Autism Society of America San Diego County Chapter :: Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Executive Board
Board of Directors
Directors at Large

Executive Board

PRESIDENT: John VanBrabant Parent of two children 15 & 8 years old (14 year old with ASD)
PROFESSION	Business Development, Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems
EDUCATION	BS Engineering; US Naval Academy, MS OR”OA” Naval Postgraduate School; Monterey
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Third year SDASA Board Member Four years SDASA Major Fundraiser Co-Chair

PRESIDENT ELECT: Cherri Cary Parent of three children, 23, 21, & 9 (9 year old with ASD)
PROFESSION	Psychotherapist/social worker; Full-time caregiver
EDUCATION	BA Psychology SDSU, MA & PsyD Western American University
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Fourth Year SDASA Board Past Board member (Five years) Assoc. for Advancement of Social Work with Groups Unlocking Autism Local Representative Moderator: AutismIntervention_SanDiego@yaoogroups.com

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Shirley Fett Parent of two children with ASD, 14 & 16 years old
PROFESSION	Nurse Practitioner, Office of Dr. Brian P. First & Dr. Simon Ritchken
EDUCATION	MS Community Health Nursing SDSU, Family Nurse Practitioner Certification, UCSD, BS Nursing University of Iowa
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Committee Chair, Camp I CAN & Splash for Cash Grant writing Committee Chair Eighth year SDASA Board member Co-Chair Wrightslaw Conference Former SDASA President Three years

SECRETARY: DeeDee Spangler, MS
PROFESSION	Educational Consultant Director/Founder of DMS Consulting
EDUCATION	M.S., Special Education, BS in Communications from Ohio University, Certificate in ABA
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Fifth year SDASA Board member Former SDASA Treasurer Two years Co-Chair Wrightslaw Conference Council for Exceptional Children

TREASURER: Tina Huston Parent of two children 10 & 7 years old (10 year old with Asperger’s)
PROFESSION	Self Employed Tax Preparer & Broker; JM Financial Services
EDUCATION	BA Economics UCSD & MBA University of Phoenix
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Third year SDASA Board member

Board of Directors

Angela Desideri
PROFESSION	Speech Language Pathologist; Pacific Therapy, Inc.
EDUCATION	MS IUP
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Fifth year SDASA Board member Fourth year programs coordinator, SDASA

Melinda Donovan Parent of 3 children, 2 on the spectrum ages 7 & 10, and atypical 21 years old
PROFESSION	Gemologist, Jewelry Designer, owner
EDUCATION	G.G. GIA , A.J.P. GIA
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	1st Year SDASA Board Member 5 years GIA Alumni 5 years Women’s Jewelry Association 1st VP North County ASA 06-07

Bruce Fett Parent with two sons with autism, ages 14 years and 16 years
PROFESSION	Attorney, Self-employed
EDUCATION	Bachelor of Art in Political Science, Minor in History, University of Iowa; Juris Doctorate, University of Iowa
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	First year SDASA board member

Gregory Fletcher Parent of two children 16 & 17 (16 year old with HF ASD)
PROFESSION	Vice President Sunrise Bank
EDUCATION	BA Sociology UCSD, MBA Accounting National University-SD
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Executive Board Member- CHAD, (Combined Health Agencies; 9 year involvement Former Newsletter Editor SDASA Vice President, Autism Society of California Various Committees, National ASA Board Member & Treasurer, La Jolla United Methodist Church Twelfth year SDASA Board member (Past President)

Shelly Hirschberg Parent of two boys (5 year old with ASD and 8 month old)
PROFESSION	Clinical Psychologist
EDUCATION	Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, M.S. Clinical Psychology, Pacific Graduate School of Psychology
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Second year SDASA Board member Former No. Co. ASA Vice-President One year

Mark Jones Parent of son age 10 with Autism
PROFESSION	Office services operations/SHEPPARD,MULLIN, RICHTER & HAMPTON
EDUCATION	Three years college; Miramar & Southwestern Jr. College
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Second Year SDASA Board Member All Out for Autism, Committee Member

Bill Keesling
PROFESSION	Financial Planner with Prudential Financial/Former San Diego City Schools Teacher
EDUCATION	BA University of Louisville/CLTC/RIA
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	President of Adams Avenue Business Association (AABA) BIDC Representative (Business Improvement District Council) First Year SDASA Board Member

Michelle Lazar
PROFESSION	Music Therapist, Autism Specialist, Coast Music Therapy Founder
EDUCATION	Bachelor in Music Therapy; Western Michigan University, Masters in special Education & Autism; SDSU
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Second year SDASA Board COMPASS Center Ambassador Autism Tree Project Mentor Program TERI, Inc. Arts Committee

