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Tim Bass
Tim Bass, founder and owner of Bass' Emprise, LLC, has 27 years of combined experience in the public and private sectors. Over his career, Tim has developed a unique blend of leadership, managerial and entrepreneurial skills that allow him to align operations with strategy and drive to results. Launching new programs, products and services, eliminating audit issues, establishing an outcome-based organizational culture, creating meaningful business collaborations and recalibrating systems and technology to ensure their highest and best use are just a few of the methods Tim has employed over his long and successful career. He has worked for organizations such as Reynolds Aluminum, James River Paper Company, 5th Federal Reserve Bank, and the Commonwealth of Virginia (including the offices of Former Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine). Tim was also an organizing board member for the Bank of Powhatan, in Powhatan County, Virginia, and is now the owner of Bass’ Emprise, LLC, specializing in program, product and service development. Since graduating from Randolph-Macon College in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Computer Science, Tim has continued his professional development through instruction at Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia. He was recently appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities (2008-2012), is a former member of the Board for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and a past-president of the Salisbury Homeowners Association. Tim and his family are active in their church, Bon Air Christian, and other other community organizations.
Nancy Briggs
Nancy B. Briggs earned her Master in Education degree from Virginia State University and her Education Specialist degree from the University of Virginia. She has taught in public schools at the university and secondary levels and has overseen the certification of more than 300 instructors per year while working with the U.S. Army at Fort Lee, VA. Nancy has served in a variety of roles on public and nonprofit boards.
Her youngest daughter, who has cerebral palsy, lives with Nancy in Chester, VA.
She was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities by Gov. Bob McDonnell is 2011 and serves as a parent/guardian of a person with a developmental disability..
Linda G. Broady-Myers
Linda G. Broady-Myers earned her Master in Criminal Justice degree from Old Dominion University. She has a background in human resources, financial fraud, and human services advocacy.
Linda serves on multiple boards and commissions at local and state levels, including the Virginia Fair Housing Board and the Greater Richmond Transit Company. She is an active community service volunteer.
She was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities by Gov. Bob McDonnell is 2011 and serves as the transit representative.
Mary-Margaret Cash
Mary-Margaret Cash is Assistant Commissioner, Director of Community Based Services for the Department of Rehabilitative Services. The mission of the Community Based Services Division is “Respectfully creating real life solutions that maximize independence, employment, and full inclusion into society.” The CBS programs include the Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Program, the Long Term Rehabilitation Case Management Program, OBRA Nursing Home Outreach, Personal Assistance Services (PAS) program, Disability Service Boards, and the Independent Living program. Prior to joining DRS, Mary-Margaret served on the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities from1988-1996, acting in several leadership positions, including Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Employment Committee. She was Board Representative to the National Association of Developmental Disabilities Council (NADDC), and a member of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, serving on the Governor's Committee and the Subcommittee on Employee Disability Concerns.
Brian Clukey
Brian Clukey is the Library Page at the Mary Riley Styles Public Library in Fall Church, Virginia. He has over 15 years in various clerical positions from New York to Washington DC. Brian is a graduate of Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale Virginia, and has many interests. He has been a member of the Board of American Association on Mental Retardation, Board of Directors for the ARC of Northern Virginia, President of People First of Northern Virginia, Member of the President’s Committee on mental Retardation, and the Northern Virginia Representative for the White House Celebration of the American with Disabilities Act.
Chip Coleman
Chip Coleman is Executive Director of Culpeper Human Services, a position he has held since July 2003 when the Culpeper Department of Social Services restructured. He was the Director of Social Services from February 1989 to 2003. Under his leadership, Culpeper piloted welfare reform in Virginia and he was individually recognized for Outstanding Service to the Commonwealth by the Governor. His accomplishments include establishing partnerships with local, regional, and state agencies to enhance human services in the Culpeper County. Chip established Culpeper County Childcare in 1989 which provides licensed before and after-school care in every elementary school in the county and center-based care for pre-school ages. He has over eleven years of experience as a counselor with the Virginia Department for the Visually Handicapped.
