Founder
Vladislava Tsolova
Vladislava Tsolova is the chairperson of the Autism Today Association and the director of the ABA Centers for Behavioral and Comprehensive Therapy “Autism Today” in Bulgaria. She is a financier and lawyer with over 15 years of experience in banking and is a PhD candidate in the doctoral program "Finance, Insurance, and Social Security" at the Department of Finance and Insurance.
She holds a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management, a Master’s degree in Psychology, and a Master’s degree in Educational Management.
Vladislava Tsolova has substantial organizational and managerial experience, including conducting campaigns and training, managing projects, and creating and developing childcare facilities. She has been a member of the Public Council to the Committee for Interaction with Civil Organizations in the National Assembly (since 2013). She is a member of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum, NASO, and the European Autism Europe, among others. As of March 18, 2023, she has been elected Chair of the National Patient Organization (NPO), an alliance of over 65 organizations in Bulgaria, and was re-elected at the annual general meeting in June 2023.
Vladislava Tsolova founded the ABA Centers for Behavioral and Comprehensive Therapy “Autism Today” in 2015, making Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) a reality in Bulgaria and fulfilling a long-standing dream for generations of parents of children with autism in Bulgaria.
She is also the initiator and creator of the Autism Today Association, an organization of parents, specialists, and public figures founded in 2014.
For eight years, Autism Today has dedicated every day to supporting, developing, and improving the lives of children with autism through professional educational assistance, care, and love. Autism Today is a symbol of high professional standards in working with children with autism, offering hope and support to parents, and providing high-quality services that ensure an independent and dignified life for children with autism in Bulgaria.
Currently, the association has four specialized centers for professional assistance (two in Sofia, one in Pleven, and one in Burgas) for children with autism, where more than 200 children monthly and over 1,000 children annually and their families receive the highest quality therapeutic support.
Vladislava Tsolova is also the founder of Montessori Kindergarten Planet Bulgaria, which aims to create a completely new and innovative educational institution in Pleven, operating according to the standards and requirements of the Ministry of Education, fully compliant with the educational plans and programs of the Ministry of Education, but using the principles and golden rules of Montessori pedagogy, so that in a playful, free, and completely innovative way, all children, including those with developmental issues, acquire life skills while meeting state educational requirements and gaining the necessary knowledge and skills for school readiness, for which they receive a certificate from the kindergarten, licensed with License from the Ministry of Education 269/2.07.2020.
Vladislava Tsolova was born in Pleven and graduated from Geo Milev Mathematical High School in Pleven. She is a financier and lawyer with over 15 years of experience in banking, a master’s degree in human resources, and a psychologist.
She is a PhD candidate in the doctoral program "Finance, Insurance, and Social Security" at the Department of Finance and Insurance and has significant organizational and managerial experience in organizing campaigns, training—professional, qualification, and certification, project management, and building and managing childcare facilities.
She is a specialist in crisis management and handling crisis situations.
- Member and active participant in the working group for drafting the Law on School and Preschool Education since 2010, appointed by the Minister of Education, which has been in effect since August 1, 2016.
- Member of the Public Council to the Committee for Interaction with Civil Organizations in the National Assembly since 2013.
- Member of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum since 2015.
- Member of Autism Europe since 2016.
- Member of the National Patient Organization since 2015.
- Alternate member of the Children's Treatment Fund since 2017.
- Member of NASO.
- Chair of the "Mental Health" section in the National Patient Organization since 2022.
- Chair of the National Patient Organization since April 2023.
Psychologist / Behavioral Therapist
Maria Anastasova
My name is Maria Anastasova, and I am a psychologist at the "Autism Today" Association.
I graduated with a Master's degree in "Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology" in 2015 from Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar".
I feel incredibly fortunate to have found my place here.
My work and efforts are given meaning every day as I witness the individual progress of each of our children.
Occupational Therapist / Behavioral Therapist
Victoria Petkova
My name is Victoria Petkova. I graduated in Medical Rehabilitation and Occupational Therapy from the Medical University of Pleven in 2021.
Working with children makes me happy. Every day, these little ones fill me with positive energy, and together we achieve successes. It is an honor and pleasure for me to be part of the Autism Today Association team!
Social educator
Irina Ivanova
My name is Irina Ivanova and I graduated in pedagogy in the city of Pleven. I work as a social pedagogue in the "Autism Today" association, where I support the development of children through an individual approach tailored to their needs. I believe that every child has the potential to achieve good results for their future development.
Occupational therapist
Daniela Veleva
My name is Daniela Veleva and I am an occupational therapist at the Autism Today Association.
I graduated from the specialty "Medical Rehabilitation and Occupational Therapy" at MU-Pleven: educational and qualification degree "bachelor" in 2023, and the OKS "master after higher education" in 2024. My professional qualification is "Medical Rehabilitator-Occupational Therapist".
The mission of all "Autism Today" centers is high, extremely noble, specific and socially significant, having a universal beneficial influence on our society and enlightening it. The fact that the Association is the leader and monopoly in Bulgaria for this delicate mission is a gift from God for our homeland!
For me, the honor of starting work here appeared as a ray of hope, a welcome and the feeling that I had found my place! Here I feel supported, inspired and motivated to be myself, to be of benefit to the children and the team, and to develop! The responsibility is very great, but I feel the activity in my heart and believe that I can help every child! As for the children - they often teach the "grown-ups" and make us think, humble, awaken and believe... They are all kind-hearted, but also quite often misunderstood by a part of society (which learns and grows through them) and therefore they need to be accepted with all their diversity - and that is why they like being with us so much - because we all see the hope and potential in each of them!
