Find Your Act Early Ambassador
Act Early Ambassadors expand the reach of the “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program and support their respective state’s work toward improving early identification of developmental delays and disabilities, including autism.
Since 2011, professionals with medical, child development, developmental disability, special education, and early intervention expertise have been selected to
- Serve as a state or territorial point-of-contact for the national “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program;
- Support the work of Act Early Teams and other state/territorial or national initiatives to improve early identification of developmental delay and disability; and
- Promote the adoption and integration of “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” resources into systems that serve young children and their families.
See how Ambassadors and others across the nation are promoting early identification of delays and disabilities using LTSAE.
CDC’s Act Early Ambassadors: Champions of Developmental Monitoring
View the contact information below to connect with your state or territory’s Ambassador!
Ambassador Bios pdf icon[1 MB, 37 Pages, Print Only]
Alabama
Tish MacInnis
Coordinator of Family and Community Partnerships
Alabama Partnership for Children (APC)
tmacinnis@smartstartalabama.org
Alaska
Carmen Wenger
Program Director
Help Me Grow Alaska
carmen@a2p2.com
Arizona
Megan Wills
Director, Children and Family Services
Easterseals Blake Foundation
mwills@blake.easterseals.com
Arkansas
Angela Scott MD, PhD, FAAP
Assistant Professor, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics & Medical Humanities
Medical Director, UAMS Kids First
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
ALScott2@uams.edu
California
Fran Goldfarb
Director, Community Education
Family Support Discipline Director
University of Southern California
University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
fgoldfarb@chla.usc.edu
Michele Rogers
Executive Director
Early Learning Institute
micheler@earlylearninginstitute.com
Colorado
Eileen Auer Bennett
Executive Director
Assuring Better Child Health & Development
https://www.coloradoabcd.org/external icon
eileen@coloradoabcd.org
Connecticut
Bethanne Vergean
Early Childhood Specialist
UConn Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
vergean@uchc.edu
Delaware
Sarah B Mallory, PhD
Assistant Professor
Center for Disabilities Studies
University of Delaware
smallory@udel.edu
DC
Yetta Myrick
President/Executive Director
DC Autism Parentsexternal icon
Act Early DCexternal icon
Ymyrick@DCAutismparents.org
Florida
Alexandra Goldberg
Program Director, State Grants
Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions
agoldberg@fahsc.org
https://www.healthystartflorida.com/external icon
Georgia
Bridget Ratajczak
Child and Family Development Supervisor
Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
https://development.decal.ga.gov/#/external icon
Bridget.ratajczak@decal.ga.gov
Guam
Elaine Eclavea
Chairperson
Guam Early Learning Council
https://www.facebook.com/guamelc/
EEclavea.GuamELC@gmail.com
Hawaii
Jeffrey Okamoto
Faculty, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician
University of Hawaii
jokamoto@hawaii.edu
Idaho
Melissa Crist
Director of Programs and Human Development-Idaho STARS
University of Idaho
Center on Disabilities and Human Development
https://idahocdhd.org/Projects/Act-Early-Idahoexternal icon
mcrist@uidaho.edu
Illinois
Cari Roestel, RN
Nurse Case Manager and ECHO Autism Coordinator
Advocate Children’s Hospital
caroline.roestel@AdvocateHealth.com
Lori Orr
Director of Professional Development
Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development
Lori.A.Orr@illinois.gov
Indiana
Stephan Viehweg
Associate Director
Riley Child Development Center
Indiana LEND
https://www.actearlyindiana.org/external icon
sviehweg@iu.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
https://chsciowa.org/programs/iowa-act-earlyexternal icon
rachell-swanson-holm@uiowa.edu
Kansas
Peggy Kemp
Technical Assistance Provider, Kansas In-service Training System (KITS)
University of Kansas Center on
Developmental Disabilities
pkemp@ku.edu
Kentucky
Christine Hausman
Content Coordinator
Child Care Aware
University of Kentucky, Human Development Institute