A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Mr. Coleman was appointed to the Culpeper Town Council in 2003 and elected to office in 2004. Chip served as the Chair of Culpeper Transportation Board, which established and administers bus service in the Town of Culpeper; Vice-Chair of the Town of Culpeper Parking Authority. Chip served on the Piedmont United Way Board from 1989 to 1995, where he was Allocation Committee Chair and Chair of the Campaign. He also served as Vice-Chair for Salvation Army. Chip has spent much of his career working to assist individuals with low incomes and disabilities to become independent and self-sufficient. He was the recipient of several awards: Golden Apple Award in 2003 and Martin Luther King Award in 2004.
H. Douglas Cox
H. Douglas Cox was appointed to his current position in January 2001. Prior to this appointment, he was the Director, Office of Special Education and Student Services, a post he had held since July 1995. Mr. Cox has been with the Virginia Department of Education since 1973, where he has served in a number of roles including regional special education consultant, coordinator of visiting teacher/school social work programs, leader for a secondary school reform initiative, and Director of Pupil Personnel Services. In his current position, Mr. Cox is responsible for special education instructional programs; special education dispute resolution and complaints management; special education monitoring; state operated programs including Virginia's two state schools for the deaf and the blind: and student services, including school health and safety, school psychology and social work.
Prior to joining the Department of Education, Mr. Cox, a native of Graham, North Carolina, was a special education teacher and administrator in Carroll County, Virginia. He has degrees from Guilford College, the University of Virginia, and Lynchburg College. He has done further graduate work at the College of William and Mary. Mr. Cox serves on the Advisory Council for the Partnership for People with Disabilities, Virginia's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities; and the Virginia Disabilities Council. He is also member of the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities and on the State Executive Council for the Comprehensive Services Act. He is a past member of the Vocational Rehabilitation Council for the Blind. He is a recipient of the Special W. Kuhn Barnett Award given by the Virginia Federation of the Council for Exception Children. He is also the 2005 recipient of Lynchburg College's J. Edward Petty Outstanding Alumni Award and a 2005 recipient of a "Friend of V-CASE Award" presented by the Virginia Council of Administrators of Special Education. Mr. Cox is a past president of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education.
Mr. Cox is married to an elementary teacher. They have two adult children.
Christy Crowther
Christy Crowther of Richmond, Virginia, was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities in 2004. She is a graduate of the Board’s Partners in Policymaking program and enjoys volunteering with its Youth Leadership Forum on a regular basis. Christy is currently a program manager with the NewWell Fund (formerly the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority), where she helps individuals with disabilities apply for low interest loans to purchase assistive technology, and ultimately independence. She is an allumna of Foxcroft School and Guilford College. She also happens to have a disability, but it doesn’t have her.
Margaret Disney
Margaret (Maggie) Disney has been an active advocate for people with disabilities for more than 30 years, working with the Virginia Society for Human Life as an office manager. She is the caregiver of her 32-year-old daughter who has been disabled since birth.
Maggie lives in the city of Richmond, is involved in church and community affairs, and has served on the Area 6 Special Olympics Council as events manager for a dozen years. She also serves as a ski coach for Chesterfield County Special Olympics.
Maggie was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities in 2010 by Gov. Bob McDonnell and serves as the parent or guardian of a person with an intellectual disability.
Norma Draper
Norma Draper was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities in 2003 and she serves in the slot for a Parent or guardian of a person with a developmental disability. She is a graduate of Partners in Policymaking and has been an advocate for persons with disabilities for over twelve years. Ms. Draper retired in 2003 from Southlawn Memorial Park where she served as a Memorial Sales Counselor. Norma is the caregiver of her grandson who has a disability. Ms. Draper formed a Parent Support Group for Parents of Children and youth with disabilities and for adults with adults with disabilities.
