Aaron Vorell is the Executive Director of Casa de Amma, a nonprofit Independent Apartment Community for adults with special needs. Aaron has been with Casa de Amma since they opened in 2004. Under his leadership, Casa has become established as a unique, model program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who want to achieve a greater level of independence, while also maintaining close social relationships and a sense of community. Casa de Amma has since established a long waiting list and expanded services to those living in the local community. Aaron also provides consultation and support to those looking to replicate the unique Casa model.

Aaron also created and is the co-founder of the IAC (Independent Apartment Communities) Group. The IAC Group is an association of organizations, professionals, families, and individuals who believe that Independent Apartment Communities represent a unique, beneficial, and preferred option for housing and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition, The IAC Group offers education, resources, networking, and support for those who want to create Independent Apartment Communities in their local area and assists existing Independent Apartment Communities so they may best fulfill their mission in a sustainable and person-centered focus.

Before coming to Casa de Amma Aaron worked with Hospice, mental health and in hospitals as a social worker. Aaron graduated in 2001 with a degree in Social Work. He currently lives in Ladera Ranch Ca, and is married with 4 children.

Adam C. Pomeranz joined Annandale Village in 2004 as its Chief Executive Officer. A widely respected leader in the developmentally disabled sector, Adam oversees Annandale’s strategic direction and daily operations including the delivery of programs and services, finance, development, health services and community outreach. In addition, Adam also serves as the Executive Director of The Annandale Foundation.

Immediately prior to joining Annandale Village, Adam served as Director of the Access Center at Ridgeview Institute, a $30 million a year psychiatric and substance abuse hospital in metro Atlanta. In this role, he directed a high volume psychiatric and substance abuse emergency room that triaged over 700 emergent patients a month. Prior to his tenure at the Ridgeview Institute, Adam held several senior-level positions for The Devereux Foundation, managing the daily operations of the 125-bed residential component of the network, supervising five programs, including 120 staff and a yearly operating budget of $5 million.

Adam holds a Master’s of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Florida State University. In 2013, Pomeranz graduated from Emory University’s Executive MBA program. Though he no longer practices, Adam is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Georgia. Adam and his wife, Veronica, live in Peachtree Corners with their two children, Lily and Evan.

Amy Lutz is an autism advocate and historian of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of three books: Chasing the Intact Mind: How the Severely Autistic and Intellectually Disabled Were Excluded from the Debates that Affect Them Most (2023); We Walk: Life with Severe Autism (2020); and Each Day I Like It Better: Autism, ECT, and the Treatment of Our Most Impaired Children (2014). Her work has appeared on many platforms, including The Atlantic, Spectrum, Slate, and Psychology Today. She is the Vice-President of the National Council on Severe Autism (NCSA). She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and whichever of her five kids happens to be home at the time. Her oldest son, Jonah, now 24, is severely autistic.

Robert M. (Bob) Brown is the President and CEO of Opportunity Village, Nevada's largest organization providing employment and other services for people with intellectual and related disabilities. Bob also operates Betty’s Village, Nevada’s largest housing community for people with disabilities. He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.

Bob is the former Publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and has recently served as the Board Chairman for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce. He served on the National Council on Disability and was appointed to the post by Congress. He is the President of Together for Choice, a national nonprofit working to preserve employment and residential choices for people with disabilities. He is also on the Emeritus Board of Directors of the Vegas Chamber and formerly served on the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada and The Public Education Foundation. Governor Sandoval appointed him to serve on the State of Nevada 150th anniversary committee. Bob is also proud to serve on the National Council of SourceAmerica Employers (NCSE) Executive Committee as its Vice President.

Chris was first introduced to Misericordia through a college sponsored Summer Service Learning Program with the University of Notre Dame. This involved an 8 week immersion into residential life, living and working with the residents on Misericordia’s campus in Chicago. After graduating with a degree in English and Business, she returned to Misericordia as a Recreation Aide working with non-ambulatory children and adults. Now, 32 years later, after receiving her Masters in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame in 2020, and working in every aspect of residential care – and 1 year leading Day Programs - she is the Vice President of Residential Services. In this role, she is supporting over 600 residents on a 34 acre campus and in the surrounding community and over 1200 staff.

