Meet the SPAN Staff
We Live What We Do!
SPAN’s staff members don’t just work here—about 70% of our employees first received support for their children through SPAN workshops, trainings, conferences, and other events before coming to work with us. Many started as SPAN Resource Parent (SRP) volunteers before becoming part- or full-time employees. So when families call on SPAN for help, they can know they are working with people who not only care, but who have “been there” and have the desire to help others as they were once helped themselves.
Executive Co-Directors
Diana Autin
Executive Co-Director for Health & Family Support
Diana is an attorney who has used her legal knowledge to help train and support parents and parent leaders as advocates for their children and families as they navigate the education, health, mental health, child welfare, and other systems. Diana brings the voices of parents, families, and communities to the table on a number of state and national advisory committees on health and education. Diana is a graduate of University of Michigan Law School and studied economic development and management/ organizational leadership at Columbia University as a Revson Fellow. Diana has participated in several national leadership programs including serving as an Advocacy Institute Senior Leadership Fellow. She is the adoptive mother of four children, from diverse cultures, and also a proud grandmother. A Cajun and Native American, Diana is deeply committed to cultural reciprocity and language access.
Debra Jennings
Executive Co-Director for National Projects & Parent Leadership Development
Debra leads SPAN’s national efforts promoting the capacities of the approximately 100 Parent Training & Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) assisting families with children with disabilities in each state, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and Palau. These projects provide Parent Centers with the information and materials that support their individual parent advocacy efforts and systemic improvement activities across disabilities and across age spans from birth to 26. Debra’s experience as an advocate and leader includes organizing and supporting grassroots parent advocacy organizations and efforts around general and special education issues. She joined SPAN in 1997 to lead its “Parents Engaged in Public Policy Project.” On several state and national advisory committees, Debra is committed to ensuring that the voices of parents/families and communities representing the diversity of the state and nation are not left out of discussions of policies and practices impacting children and families. Debra is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Economics and has completed coursework in business, finance, public administration, and nonprofit management at the Kellogg School of Management and Seton Hall University Center for Public Service. Debra’s eclectic professional experience prior to joining SPAN in 1997 includes construction, economic development, finance, and constituent affairs. Debra also served on a local school board. She is the mom of two adult daughters, one of whom received special education services and the other who participated in Title I Basic Skills. Both are college graduates. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, a middle school administrator.
Management Team
Carolyn Hayer
Director of Parent & Professional Development
Peg Kinsell
Director of SPAN Public Policy
Roy Maynard
Fiscal Manager
Al Pelham
Director of Human Resources
Support Team
Ayo Bajomo
Executive Assistant
Melvina Baskerville
Intake Coordinator
Ivor Knight
Fiscal Coordinator
Rosslin Mensah-Boateng
Administrative Assistant
Maria Rodriguez
Administrative Assistant
Joyce Sykes
Office Assistant
Family Resource Specialists
Jaya George
Family Resource Specialist,
Family WRAP: Morris, Somerset, Sussex, Hunterdon, Warren Counties
FASD
Garima Jain
Multilingual Family Resource Specialist,
Family WRAP: Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean Counties
Health & Family Support
Early Childhood & Education
Including Special Education and Bilingual Education
Myriam Alizo
Resource & Product Coordinator
Stefanie Babits
Parent Group Specialist-Middlesex, Monmouth, Union, Ocean
Josie Badger
Co-Director, National RAISE Center
Denise Bouyer-Hargrove
Director of NJ Inclusive Child Care Project
Tatsiana DaGrosa
Co-Director of START-EPSD–Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland
Kathy Demarco
Early Childhood Inclusion Coordinator-Middle
Maria Docherty
Director of Technical Assistance
Monique Dujue
Parent Group Specialist-Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, Somerset, Warren
Debbie Esposito
Co-Director of START-EPSD–Camden, Gloucester, Salem
Nicole Harris
Early Childhood Inclusion Coordinator, NJ Inclusive Child Care Project
Jamirah Heyward
Early Childhood Inclusion Coordinator, NJ Inclusive Child Care Project
Jeannette Mejias
Director, Special Education Volunteer Advocates (SEVA)
Sharon Melahn
Program Coordinator-NJLEND
Dawn Monaco
Co-Director, REACH for Transition
Fanny Ochoa
Parent Group Specialist-Bergen, Essex, Sussex
Kim Rivers
Technical Information Specialist/Essex Family Resource Specialist
Erin Seigh
Transition Coordinator
Michele Tyler
Parent Group Specialist & Literacy Coordinator
Meet Our Board Members
OFFICERS
John Pennett
Board President
Partner
EisnerAmper LLP
John Morel
Board Secretary-Treasurer
Vice President, Strategic Business Development
Berkley Life Sciences, a Berkley Company
Barbara Glazewski
Board Vice President
Former Professor
Kean University
Former Coordinator
Graduate Speech Pathology Program
BOARD MEMBERS
Kaleena Katea Berryman
Director, Abbott Leadership Institute
Rutgers University–Newark
Nekia Lewis
Program Manager, Global Health and Wellness Strategy
Verizon
Nancy Romanyshyn
Director, Talent & Rewards (HR)
Willis, Towers, Watson
Dara Baldwin
Director of Public Policy, Center for Disability Rights
Alia Suqi
Owner
Next Wave Web Graphics/Printing
Elizabeth Shea, Esq.
Of Counsel
Porzio, Bromberg & Newman PC
Diana Autin & Debra Jennings
Executive Co-Directors
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
Libby Stone-Sterling
Director, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation,
Maine Department of Labor