For the past three years Ms. Draper has worked with Parent to Parent of Virginia and Central Virginia Care Connection for Children, sponsored by the Virginia Department of Health. She assisted in the development of the Care Connection Notebook and in the training of families and professionals using this Notebook.
Additionally, Ms. Draper is a Consumer Directed Services Facilitator for the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance, as well as member of the Virginia Interagency Transition Council and the Greater Richmond Interagency Transition Council and serves as Vice Chair for Hopewell Public Schools Special Education Advisory Committee.
Ms. Draper was recently appointed to serve on the Tuckahoe Local Human Rights Committee as Vice Chair. She is also a parent representative on the Hopewell Public Schools (Virginia Transition Outcome Project) VTOP.
Sharon Drescher
Sharon Drescher is the Volunteer Development Administrator for CARITAS, a Richmond based non-profit that serves the homeless community. She holds board positions with the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Virginia and Samaritan’s Walk, a spinal recovery center located in Ashland, VA.
Sharon’s son, Robbie, sustained a spinal cord injury in December 2009 at the age of 14; he maintains his active lifestyle by playing wheelchair basketball and lacrosse through adaptive sports in Richmond.
Sharon was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities by Gov. Bob McDonnell in 2011 and serves as a parent or guardian of a person with a developmental disability.
Dennis Findley
Dennis Findley, AIA is a resident of McLean, Virginia and is the father of a 14 year-old son with multiple intellectual disabilities. Dennis is an architect and received his bachelor’s degree in architecture from Auburn University and earned his master’s degree in architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.
In 1995, Dennis made what would be a life-changing decision to stop his architectural practice for three years to be a full-time, stay-at-home father for his then newborn twin boys. However, within a few months his plan took a different course when one of his sons was diagnosed with significant developmental delays. The three-year hiatus from architecture became an 11-year odyssey of doctors, tests, therapy, special schools and insurance claims and advocating on Capital Hill in Washington, D.C. for the interests of special-needs children in 2005. He resumed his architectural practice in 2006 and is an Associate and Senior Project Architect with Bowie Gridley Architects in Washington, D.C. Dennis was appointed to the Virginia Board of People with Disabilities in 2009.
***
Contact Information:
Dennis Findley, AIA
1045 Clover Drive
McLean, VA 22101
202-337-0888 office
703-821-1668 home office
Email dennismfindley@gmail.com
Kelly Hickok
Community Advocate for Resources for Independent Living, Inc.
Kelly has an associate’s degree in Architectural Drafting and Design. She spent the first 20 years of her career working with architects, engineers, contractors and suppliers designing homes and commercial spaces to include accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
For the last three years Kelly has been working with individuals who have significant disabilities to help them become proactive and involved in the issues that effect their lives.
Through education and advocacy, Kelly works with the community to bring awareness to the needs of people with disabilities as it relates to inclusion and expansion of community living options.
David Holsinger
S. David Holsinger, III, was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities in 2004, representing the manufacturing/retail industry. David is currently employed as Vice President of Human Resources and Facilities for Valley Blox, Inc., located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He is responsible for developing and administering employment and safety policies and practices for twelve locations employing approximately 470 employees in three states. He is also the corporate administrator for Property and Casualty Insurance Programs. David has a long history of advocating for employment of persons with Disabilities. In 2003 he sponsored a Project Train IT intern for the development of an Excel based program for an employee survey in conjunction with the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center. From 2001-2003 he served on the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Investment Board. He was reappointed to the Board in 2004 and elected as its Vice Chair. In the early 90s, David served on the Virginia Department of Rehabilitation Services Employment Advocacy Group for the Disabled and was awarded the DRS Employer Award of Merit in 1994. He has a personal commitment to obtaining jobs of persons with disabilities in his current place of employment. Since 1993, his company has employed ten hearing impaired individuals.
Ray Hopkins
Raymond “Ray” Hopkins is the Commissioner of the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI), a post he filled in August, 2008; he was reappointed in 2010 by Governor McDonnell.