Chris has networked with local IDD organizations to improve services for the IDD community by collaborating on best practices for our residents and quality training initiatives for our employees. Chris is a member of Together for Choice, has been on committees with IARF and Intersect for Ability, and holds her Nursing Home Administrators license in Illinois. Misericordia recently celebrated 100 years of exceptional care and Chris is focusing on supporting Misericordia’s high standards of care today, while strategizing on growth to meet future residential needs.

Jill Escher is President of the National Council on Severe Autism (NCSA), Past President of Autism Society San Francisco Bay Area (SFASA), host of the Autism Confidential podcast, co-chair of the Adult Autism Conference at Stanford University, a provider of affordable housing for more than a dozen adults with developmental disabilities, a prominent research philanthropist (Escher Fund for Autism), and, as Events Chair for SFASA, an organizer of more than 50 events per year for the Bay Area autism community. A graduate of Stanford University and UC Berkeley School of Law, she lives with her husband and two children with nonverbal autism in San Jose, California.

Jim Whittaker is retired President and CEO of The Arc Jacksonville and The Arc of Putnam County. He had held the position in Jacksonville and Putnam County since 1999 and 1975, respectively.  Both organizations provide services, supports and advocacy to hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental differences throughout the two NE Florida communities.  He has provided consulting services nationally for the development of quality, inclusive housing options and actively promotes community-based employment opportunities.  

Jim is a graduate of the University of Florida and is actively involved in local, state and national organizations that focus on disability issues. Jim’s most recent innovation in the field is the development of The Arc Jacksonville Village, an affordable rental housing community in suburban Jacksonville that opened in May 2016. This apartment-style neighborhood is comprised of 97 one and two bedroom units and is home for 121 individual and has become a national residential prototype of independent living for adults with cognitive differences.  Jim promotes individual and family choice while providing an array of options for services and supports in quality community settings which value each individual with dignity and respect.

Karen Murphy has been Executive Director of Camphill Foundation since 2018. Karen has a long history of working with and leading nonprofits that engage and serve vulnerable and disenfranchised persons. Her roles include a unique mix of direct service, development and fundraising, care management, and executive leadership.

Prior to joining Camphill, Karen served as Director of Operations for the Fellowship of Reconciliation in Nyack, New York, one of the world’s oldest peacebuilding organizations committed to strategic nonviolence since 1914. She was also an Assistant Vice President of CCS Fundraising, a global leader in campaign and development strategy, where she served clients such as Doctors Without Borders (NY) and the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo (NY). Karen has also held positions at the Girl Scouts of Greater New York and the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation (NY).

Karen’s direct service work includes two years as a day assistant the Western Montana Mental Health Center, one year of which was served as a volunteer with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps: Northwest, supporting adults with chronic mental illness. She also worked as a Regional Director for Putnam ARC (NY), directing four group homes for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

A native New Yorker now transplanted to the Philadelphia suburbs, Karen has a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology and philosophy from the University of Scranton (PA) and a Master of Arts degree in theological research from Andover Newton Theological School (MA).

Kerst is originally from the Netherlands where he studied mechanical engineering.

In 1990 he joined Camphill in the UK. In 1998 he and his family joined Camphill Village in Copake, NY, where he still lives and works. He has been involved in many tasks, including living with people with special needs and working in the wood shop. from 2011 to 2019 he was the executive director of Camphill Village Copake.

Presently he is the President of the Camphill Association of North America.

Mary has served A New Leaf's Chief Executive Officer since 2011. During her tenure, she has taken A New Leaf from an $800,000 organization to a $12.4M organization, from 20 employees to over 280 employees and from $1,000,000 in net assets to over $22,000,000. Before coming to A New Leaf Mary worked for the American Red Cross, serving for 15 years across the country.

Mary is originally from Ohio and has a master’s degree in comparative politics, is a member of Leadership Oklahoma Class XXI and has lived and studied in Tel Aviv, Israel. She currently lives in Claremore with her dogs and horses, and her hobbies include running, reading and, of course, gardening!

Melissa Harris has been with CMS since the summer of 1995, and is currently the Deputy Director for the Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group (DEHPG). Prior to this role, Melissa was a Senior Policy Advisor in DEHPG, developing and implementing a myriad of policies advancing home and community-based services as an alternative to institutional placement.