Alan Lincoln Brother with autism (46)
PROFESSION	Developmental Neuropsychologist ; Professor: Clinical Psychology, Alliant International University; Co-Director and CEO, Center for Autism Research, Evaluation & Service
EDUCATION	Ph.D. (Clinical Psychology), M.S. (Clinical Psychopharmacology)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Second Year SDASA Board Scientific Reviewer and Research Consultant for NIH sponsored grants, Salk Institute’s Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, SDSU and UCSD

Karyn Searcy
PROFESSION	Speech & Language Pathologist; Director of Crimson Center for Speech & Language
EDUCATION	MA, University of Illinois
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Third year SDASA Board Member Parenting Columnist 1989-1998 Continuing Education Instructor for Cross Country Education: Early Intervention for Children with Communication Disorders (2006-present) Committee Member: IEP Day, San Diego Committee Member: San Diego Autism Speaks

Sandy Shaw
PROFESSION	Clinical Psychologist & Director of AIM (Psychological Agency)
EDUCATION	Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Third year ASA Board member Volunteered at UCLA Medical Hospital Pediatric Unit and Abandoned & Abused Children’s Shelter

Sherry Soule Parent of son (ASD) and daughter
PROFESSION	Ultrasonographer
EDUCATION	Ultrasound Certification
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	First year ASA Board member Facilitator for East County Aspergers/HFA Support Group

Directors at Large

Kathi Ahles Parent of three children ages 10, 7 and 3 (7 year old son with HF ASD)
PROFESSION	Mom
EDUCATION	BA Urban Geography, San Diego State University
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	First year SDASA At-Large Board member Second year as elected member of Poway USD CAC Mentor for TACA Autism Support Group Former North County ASA Board Member

Tammy Anderson-Lee
PROFESSION	CEO Aqua Pros Swim & Surf School
EDUCATION	Pikes Peak Community College, Colorado Springs
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Boys & Girls Club Second year SDASA At-Large Board member Former Board member Three years Co-Chair, SDASA Splash for Cash Fundraiser SDASA Pool PALS Chairperson

Kay Freeman Parent of two children 18 &19 years old (18 year old with HF Autism)
PROFESSION	Former Outreach coordinator, Exceptional Family Resource Center
EDUCATION	BA Brigham Young University
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Exceptional Family Resource Center Second year SDASA At-Large Board member Former Board member Fourteen years Past President SD County Chapter SDASA Walk for Autism Research Committee, 3rd year SDASA Newsletter Layout Editor

Dawn Holman Parent of twins 2 years old
PROFESSION	Education Consultant & Owner; Autism Spectrum Consultants, Inc.
EDUCATION	BA Psychology UCLA, MA Clinical Psychology (marriage & family therapy) Pepperdine, PhD Educational Psy. & Instructional Technology USC
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Second year SDASA At-Large Board member Former Board member Two years SDASA Newsletter Co-Editor

Victoria Ikerd-Schreiter Parent of two children with ASD, 10 & 8 years old
PROFESSION	Health & Social Services District Representative for State Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny
EDUCATION	Juris Doctorate CA Western School of Law; BA Psychology SDSU, MA Human Resource Management
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Second year SDASA At-Large Board member Former Board member Five years Chair of SDASA Spanish Support Group SDASA Representative to the SD Disability Action Coalition Member La Raza Lawyers Association San Diego

Bobbie Kohrt
PROFESSION	School Psychologist/Autism Specialist, SD City Schools
EDUCATION	Licensed Educational Psychologist, CA Administrative and PPS Credentials, MA French Lit, MS Counselor Education & School Psychology SDSU
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Second year SDASA At-Large Board member Former Board member Five years Immediate Past President California Assoc of School Psychologists Editorial Board California Assoc of School Psychologists 5th year Chairperson, SDASA Annual Conference

Lars Perner
PROFESSION	Assistant Professor of Clinical Marketing, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California
EDUCATION	Ph.D. Marketing; USC
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Board Member, ANCA Foundation Board Member, Los Angeles Chapter of the ASA Member, Persons With Autism Advisory Panel, ASA Founder, Autism Education Foundation Webmaster Marketing Educators Assoc. Third year SDASA At-Large Board Member

Brooke Wagner
PROFESSION	CEO, The Autism Group, Inc.
EDUCATION	BS Psychology & MA Human Behavior, RDI Program Certified Consultant
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Six years member of the National Charity League Second year SDASA At-Large Board member Former Board member two years SDASA Golf Tournament Co-Chair Mentor-Autism Tree Project Foundation

Rachel Tapper Zijlstra
PROFESSION	Speech language Pathologist/Director; Sound Therapies
EDUCATION	BA & MA Washington State University
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	Second year SDASA At-Large Board member Former Board member three years; Vice President for 2 years Member of American Speech Hearing Assoc. Event Chair for 2006 & 2007 SDASA Major Fundraiser Volunteer of the Year-- United Way/Combined Health Agencies 2006