Prior to joining DBVI, Commissioner Hopkins was employed by the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, from 2004-2008 where he oversaw the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility Program, an entrepreneurial program serving persons who are blind. During his tenure, this program included nearly $700,000,000 in annual sales and 3,100 businesses located on federal and other property which were operated by approximately 2,600 licensed managers who are blind.
Before joining the federal government, Hopkins was the Administrator of the Division of Visual Services, Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services for a decade.
A native Oklahoman, he holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Arts in Rehabilitation of the Blind from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Hopkins has served as president or as a member of the Board of Directors of several professional organizations including the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB), the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP), the Oklahoma Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Vision Impaired and the Blind Entrepreneurs Alliance.
Commissioner Hopkins and his wife, Lavinia, live in Henrico County, Virginia and are the parents of three adult children. They enjoy traveling and are avid fans of the theatre and sports, and are active in their church and community.
Ronald L. Lanier
Ron Lanier is currently serving as Director of the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH). He was appointed to this position by Governor George Allen in April 1997, re-appointed by Governor Jim Gilmore in June 1998, re-appointed by Governor Mark Warner in 2002, and then re-appointed by Former Governor Tim Kaine in 2006. He is a former Adjunct faculty member at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College (JSRCC) and Virginia Union University where he taught American Sign Language. Prior to his current position, he was Manager of the Technology Assistance Program at VDDHH, Job Placement Counselor for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the Department of Rehabilitative Services, and a Social Worker with Richmond Social Services. Ron received his B.S. in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He also pursued courses in Sign Language and Deaf Culture at VCU and JSRCC, in addition to graduate courses in Rehabilitation Counseling at VCU.
Ron serves on the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, and is a past Member of the Virginia Assistive Technology Council. He also serves on the Challenge Discovery Projects’ Board of Directors and represents the Office of Health and Human Resources on the Advisory Board for the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority. He has served as a Member of the Court-Appointed Special Advocates and the Central Virginia Lions Hearing Aid Bank advisory boards. He is a member of the Virginia Association of the Deaf, Hearing Loss Association of America and Black Deaf Advocates. He is co-founder (1980) of the Richmond/Hampton Organization of the Deaf. He is a Trustee at the Cedar Street Baptist Church, where he also served two terms as President of the Male Chorus and is former Secretary of the Male Ministry. He recently completed a term as a parent representative on the National Mission Advisory Panel for the Clerc Center of Gallaudet University. He is a 2005 Graduate of the Leadership Metro Richmond (LMR), and is former Vice-President of Membership of a local club of Toastmasters International. Ron was recently (’06) appointed to serve a 3-year term on the Advisory Council of the National Deafness and other Communications Disorders, of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Ron is a native of Roanoke where, at age 7, he became hard of hearing as a result of an automobile accident. He is married and is the father and grandfather of a deaf child. He also mentors to deaf youth in his community.
Thomas J. Leach
Thomas J. Leach was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities in 2003. In addition, Thomas is a staff for the Virginia Youth Leadership Forum, a devoted fundraiser for various community projects, and previously served as President of the member council of Adult Care Services’ Board of Directors (now known as A Grace Place). He was a key volunteer of the Billy Austin Sidewalk Project, which raised $143,000 and led to the construction of a sidewalk for disabled persons between The Virginia Home and Maymont Park.
Thomas completed his high school education at Kirk-Cone Rehabilitation Center. He previously worked at Progressive Group Alliance, Alfa Laval Inc. as a Literature Assistant and Office Services, and the VCU library. Thomas is an employee of Medical Equipment Distributors, Inc. (MED) and is a Data Entry Specialist. He has been employed with MED since September 2011.
Thomas, who has cerebral palsy, has participated at A Grace Place for the past 15 years. He is a very dependable individual who loves to volunteer, especially with the computer, designing and printing many forms for various programs. He contributes much of his time to A Grace Place and is a very social person. In his spare time, he enjoys watching the Washington Redskins on TV and working on the computer.