Before joining the Office of the Group Director, she was the Director of the Division of Benefits and Coverage from 2012 to 2015, in which she was responsible for overseeing implementation of most Medicaid benefits, including benefits provided to individuals in the Medicaid expansion population, and the establishment of national benefit policy.

Michael Diaz is the Asst. Vice President of Community Day Services and Employment Services at Misericordia Homes, located in Chicago, Illinois. Michael has been at Misericordia for 30 years, and has worked residentially as a DSP, QIDP, Supervisor, and Director, and has worked in Day Services for the past 15 years. Michael is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, and possesses a Master’s Degree in Psychology, with an emphasis on Human Development. Misericordia provides Community Day Services for more than 125 participants, including both facility-based and community-based services, and supports competitive integrated employment and campus employment.

Michael has served on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities since 2019. Michael has been an active participant in Illinois state committees and workgroups that focus on community day services, employment services, and settings rules, and has presented at state and national association conferences on community-based day services, employment, and specialized wages. Michael advocates for the honoring of all choice, to include both residential and employment choices.

Chief Executive Officer since 2008, and past Noah Homes Board President, Molly oversees all aspects of the financial and operational well being of Noah Homes, a nonprofit in San Diego that provides housing and services to adults with developmental disabilities. She is also leading efforts to collaborate with community partners nationwide in advancing care and gaining funds for people with developmental disabilities. This includes serving as a member of the California Health and Human Services Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee, work with the Lanterman Coalition, ANCOR, the LEAD Coalition, an NIH grant and more. Molly maintains a climate that attracts, keeps and motivates a diverse staff dedicated to maximizing each individual's independence in a community environment that fosters dignity and respect, as well as personal and spiritual growth.

In 1996, Molly was introduced to Noah Homes in a quest for care for her brother Herb, affectionately known as the “Sheriff.” He called Noah Homes his home for 14 years before he passed away of Alzheimer’s. Prior to joining Noah Homes, Molly successfully served as a small business consultant for 28 years in the private and nonprofit business sectors. Molly has a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University in Telecommunications and Film Management, and a minor in Business Administration Accounting.

Parke Pepper serves as the Executive Director of The Baddour Center, an intentional community for adults with intellectual disabilities and autism, located in Senatobia, Mississippi. He’s worked in this field for 30 years, mostly in Mississippi and Tennessee, and been with Baddour for almost 19 years. Parke actively serves his church, is a Rotarian, and served on various civic and professional boards. He’s a Mississippi native, a Millsaps College graduate, an avid golfer and runner, crossword puzzler, and rabid KC Chiefs fan. He and his wife, Betsy, have three grown children.

Richard S. Edley, PhD, is the lead executive for the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA) in Pennsylvania, one of the largest state trade associations in the country representing providers of mental health, substance use disorder, intellectual and developmental disabilities, children’s, brain injury, medical and pediatric rehabilitation, criminal and juvenile justice, and physical disabilities and aging services, across all settings and levels of care. The association includes over 370 members and organizations.

His professional career began in 1988, and prior to leading the association, he was President and CEO of PerformCare/Community Behavioral HealthCare Network of Pennsylvania (CBHNP), a national, full-service, behavioral health managed care organization. Most recently, Dr. Edley was named to the Board of Directors of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, a Washington, DC-based organization representing behavioral health providers and associations throughout the country. He also is a member of the PA Medical Assistance Advisory Committee (MAAC) and numerous other state task forces. In 2022, Dr. Edley was asked to serve as a member of the Human Services Transition Team for PA Governor-elect Josh Shapiro.

Dr. Edley’s baccalaureate degree is from Boston University and he holds master’s and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology from Emory University. He was an intern and post-doctoral fellow at McLean Hospital, where he held a faculty appointment at Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Edley is a national presenter and is published in a broad variety of health care areas.

