About Us

Ron Italiano is born and raised in New Jersey. Over twenty years ago, Ron created the Choppy Wow Wow character to entertain his nieces with stories of kindness and positivity. When he had children of his own, he continued to tell his stories but they took on a different meaning. Ron is the father of two boys with autism, who struggle with verbal communication. Ron and his wife would read nightly to their children and this is where he introduced Choppy Wow Wow stories to his boys. One night Ron turned the tables on his older son and asked him to tell a story. His son started with “There once was a little dog named Choppy Wow Wow” and continued to tell Ron about his day, for the first time ever! His son would continue to develop his story telling skills and communicate through the eyes of Choppy Wow Wow. Ron wrote this series to promote inclusion, spread kindness, and celebrate differences. He hopes you enjoy the books as much as he enjoyed writing them.

Jessica Rogers is the niece of Ron Italiano, and was born and raised in New Jersey. She pursued drawing as a hobby but after hearing the story of Choppy Wow Wow, she jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with her uncle especially because of her close relationship with her two cousins, who are on the autism spectrum. Jessica is an occupational therapist working with children with neurological, social, and behavioral disorders. She strongly feels that diverse representation on TV, media, and books will provide a sense of inclusivity among underrepresented or misrepresented populations. With that in mind, Jessica strived to create characters that would represent some members of the special needs community and their families. Jessica believes that simply reading these books for 10 minutes before bed can be the start of a rewarding journey for kids and families of all backgrounds and circumstances. She hopes that these unique characters can resonate with children and their families.

Nicole Mazur is the cousin of Ron Italiano. Born and raised in New Jersey, she is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts and has worked in the editorial and beauty industry for over 20 years. When her cousin Ron approached her about the book there was no doubt in her mind to become a part of this journey. Having the experience with her cousins and knowing just how special they are, she was thrilled to create something that would bring awareness to the special needs community, promote inclusion, and celebrate our differences. Nicole was so excited to bring Ron's vision and Jessica's illustrations to life. Nicole truly feels that Choppy Wow Wow is not just a character in the book, he represents a part of us all.