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.

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
Ymyrick@DCAutismparents.org

Florida

Alexandra Goldberg
Program and Training Manager
Help Me Grow Floridaexternal icon
agoldberg@thechildrensforum.com

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

Laura Thornton, PhD
Developmental Screening Coordinator
Louisiana Department of Health, Bureau of Family Health
Laura.Thornton@la.gov

Maine

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

Maryland

Rachel Demma, Ed.D.
Director, Early Childhood System Development
Maryland State Department of Education
rachel.demma@maryland.gov

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

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