Sarah Quinn serves as the Director of Program Services for Opportunity Village, one of Nevada’s largest disability service providers. In her role, she oversees Day Habilitation and Prevocational programs, Community-Based programs, Fine & Performing Arts, Case Management, Assessments, VIA Youth Arts Program, and Pre-Employment Training Services. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and has over 20 years of experience serving people with disabilities in the areas of art and recreation, behavioral services and program management in the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Nevada. She has passion for advocacy and service, and when not in the office you can most likely find her outdoors enjoying the beauty of the west with her husband and daughter.

Scott’s experience in serving the adult population of adults with varying abilities is extensive. His professional career as a psychiatric counselor at River Oaks Psychiatric Hospital in New Orleans led to his move to become the CEO of CPC Coliseum Medical Center, Assistant Managing Director of River Oaks Hospital. He later moved to Austin to assume the CEO position at Meridell Achievement Center. Prior to joining Marbridge, Scott was Program Manager for Empowerment Options, a home and community services company providing residential alternatives to people with intellectual disabilities.

In 2004 Scott joined Marbridge, a 200-acre residential training and education community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities near Austin, TX as the Director of Mabee Village. He was later promoted to Vice President of Operations, Executive VP, and, in 2023, was appointed President/CEO. In 2012, Scott was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities. He was reappointed by Governor Greg Abbott in 2016 and again in 2019. Scott has also served on the board of the national advocacy group Together for Choice and Texas Coalition for Culture Change as well as membership in the Coalition for Community Choice and the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Scott M. Mendel is a parent of a daughter with a developmental disability who lives at Misericordia. He is a retired partner of the international law firm K&L Gates. At K&L Gates, Scott concentrated his practice in complex antitrust litigation, including class actions, the antitrust aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures, and counseling clients on antitrust compliance with respect to pricing, distribution and other matters. He also counseled the firm’s healthcare clients on antitrust matters. During his 40 years of practice, Scott has been involved in a number of pro bono matters involving individuals with disabilities, indigent clients and incarcerated individuals.

Tracy Brown-May serves Opportunity Village, and people with disabilities, as the organization’s Chief Administrative Officer. In her role, she oversees Advocacy, Human Resources, Marketing, Volunteer Engagement, and Family Outreach. She has an Associate’s Degree from the College of Southern Nevada and a Bachelor’s from Northeastern University. Tracy has spent the last 20 years engaged in disability support services and systems advocacy. Public policy is her passion and she has often shared her love of the government with the people she serves. A founding member of the A Team Nevada, Tracy believes grassroots initiatives, that engage people, are at the heart of good policy. A proud member of the Nevada Assembly, Tracy represents the residents of Assembly District 42 and was appointed to the seat in February 2021. Her legislative focus has been to bring the issues important to our community forward.

Tracy is a weekly volunteer at The Crossing Church. She has three adult children, all of who were born and raised in Nevada. She and her husband Jeff can often be found cycling around the city. A passionate advocate, Tracy is a champion of the people.

Vivian Streit Shudde is merely a mom on a mission to “Change the way the world thinks about adults with disabilities”. Her passion for people with disabilities was originally driven by her sister, Vicki, who became severely brain damaged from encephalitis and then by her son, Wilson, who was born with special needs. Her life’s journey has led her to an unwavering pursuit to “speak for those who have no voice”. Vivian desires to help all who are willing, experience the fullness of humanity, beautifully unveiled, in the authentic and transparent lives of people with disabilities. Her faith and steadfast belief that God does not make mistakes, is the foundation for her life and gives her the ability to celebrate neuro-diversity!

Vivian has a degree in special education and psychology from the University of Texas, but this is not where she was truly educated. She attributes much of what she knows to her mother, Yvonne Tuttle Streit, who founded Briarwood School, Tuttle School, and Brookwood Community, and pioneered educational techniques “to cure Vicki”. Thousands of people with disabilities are now living lives filled with meaning and purpose, because of these educational techniques.

Vivian is currently the CEO of The Brookwood Community and of Brookwood’s Center for Learning.

Woody Woodroof founded Red Wiggler Community Farm in 1996 to create meaningful jobs for adults with developmental disabilities growing and selling healthy food. The CSA is the second longest running CSA in Maryland with 50% of the harvest being distributed to Food Banks. Today, Woody works to ensure Red Wiggler’s impact by supporting staff in mission-driven programming, securing funding and working with Red Wiggler’s board of directors on long-term sustainability of the organization.