Using her unique combination of skills and experience as a mathematician, an artist and an educator, Marina Dedkova created powerful visual tool to transform the lives of children who need extra help mastering social skills. 

 

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, she earned a Ph. D. in mathematics before emigrating to the U.S. at the age of 27 in 2001. She worked for ten years in educational testing industry while taking drawing and sculpture classes. Eventually, she enrolled into an art school full time and graduated in 2010 with an MFA in sculpture.  Together with her husband, Boris, they had two sons, Max and Fred, in 2009 and 2012, respectively.

​

When Max was diagnosed with autism at the age of 5, Marina channeled her emotions into action. She came up with a concept of a QBook - a concise book that combined imagery and step-by step instruction. Writing the first QBook and seeing its effectiveness led to the discovery of the power of personalized visual learning. Q-Books emerged from understanding that sometimes the most effective solutions come from seeing the world through our children's eyes. She wrote over 350 QBooks, and together, they form a comprehensive curriculum covering areas like conversation, friendship, attention, flexibility, emotional control, and behavior in public places.

​

Today, Max is a thriving high schooler who rides mountain bikes, wins chess tournaments, gets good grades, and runs his own YouTube channel. Marina is an author of a book that outlines their journey and an artist who manages her independent studio.