For over 30 years, Dawn Puzzio, M.A., CCC-SLP, has worked at the intersection of communication, memory, and identity as a Speech-Language Pathologist. She understands the profound human need to be heard and to have our stories validated, regardless of age or ability.

But her professional expertise became a personal lifeline when she reconnected with her estranged mother following a dementia diagnosis. Faced with the double barrier of a painful past and a fading present, Dawn recognized this was her last chance to truly connect.

Her mother’s aphasia had built a wall around her, making standard conversation impossible and frustrating. Dawn knew she needed a way to communicate that didn't rely on words alone. By turning to the photo albums, she found a visual language they could both still speak—allowing them to bypass the struggle for words and just connect.

Today, Dawn is the founder of Pixel & Paper Curations and the creator of The StoryTree Method™—a formative framework that helps families use photos not as a test of the past, but as a tangible tool to connect, heal, and build legacy in the present.