Member Directory

 

The Georgia Coalition of Family Advocates on Developmental Disabilities is made up of family and community members who know and love someone with a developmental disability in Georgia. We act as an additional voice within the developmental disability community to solve challenges by sharing our experiences and participating in advocacy to build a more equitable and inclusive Georgia.

Georgia Coalition of Family Advocates on Developmental Disabilities

  • Dasia Brown

    Email: dasia@larcheatlanta.org

    My name is Dasia, and I am a first-year grad student at The Clark Atlanta University majoring in Special Education. I am also currently a caregiver/direct support professional for adults with disabilities and a part time behavioral therapist. I am originally from Miami, Florida, and moved to Atlanta four months ago. Glad to be here and a part of the team!

  • James Butler

    Email: jwbutler1961@gmail.com

  • Andrea Ford

    Email: fordhosthome@gmail.com

    My passion is to share information in different ways that lead to a better understanding of IDD, and navigating the different programs available. I want to educate the community that individuals with IDD are capable of making a powerful impact in their community if given the opportunity and the support they need.

  • Teresa Heard

    Email: teresaheard1974@gmail.com

  • Kay Hiott

    Email: kayhiott85@gmail.com

  • Jackie McNair

    Email: jwmc0611@gmail.com

    Jackie McNair has strived for over 15 years, to provide support, training and resource information to families of children who are deemed eligible to receive Special Education Services in local school districts. Jackie has developed parent workshops and training series to help families connect and build bridges with community resources and their school district. Jackie was a 2017 Phil Pickens Parent Mentor Leadership Award recipient. In her private life, Jackie enjoys her work as a freelance consultant, offering her expertise in raising a child with disabilities to various agencies, etc. Jackie and her husband are parents of a 26-year-old daughter who lives with autism and intellectual disabilities and a 28-year-old son. They reside in Gwinnett County, GA.

  • Carol Norris

    Email: canorris@cox.net

  • Zechondra Porter

    Email: alachelle11@gmail.com

    My name is Zechondra Porter. I have a Master Degree in Forensic Psychology and have advocate for my son over 19 years. Relocating from Tennessee, Georgia has been our home for more than 15 years.

  • Eleanor Russo

    Email: eleanordill@icloud.com

    My name is Eleanor Russo, and at the age of 54 and 4 years into my first (and only, I hope!) marriage, my 49-year-old autistic brother moved from North Carolina to Atlanta to live with me full time. All my life I had been told that Thomas was performing to the best of his abilities, and so I believed it to be true. Then he came here, and I realized that he was capable of so much more. I want him to experience the joy and possibilities that are available to him. I just need a little help and guidance along the way.

  • Shelley Spivey

    Email: wavesautismcenter@gmail.com

    Phone: (478) 733-2597

    My name is Shelley Spivey. I am the owner/director of Waves Autism Center, LLC in Warner Robins, Georgia. I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Education from Liberty University and a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. I spent two years at Mercer University School of Medicine in the MFT program, completing the academic portion of my studies and completed the practicum requirement at Northcentral University in Arizona.

  • Pam Walley

    Email: pamawalley@gmail.com

    Pam Walley has been an advocate for 25+ years, beginning with the birth of her daughter who has developmental disabilities. Pam currently serves as Advocacy Director for Georgia Options, a nonprofit service provider whose headquarters is in Athens, and previously worked as Parent Mentor for her local school district. Pam is a 1998 graduate of Partners in Policymaking, the training which she credits for fostering her core belief for advocacy: there's always a way.

  • Jennilee Walters

    Email: jleewalters@yahoo.com

    I am a parent of a child with disabilities and my passion is to help fellow members of my community gain access to the resources they deserve and to advocate for better systems for special needs in our area.

  • Megan Wilds

    Email: meganbrovont@gmail.com

    I am a mother of 2 special needs boys. I want to help support other parents in getting the supports they need for their children.

  • Kimberly Willis Green

    Email: kswgreen@gmail.com

Questions?

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The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is a policy-focused state leader for the advancement of rights for people with developments disabilities.

The Georgia Coalition of Family Advocates on Developmental Disabilities is supported by Claritas Creative, who received the Coalition of Family Advocates grant from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.