Christine.hausman@uky.edu
Louisiana
Julie Emory
Provider Engagement Consultant
The Children’s Coalition for Northeast LA
JEmory@childrenscoalition.org
Maine
Nancy Cronin
Executive Director
Maine Developmental Disabilities Council
Nancy.E.Cronin@maine.gov
Maryland
Kristen Paul
Early Childhood Specialist
The Parents’ Place of Maryland
kristen@ppmd.org
Massachusetts
Kate Barlow
Associate Professor
American International College
https://www.maactearly.org/external icon
kate.barlow@AIC.edu
Michigan
Synthia Britton
IDEA Part C-Home Visiting Public Health Consultant
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
brittons@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
Marcy Hanson
Nursing Instructor
Montana State University
marcy.hanson@montana.edu
Nebraska
Kerry Miller
Assistant Professor
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Munroe Meyer Institute
Kerry.miller@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
www.nevadaactearly.orgexternal icon
dvigil@medicine.nevada.edu
New Hampshire
Jennifer Pineo
Project Coordinator
New Hampshire Family Voices
jsp@nhfv.org
New Jersey
Deepa Srinivasavaradan
Family Resource Specialist and SPAN ACA Project Coordinator
Statewide Parent Advocacy Network of New Jersey
https://spanadvocacy.org/programs/early-childhood/external icon
deepas@spanadvocacy.org
New Mexico
Rachel Eryn Nowak
Program Manager
NewMexicoKids Resource and Referral
UNM Early Childhood Services Center
rachelmitchell@unm.edu
New York
Melissa Passarelli
Director of Programs
Docs for Tots
melissa@docsfortots.org
Romina Barros
Chief, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
NYU Langone Long Island
actearlyny@gmail.com
North Carolina
Rebecca Edmondson 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
Sharon E. Loza
Branch Head and Part C Coordinator
NC Infant-Toddler Program
sharon.loza@dhhs.nc.gov
North Dakota
Hilory Liccini
Assistant Director for Program Management
North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities at Minot State University
hilory.liccini@minotstateu.edu
Ohio
Steph Weber
Psychologist; Training Director
Cincinnati LEND and University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
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
Act Early Oregonexternal icon
actearlyoregon@gmail.com
Pennsylvania
Ilecia Voughs
Family Support Consultant
Early Intervention Technical Assistance/Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network
ivoughs@pattan.net
Puerto Rico
Nancy Nieves Muñoz
Educator
Children with Special Medical Needs Division
Puerto Rico Department of Health
nancy.nieves@salud.pr.gov
Rhode Island
Jenn Sanchez
Early Intervention Technical Assistance Specialist
RI College Sherlock Center on Disabilities
jsanchez@ric.edu
South Carolina
Lorraine Cragan-Sullivan
Little Moments, LLC
lorraine@littlemomentsllc.com
South Dakota
Lisa Sanderson
Project Director
Family to Family Health Information Center
South Dakota Parent Connection
lsanderson@sdparent.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
Laura Kender
Chief of Early Childhood Services
My Health My Resources of Tarrant County
Laura.Kender@mhmrtc.org
Claire Niday
State Child Health Coordinator
Texas Department of State Health Services
claire.niday@dshs.texas.gov
US Virgin Islands
Karen Harris Brown
Interim Dean and Associate Professor, University of the Virgin Islands
Speech-Language Pathologist, Schneider Regional Medical Center
karen.brown@uvi.edu
Leone Rohr
Executive Director
Parents Empowering Parents Disability Center, Inc.
leonerohr@gmail.com
Utah
Janel Preston
Early Intervention Autism Specialist
Center for Persons with Disabilities, Utah State University
https://cpd.usu.edu/services/learn-the-signsexternal icon
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
Devon Love
Vroom Integration and Help Me Grow Systems Manager
Public Health – Seattle & King County
devon.love@kingcounty.gov
West Virginia
Jackie Newsome
Director
West Virginia Home Visitation Program
Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health
Jackie.J.Newson@wv.gov
Wisconsin
Kris Barnekow
Infant Family Specialist & Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin
krisb@uwm.edu
Wyoming
Wendy Warren
ECHO Project Coordinator
Wyoming Institute for Disabilities, University of Wyoming
https://www.uwyo.edu/wind/wyactearly/external icon
wwarren@uwyo.edu