About Us
We design wholistic, community-rooted solutions that bring education, health, and technology into alignment. Our work strengthens the people, systems, and environments that shape daily life, ensuring that families, schools, and organizations have what they need to grow, adapt, and thrive.
Our Story
A simple tutoring mission that grew into wholistic, community-based solution design.
Putting Education First began in 2004 with a simple mission: to support students who needed academic tutoring. What started as one-on-one academic support soon expanded to helping their siblings—many of whom were the first in their families to attend college. We walked beside them as they navigated financial aid, registered for classes, and transitioned into higher education.
As family needs grew, so did our work. We began offering parent training, supporting parent rights, and guiding families through the IEP process. This evolved into deeper community support, special education advocacy, and workforce development.
Over the past 20 years, our work has expanded into:
- Mentorship and adult leadership training
- Program and workforce innovation
- School development and rebranding
- Designing new learning environments
- Creating school-based health centers
- Building community wellness initiatives
Today, PEF co-creates solutions that bridge education, advocacy, and wellness.
You bring the need – together, we design healthier, educated, and transformed communities.
Meet the Founder
L. Renèe Ferroudj
Systems Strategist • Wellness Practitioner • 20+ Years in Education Leadership
Hi! I’m L. Renèe Ferroudj, a systems-level strategist and wellness practitioner with 20+ years in education leadership. I help school systems, edtech startups, and mission-driven organizations design regenerative, human-centered, and tech-enhanced environments where people and communities thrive.
My work is rooted in listening deeply, honoring lived experience, and designing solutions that strengthen the “village” surrounding every learner, educator, and community member.
What We Do
Supporting people, programs, and systems through wholistic, tailored partnerships.
We offer flexible, tailored support rather than rigid service packages. Our work often includes:
- Training — Building capacity for families, educators, and leaders through workshops, learning experiences, and practical tools.
Coaching — Supporting individuals and teams as they navigate change, develop new practices, and lead with clarity and confidence.
Community or Organization Solution Design — Co-creating strategies, programs, and systems that weave together education, wellness, and technology.
Every engagement is designed with your specific context, goals, and community in mind.
Naturally Neurodivergent - Upcoming Book
Naturally Neurodivergent is a compassionate, natural guide designed to support the neurodivergent self. Rooted in care, wellness, and lived experience, the book explores every part of life — from emotional grounding and self-care routines to relationships, spirituality, movement, daily functioning, and mindset.
It invites readers to understand themselves more deeply, embrace their strengths, and build a life that honors who they are. Whether you are neurodivergent yourself or supporting someone who is, this book offers clarity, encouragement, and practical tools for thriving in everyday life.