Carol Lewin
Carol Lewin earned both her undergraduate and masters degrees from George Mason University. She has served as an auditor for the U.S. General Accounting Office and as Treasurer and Financial Officer, and later retired early from her own accounting and tax practice in Northern Virginia to be a full-time parent and caregiver to her son Jimmy, age 17, who has a neurogenetic condition, Ataxia-Telangiectasia. She has worked closely with the A-T Children’s Project to raise funds and awareness for rare disease research. She is also active in the Williamsburg-James City County Schools as a member of the Special Education Advisory Committee. Carol and her family enjoy the Dream Catchers Therapeutic Riding Center in Toano, VA.
Mac MacArthur-Fox
Mac McArthur-Fox was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities in 2004. Mac has been involved in support for people with disabilities for many years. She received undergraduate and graduate degrees in special education from James Madison University and the University of Virginia. Mac currently provides staff support to Community Opportunities, a nonprofit organization in southwest Virginia dedicated to supporting people with significant disabilities through circles of support and microboards. She also serves as a Project Coordinator at Radford University's Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC), focusing on assisting schools in southwest Virginia to improve secondary transition services for students with disabilities. Mac's past work in the field includes serving as a special education teacher in Montgomery County, Harrisonburg City, Page County, and Rockingham County Schools and as a supervisor for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board's Community Support Services. Mac and her husband are also the parents of three children. They have learned much about advocacy and the power of networks of support through their experiences with their 23-year old daughter, and they are members of her microboard.
Dennis Manning
Dennis J. Manning is President and CEO of Community Residencies, Inc. in
Chantilly, VA. He earned his Master in Social Work degree from Syracuse
University and his Master of Science in Management degree from the State
University of New York at Binghamton. He retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve
as a Colonel in 2003.
Dennis has served numerous organizations, including nonprofit agencies and
professional associations, as a board member and through committee work.
He was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities by Gov. Bob McDonnell is 2011 and serves as a relative/guardian of a person with a developmental disability.
Jonathan Martinis
Jonathan G. Martinis is the Managing Attorney for the Communities Unit of the Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy (VOPA).
Born and raised just outside of New York City, Mr. Martinis received his Bachelor of Science from James Madison University and his Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law.
After graduating from Hofstra, Mr. Martinis entered into private practice, serving as special counsel on disability law matters for VOPA (then known as the Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities) from 1996-1998. From 1998-2000, he was a Staff Attorney for DRVD, serving as lead counsel on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) cases. He was promoted to Managing Attorney in January, 2001.
In his time with DRVD and VOPA, Mr. Martinis has represented people with disabilities in lawsuits involving discrimination by state government, public transportation, public accommodations, schools, and employers.
Charles Meacham
Charles Meacham works with Dominion Resources in Supply Chain Management. He has been involved in numerous civic organizations, including Community-Based Services, Housing Options, Central VA Friends of L’Arche, and Tuckahoe Little League Baseball, Challenger Division. His work has helped youngsters and adults with physical and developmental disabilities excel.
April Carpenter Niamtu
April Carpenter Niamtu is a native of Mississippi and grew up in Virginia Beach. She worked in the mortgage business for 15 years, and since 1996, she has served as director of Niamtu Cosmetic Surgery Education, LLC.
She has been married to Dr. Joe Niamtu since 1998 and has a healthy son from a previous marriage and two special needs children (ages 10 and 8) with severe intellectual and physical disabilities.
April is active in various community organizations, including Noah’s Children, Operation Smile, Greater Richmond ARC, and the Safe Harbor Women’s Shelter. She has received numerous community service awards for her volunteer work, including the Bon Secours Magnificent Mom Award (2006), an Award of Merit in Economics, Social, and Environmental Development in conjunction with the Greater Richmond ARC, and the Greater Richmond Lady Bug Award for Meritorious Service to Young Children with Disabilities and Their Families (2008). April was appointed to the Board in 2010 by Gov. Bob McDonnell and serves as an immediate relative of a person with a mentally impairing developmental disability.
