanding of children and also were the driving forces in her quest for finding a way with children regardless of the circumstances of their life and the biological challenges they were born with. This was the beginning of foundation being laid for Heartworks, for the discovery of who each child was created to be, the beginning of a Developmental Model that was tailored to Uniquely Designed Children. DanaKae is at her core a developmentalist and an investigator, her work is driven by questions, hypothesis and solidly grounded in research and experience. Heartworks is at its core a model designed around a child, and at its “heart” a model that believes each child is unique and it is our job to discover who that child is. She is a pioneer and is redefining the work of child rearing and early childhood education. Her work in understanding that “all behavior has a communication®”, and her redefining the work of Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s concept of following the child’s lead into “following the child’s need®” is nothing short of ground breaking.
     She has taken her God-given talents and worked diligently in the lives of literally thousands of children and families. DanaKae is an internationally recognized leader in Early Childhood Development with a wealth of experience in developmental assessment and intervention with families of young children with special needs. She holds a Master of Arts degree and teaching credential in Early Childhood Special Education. She has also completed extensive training in the DIR®/Floortime model and is a certificated member of Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s faculty. She specializes in the use of the Heartworks® Developmental Model with young children requiring intervention in the areas of affective regulation, sensory integration, communication, and socialization. DanaKae is Co-Director of SmartStart Developmental Learning Center in Santa Monica, California. She is the clinical supervisor of all staff and programming, including staff training, parent training, individual staff mentoring, parent and family support. DanaKae is the founder of Heartworks Intervention Services®. In addition to her roles in developmental assessment and intervention, DanaKae is responsible for training families and professionals to implement the Heartworks® across home, school, and community settings. In 2007 DanaKae established a consultation practice in Singapore, where she travels 2-3 times per year. She continues to work closely with international programs, school districts, community college programs, and other agencies in the areas of assessment, program design, and inclusion support.
      DanaKae has one child, Mia, who is herself amazing with children, and works at SmartStart sharing her unique gifts with the children. She has announced that in her first life she will be a speech pathologist, and a missionary. Mia is a most awesome example of Heartworks® in action. Mia is 11!