Our Story
A nod to our beginnings:
Oak & Hive Consulting
What started out as an idea to support families through post autism diagnosis life became much more. Oak & Hive Consulting was born to bridge the gap between diagnosis and support by helping families navigate autism care with confidence. Through personalized guidance, trusted provider connections, and inclusive community partnerships Oak & Hive empowered families and professionals to grow together.
-
"WHY is there no one to talk to?"
I asked my husband after our son was diagnosed with autism in 2022—and again when we faced tough school decisions. "I just wish I had someone to guide me and help figure out what to do next!"
That’s exactly what an Autism Family Navigator is: a trusted guide who helps families after an autism diagnosis—offering clarity, emotional support, strategic solutions, and actionable steps at every stage.
Months later, when a friend asked about inclusive preschool options, I realized how often I’d been that resource—connecting parents to evaluations, neuro-affirming teams, and local support. Each “thank you” and “my child is thriving” confirmed how much I loved this work.
I wanted to be the help I once searched for.
I couldn’t find it —so I built it.
The Collective Autism Experience didn’t begin with a business plan or a catchy name.
It began in two different places, with two different mothers, living parallel lives without even knowing it.
Today, Nikki and Cheryl serve as co-founders—Nikki as CEO and Cheryl as COO—building the supportive, informed, connected ecosystem they both needed when their own journeys began.
CAE is the place where families find guidance, where providers collaborate instead of compete, and where the autism community finally has a central home.
This wasn’t an accident.
It wasn’t a pivot.
It wasn’t a new idea.
It was the moment two parallel paths finally came together—and became something bigger than either of them could have built alone.
-
Cheryl’s Path
For Cheryl, it started one ordinary morning in the parking lot of her daughter Amelia’s ABA center. She glanced around and noticed the quiet line of cars—parents checking emails, breathing deeply, gathering themselves before another full day. All of them bonded by autism, yet separated from the support and wisdom they desperately needed by a single closed car door.
After Amelia’s diagnosis, Cheryl found herself navigating the autism world with almost no guidance. She searched for a parent group, a place to land, but nothing existed. So she did what moms do when the need is bigger than their comfort—she built one. A simple monthly coffee meet-up turned into sensory-friendly playdates, moms’ nights out, and a community of families supporting each other because Cheryl kept saying yes to what parents needed.
She didn’t set out to build a movement… but she created one anyway.
Nikki’s Path
While Cheryl was building community one gathering at a time, Nikki was undergoing her own transformation across the city — one shaped by motherhood, identity, and a calling she didn’t yet realize was unfolding.
When Nikki’s son was diagnosed with autism in 2022, she thought she was stepping back from her career to focus solely on him. Instead, that season drew her deeper into the very work she was meant to do. As a girl with ADHD in the 90s, she had spent years navigating systems that misunderstood neurodivergent minds. Those experiences planted a quiet determination in her: to ensure her son — and children like him — grew up in a world that saw their strengths, not their deficits.
As she built a neuro-affirming team for her son, Nikki learned the landscape by living it. Friends, neighbors, and eventually other parents began reaching out — overwhelmed, unsure where to begin, searching for guidance from someone who had been there. Her professional background in psychology, leadership, and coaching blended naturally with her lived experience, allowing her to support families with clarity and confidence.
Oak & Hive Consulting grew from this work — not as a community hub, but as a place where parents could find direction, trusted resources, and a way to move forward. Nikki focused on navigation, systems, and empowering families to understand their options. She wasn’t gathering people in rooms; she was helping them take their next steps.
Meet the Team
Nikki Sammet, Ph.D., M.A.
CEO & Co-Founder
I bring over 10 years of experience as a professional coach, specializing in life, business, mindset, and performance coaching. I am a speaker, workshop facilitator, and course educator. I hold a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, a Masters Degree in Leadership Development, and a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies (including Education, Psychology, and Sociology). Additionally, I completed graduate-level coursework in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) and hold a Level 1 Certification in the Gottman Method, which has strengthened my understanding of relational dynamics and evidence-based support for families.
As the creator of Confident Coach Accelerator (CCA), I’ve supported founders, coaches, and clinicians in building profitable, purpose-driven businesses and I now do that work within the neurodiversity supports community. I spent 5 years in corporate recruiting, onboarding, and building inclusive company cultures—skills that now help me match families with the right neuro-affirming resources. My goal is to make a lasting impact by supporting families who need it most.
Additionally, I’m passionate about community building. I created Becoming Mama and Beyond, a space for nearly 500 moms during the pandemic. This community included expert-led workshops, support circles, and events designed to connect and empower mothers during challenging times.
I’ve been a transcendental meditator since I was 10 years old, which has provided me with the mental clarity and grounding needed to navigate life’s challenges. My 200-hour RYT yoga certification has deepened my connection to mindfulness, enabling me to bring a spiritual and balanced approach to everything I do.
Every family’s path is unique, but with the right tools, support, and community, I believe we can create lasting change.
Email Nikki: nikki@caeconnect.com
Cheryl Zjajo CCC-SLP
COO & Co-Founder
A native New Yorker, Cheryl studied at University of North Carolina at Greensboro, completing both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders. It was at the university clinic that she discovered a deep passion for working with young adults recovering from traumatic brain injuries. A passion that guided the start of her career.
In 2011, she moved to Atlanta to intern with Piedmont Hospital and soon landed her dream role on the inpatient brain injury unit at Shepherd Center. When she began her family, Cheryl transitioned into outpatient speech-language pathology at a hospital closer to home, supporting adults with a variety of neurological disorders. After her second child was born, it became clear that her daughter's development wasn’t progressing as expected. Following a year of evaluations and searching for a diagnosis, Cheryl and her family learned that her daughter had a rare genetic disorder, Cardiofaciocutaneous Syndrome, and level 2 autism. Cheryl stepped away from her career to build her daughter’s medical team and advocate fiercely for her needs.
Now that her daughter is thriving, Cheryl has returned to speech therapy on a PRN basis and stepped into an even greater purpose as co-founder of The Collective Autism Experience alongside Dr. Nikki Sammet. She started CAE because, even as a healthcare professional, she found herself navigating her daughter’s diagnosis with very little guidance or support. She knew families and providers deserved better. CAE was born from Cheryl’s desire to create the support and structure she wishes had existed when her family began their journey.
Email Cheryl: cheryl@caeconnect.com