Ralph Owen
Ralph Owen served the U.S. Postal Service for more than three decades and
received the Virginia Postmaster of the Year award in 2004. He has received
other honors for his work in the postal system as well as volunteer service
awards for his work with special needs young adults at the Northern Virginia
Training Center.
Ralph currently serves on the boards of The Arc of the Greater Roanoke Valley
and The Arc of Virginia. He and his wife live in Blue Ridge, VA with their
37-year-old son who has Downs Syndrome.
He was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities in 2011 by Gov. Bob McDonnell and serves as the parent or guardian of a person with a developmental disability.
Lee Price
Lee Price joined the Department on June 10, 2004, as the Director of the Office of Mental Retardation. Prior to joining the Department, Mr. Price was the Richmond division manager for Community Residences, Inc., a private, non-profit organization based in Arlington, Va. He also served as the mental retardation services director for the Middle Peninsula-Northern Neck CSB, the director of Camp Baker Services, a vocational program director for Chesterfield County CSB, and executive director of the Franklin County Sheltered Workshop, Inc. His leadership experience in both the public and private sectors of community services in Virginia extends over 32 years. He holds a Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University, which he received in 1979.Mr. Price is married and has one daughter who attends college at Old Dominion University.
Sarah Ratner
Sarah Ratner is an Associate Attorney on the Labor and Employment team at Hunton & Williams in Richmond Virginia. Sarah received her J.D from the University of Virginia where she was part of the Editorial Board of the Virginia Law Review and the Editor in Chief of the Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law. Sarah is involved with the Autism Society of America and the Women's Advocacy Project.
Korinda Rusinyak
Korinda Rusinyak works as a Peer Mentor for the Endependence Center in
Norfolk. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Services from
Virginia Wesleyan College. Korinda has cerebral palsy, attended special
education classes until fifth grade, and now walks with the aid of crutches.
Having lived with a disability her entire life, Korinda believes people
come before the disability, and that individuals with disabilities have a
right to make their own choices and be an active part of the community.
She was appointed to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities in 2011 by Gov. Bob McDonnell, serving as a person with a developmental disability.
Vincent (Mark) Russell
Vincent (Mark) Russell was appointed by Governor Warner to the Board for a term beginning July 1, 2002. Mark serves as "an immediate relative/guardian of a person with mental impairing developmental disabilities" representative. He is a very active member of the Community Integration Committee and served as an At-Large Member on the Executive Committee. Mark worked for many years at the Central Virginia Training Center and from that experience has a strong commitment to supporting people with DD in the community with the supports they require to be successful. He has experience most recently with Larche Homes which is a best practices model for supporting people with disabilities to live independently.
Angela Sadsad
Angela Sadsad is a 2009 graduate of the Virginia Partners in Policymaking (PIP) class. Through her experience with PIP, Angela created sibArt, Inc., an organization that utilizes art therapy to address including for children with disabilities as well as sibling issues in families where disabilities are present.
Angela serves as a Vice President for the Tidewater, Virginia, chapter of the Autism Society of America. She and her husband Ron have two daughters, 11-year-old Jennalyn and 10-year-old Mimi, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2.
Professionally, Angela has worked in banking for over 19 years and currently serves as a Vice President for BB&T in Norfolk, VA. She strongly believes that banking is a noble profession because bankers assist clients in meeting their financial goals and dreams. Her career is a perfect complement to working with the disability community: “The one thing that binds us all together is our humanity…our simple desire to determine our own futures, to attain the things we dream about. There’s not one human being, disability or not, that can’t identify with that.” Angela was appointed to the Board in 2010 by Gov. Bob McDonnell and serves as the Banking representative.
