Act Early Ambassadors 2016-2018

Alabama

Tish MacInnis*
Coordinator of Family and Community Partnerships
Alabama Partnership for Children (APC)
tmacinnis@smartstartalabama.org

Arizona

Kyle Lininger*
Board of Directors, Training Coordinator
Autism Society of Southern Arizona
Kyle@AS-AZ.org

California

Debra Sarmento*
Manager
Family Resource Centers Network of California (FRCNCA)
debrasarmento@comcast.net

Monica Adrian
Behavior Support Specialist/Early Education Special Programs Manager
Merced County of Education
MAdrian@mcoe.org

Colorado

Mindy Craig
Director of Physician Outreach
Colorado Assuring Better Child Health & Development
mindymcraig@gmail.com

Connecticut

Ann Gionet*
Title V CYSHCN Director
Connecticut Department of Public Health
ann.gionet@ct.gov

DC

Yetta Myrick
President/Executive Director
DC Autism Parents
Ymyrick@DCAutismparents.org

Florida

Katherine Suarez Espinosa, Ed.S.
Child Find Specialist/School Psychologist
Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resources System-South
Division of Early Childhood Education, Exceptional Student Education, Title I Programs
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Ksuarez@dadeschools.net

Georgia

Jennie Couture
Director of Practice and Support Services
Bright from the start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
Jennie.Couture@decal.ga.gov

Guam

Leone Williams Rohr
Executive Director
Parents Empowering Parents of Children with Disabilities, Inc.
lrohr@peptalkdisabilities.com

Hawaii

JoAnn Yuen*
Director
University of Hawaii, Center on Disability Studies
joyuen@hawaii.edu

Idaho

Ling-Ling Tsao
Associate Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences
University of Idaho
ltsao@uidaho.edu

Illinois

Janet Patterson
Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
SIU School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics/IL LEND
jpatterson46@siumed.edu

Iowa

Rachell Swanson-Holm
Family Navigator Coordinator, Regional Autism Assistance Program
Regional Autism Assistance Program, Child Health Specialty Clinics, Division of Community and Child Health, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
rachell-swanson-holm@uiowa.edu

Indiana

Stephan Viehweg*
Associate Director
Riley Child Development Center, Indiana
LEND
sviehweg@iu.edu

Kansas

Peggy Kemp*
Technical Assistance Provider, Kansas In-service Training System (KITS)
University of Kansas Center on
Developmental Disabilities
pkemp@ku.edu

Maine

Nancy Cronin
Executive Director
Maine Developmental Disabilities Council
Nancy.E.Cronin@maine.gov

Massachusetts

Roula Choueiri, MD
Chief, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
UMass Medical School & UMass Memorial Children’s Hospital
Worcester, MA
Roula.Choueiri@umassmemorial.org

Michigan

Candida Bush
Director Family Center for CYSHCN
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, CSHCS Division
BushC9@michigan.gov

Minnesota

Jennifer Hall-Lande
Psychologist/Research Associate
University of Minnesota
hall0440@umn.edu

Mississippi

Leslie La Vergne*
Parent Navigator; Trainer
The Institute for Disability Studies
leslie.lavergne@usm.edu

Missouri

Alicia Curran
LEND Family Faculty, Research Grant Coordinator, ECHO Autism Expert Panelist
University of Missouri
CurranA@health.missouri.edu

Montana

Ann Garfinkle*
Associate Professor of Special Education
University of Montana, College of Education and Human Sciences
Ann.garfinkle@mso.umt.edu

Nebraska

Jennifer Burt*
Pediatric Psychologist/Assistant Professor of Psychology
Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center
jburt@unmc.edu

Nevada

Debra Vigil
Co-Director & Clinical Training Director, NvLEND, State Team Leader NvLTSAE, Director UCAN
Nevada LTSAE, University Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, Associate Professor UNR Dept. of Speech Pathology
dvigil@medicine.nevada.edu

New Jersey

Deepa Srinivasavaradan*
Family Resource Specialist and SPAN ACA Project Coordinator
Statewide Parent Advocacy Network of New Jersey
deepas@spannj.org

New Mexico

Nancy Lewis*
Education and Outreach Manager NM Act Early Partnership
Center for Development and Disability,
University of New Mexico School of Medicine
nancylewis@salud.unm.edu

New York

Lisa Heidi Shulman
Associate Director of RFK LEND/Director of Infant Toddler Services and Autism and clinical services at the RFK CERC program
Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefore Medical Center
lisa.shulman@einstein.yu.edu

North Carolina

Rebecca Edmonson Pretzel*
CIDD Associate Director; CIDD Director of Services; psychologist
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities
Becky.Edmondson@cidd.unc.edu

Ohio

Stephanie Weber*
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics/Psychologist/LEND Training Director
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center / Cincinnati LEND / University of Cincinnati UCEDD
stephanie.weber@cchmc.org

Oklahoma

Bonnie McBride*
Associate Professor, LEND Faculty
University of OK Health Sciences Center,
Development of Pediatrics
bonnie-mcbride@ouhsc.edu

Oregon

Sherri Alderman
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician/AAP Chapter Child Care Contact
Oregon Pediatric Society
sherrialderman23@gmail.com

Republic of the Marshall Islands

Chinlla Peter
EHDI Coordinator for the Republic of the Marshall Islands
Junior Specialist, Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii
chinilla@hawaii.edu

Rhode Island

Stacey Aguiar*
Early Childhood Screening Specialist / Early Childhood Project and Quality Improvement Manager
Rhode Island Department of Health
stacey.aguiar@health.ri.gov

South Carolina

Lorraine Cragan-Sullivan
Help Me Grow South Carolina, Developmental Screening Coordinator
Help Me Grow South Carolina
LCraganSullivan@helpmegrowsc.org

Tennessee

Toni Whitaker*
Associate Professor Pediatrics,
Developmental Pediatrician, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities
twhitaker@uthsc.edu

Texas

Pauline Filipek*
Professor of Pediatrics, CLI and Division of Child & Adolescent Neurology
University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston
Pauline.A.Filipek@uth.tmc.edu

US Virgin Islands

Karen Harris Brown
Associate Director, VI UCEDD, University of the Virgin Islands
Speech-Language Pathologist, Schneider Regional Medical Center
karen.brown@uvi.edu

Utah

Janel Preston
Early Intervention Autism Specialist
Center for Persons with Disabilities, Utah State University
janel.preston@usu.edu

Vermont

Janet Kilburn*
Child Development Coordinator
Vermont Department of Health, LLSW
Janet.Kilburn@vermont.gov

Virginia

Deana McGuire Buck*
Early Childhood Content Leader
Partnership for People with Disabilities,
Virginia Commonwealth University
dmbuck@vcu.edu

Washington

Stephanie Orrico
Child Development Coordinator
Within Reach
stephanieo@withinreachwa.org

West Virginia

Susannah Poe*
Professor
West Virginia University School of Medicine
spoe@hsc.wvu.edu

Wisconsin

Gail Chodron*
Senior Outreach Specialist
The board of Regents of the UW System, Waisman Center, University Center of Excellence on Developmental Disabilities
chodron@wisc.edu

*Returning Ambassador

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