Carl Tate
Carl Tate is a long time community and political activist who has recently devoted his spare time to helping those with intellectual disabilities, including his youngest brother. Carl is currently working on his J.D. from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond, with an expected graduation date of May 2011. He resides in Staunton, VA, and hopes to “help all children with intellectual disabilities be fully integrated into Virginia’s educational system and society.”
Carl was appointed to the Board in 2010 by Gov. Bob McDonnell and serves as an immediate relative or guardian of a person with a mentally impairing developmental disability.
John A. Toscano, MSW, MBA
John A. Toscano is the President & CEO of Commonwealth Autism Service (formerly The Autism Program of Virginia, TAP- VA), a position he has held since January 2002. Before coming to Virginia, John spent three years working internationally to improve autism services in Malaysia and in England. John started his experience in autism in 1981 and developed a large residential and day service for adults in New York. Concurrent to his work in autism, John also was a full-time faculty member in social work for 18 years in New York. John has traveled extensively observing and consulting with autism services both in the US and across Europe, and has spoken at numerous local, state, national and international conferences. His particular areas of interest include: Paradigms of care and the rights of people with autism; Bridging the gap between agency ethos and practice; Program design and implementation; and Bio-medical interventions in autism. John earned his MSW from Adelphi University in 1975, and his MBA from Sunderland University, England in 2000. He is also a grandfather of a child with autism -Joey.
Ed Turner
A native of Accomack County on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Ed Turner was educated in the era before changes in the law guaranteed children with disabilities access to a free appropriate public education.
Born with cerebral palsy, Ed graduated from high school, went on to Old Dominion University, and joined the staff of the Norfolk Center for Independent Living (now the Endependence Center, Inc.) while still living with his parents. Determined to lead the way for others, Ed moved into his own apartment in 1982.
Ed served the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities in 1989 as Assistant Administrator and later started his own disability rights consulting business. Later in his career, Ed worked with the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has written numerous publications on self-advocacy for employment and workplace accommodations, and was honored in 2005 with the Board’s Jackie Crews Excellence in Leadership Award. He served Gov. Tim Kaine and Gov. Bob McDonnell as Special Advisor to the Governor of the Commonwealth on disability issues, and retired from the post in 2010.
An expert in public policy, Ed was appointed to the Board in 2010 to serve as a person with a developmental disability.
Kathleen Vaughan
Kathleen Vaughan is the No Wrong Door (NWD) Coordinator at the Virginia Department for the Aging (VDA). NWD envisions public agencies and private providers partnering together via an integrated delivery system to offer self-directed access to all long term support options for older adults and adults with disabilities in Virginia. Ms. Vaughan has a Masters degree in Public Policy and a B.A. in Government, and she has held several appointed positions in state government. Motivated by a passion for human rights, Ms. Vaughan has dedicated her life to advocacy and public service. Prior to joining the VDA, Ms. Vaughan participated in self-advocacy leadership at the Partnership for People with Disabilities, working on health promotion, self-advocacy community mobilization and mentoring programs administered under several federal and state grants. Originally born and raised in Texas, Ms. Vaughan now resides in Richmond.
Rose Williams
Rose Williams, a Charlottesville native, is a published poet/essayist and motivational speaker. Born with cerebral palsy, Rose is co-chair of the Charlottesville/Albemarle VSA Arts, which promotes artistic value among individuals with disabilities. She also serves on the Charlottesville ADA Advisory Board, and was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Virginia in 2008.
Former Governor Tim Kaine appointed Rose to serve a four-year term on the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities beginning July 1, 2009, serving as a person with a developmental disability. Previously, Rose had been named as the 2007 recipient of the Board’s prestigious Jackie Crews Award for her advocacy for the rights and needs of individuals with disabilities in her hometown.
Rose’s motto of inspiration is “Find Your Passion and Make it Happen.” With her deep faith, positive spirit and contagious smile, Rose is dedicated to educating, advocating and raising awareness of the abilities and challenges of the disability population on a local and state level.
She frequently presents poetry workshops and speeches to various special needs programs.
