Leadership
Dr. Carl Tyler, MD, MSc
Network Director |
The DD-PBRN is led by Dr. Carl Tyler MD, MSc who completed a 3- year NIH sponsored fellowship in Practice-Based Research Design and Methodology at CWRU under mentors James Werner PhD, MSSA and Kurt Stange MD, PhD. Dr. Tyler is Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He is also Director of Research and Geriatric Education at Cleveland Clinic Family Medicine Residency. For the past three decades, Dr. Tyler's focus has been improving the health and health care of persons with developmental disabilities through clinical care, research, education, and training.
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Administration
Lin Peters, MPH
Research Coordinator |
Lin Peters provides administrative and research support as Research Coordinator for the DD-PBRN. She has worked in disability-related fields since graduating from college, first as a transition services provider with UCP of Greater Cleveland and later performing data analysis for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities as a graduate student intern. A self-advocate who has a disability, Lin holds a Master of Public Health from The Ohio State University.
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Members
Leslie Bagdasarian, Co-Founder, Solon Community Living
Gay Baker, MSSA, LISW-S
Helpdesk Specialist Milestones Autism Resources |
Gay Baker, LISW-S, MSSA, M.Ed. retired from Metrohealth Medical Center, having worked as a supervisor of medical social workers in the Ambulatory clinics throughout the Cleveland Metropolitan area. Prior to becoming a supervisor, Gay was the primary social worker in the Pediatric Clinic and OB/GYN clinic at the main campus of Metrohealth Medical Center. Gay also brings past experience working with the families of children, ages 0-5, who are at risk of, or experiencing delayed development. Gay has extensive experience working with community resources and attending community based meetings on behalf of our most vulnerable populations. Gay has a Masters of Education from Erikson Institute in Chicago and a Masters of Applied Social Science from Case Western Reserve University.
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Lisanne Bright, RN, PhDc
Director of Healthcare Services Koinonia Homes |
Lisanne Bright is Director of Healthcare Services for Koinonia Homes, Inc. An RN of 37 years, she holds a master's degree in medical sociology and is currently a candidate for her PhD in nursing. She has been a nurse in the IDD field since 2008. She also holds leadership positions including co-chair for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities nursing continuing education committee and secretary of Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association (DDNA) Research Council, and is a member of the Alliance for Disability in Health Care Education (ADHCE). Recently, she presented “Public and Healthcare Provider Attitudes Toward Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: An Integrative Review" at the annual Midwest Nursing Research Society conference.
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Amy Clawson
Family Support Coordinator Ohio Family2Family |
Amy Clawson, BA, is the Northern Ohio Family Support Specialist for Ohio Family to Family Health Information Centers. (OHF2F) Amy assists families in navigating Ohio’s disability, community and health systems for their children and adults who have special needs. Amy has functioned in various family support roles for over 20 years. As a parent of an adult with a disability, she draws on her personal experiences navigating the health and service systems and participating in the community. Amy leads activities and trainings on topics of importance to individuals with disabilities and their families, with special interests in transitioning to adulthood (specifically leading Transition Booster sessions for over 6 years). Amy serves on local and statewide committees including the Cuyahoga County Committee on Disabilities. She also participates in the Ohio Department of Health’s Maternal Child Health Block Grant Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Workgroup.
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Laura Cifra-Bean, MD
Medical Director Down Syndrome Assn. of NE Ohio |
Laura Cifra-Bean MD, FAAP is a general pediatrician with over 25 years of experience in helping families. She has a special interest in people with developmental disabilities, especially Down syndrome. She earned her undergraduate and medical degree from Case Western Reserve University and did her pediatric training at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. She has presented workshops on Down syndrome at national and regional conferences. She is a past board member of the National Down Syndrome Congress and current member of the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group-USA. She has three children including an adult son with Down syndrome.
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Julie Corder, CNP, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Cleveland Clinic
Brian Corrigan
Care Coordinator US Comm. for Refugees & Immigrants |
Brian Corrigan is a Care Coordinator at the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. Prior, he worked as a Case Management Associate at United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland. Having a disability gives Brian the opportunity to provide clients and families with a unique perspective to motivate and inspire them to work towards realistic and attainable goals. This may include navigating various systems to access available resources that help level the playing field to achieve success. Brian remains an active contributor and advocate within the Disability community. He is the Vice President of the Gould Syndrome Foundation, a Vice Chair on the Maximum Accessible Housing of Ohio board and a participant/ contributor on the Youth Leadership Forum steering committee (in association with SIL). Brian has been an active member of the DDPBRN since January of 2018. He is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace College with Honors (Class of 2014).
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Carrie Cuomo, DNP CPNP, Nurse Practitioner, Cleveland Clinic
Thao-Vi Dao, MD, Staff Physician, Cleveland Clinic
Tina Dobbins, Parent and Advocate
Tony D'Orazio, Founder, Jacob's Ladder Fitness
Thao-Vi Dao, MD, Staff Physician, Cleveland Clinic
Tina Dobbins, Parent and Advocate
Tony D'Orazio, Founder, Jacob's Ladder Fitness
Helena Farkas, MSSA, LISW-S
Helpdesk Specialist Milestones Autism Resources |
Helena came to Milestones in 2014 after a lengthy career at Metro Health Medical Center. There, she worked extensively with the special needs population helping families navigate the medical and community systems. Now as a retired social worker with Milestones, Helena coaches families, individuals and professionals to access the multiple resources that promote education, health and independence and has a particular expertise in linking families of low income to available resources. Helena earned an MSSA from Case Western Reserve University.
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Rachael Ferrari, MD
Staff Psychiatrist Cleveland Clinic |
Rachael Ferrari, MD is an outpatient adult psychiatrist at the Cleveland Clinic. She developed a special interest in caring for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities during her psychiatry residency at Wright State University. During her residency she worked at Access Clinic, a clinic with a mission for improving care for patients with intellectual disabilities and co-morbid psychiatric illnesses through the use of telepsychiatry services. She has a passion for clinical care, resident teaching, collaboration, lifelong learning, and applying new knowledge to patient care including development of novel patient-centered approaches.
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Benitha Garrett, MSN RN, CEO & Director of Nursing Services, Benevolent Care Centers
Brittany George, RN, Director of Nursing, UCP of Greater Cleveland
Brittany George, RN, Director of Nursing, UCP of Greater Cleveland
Emily Johnson, MD
Family Physician Tepeyac Community Health Center |
Dr. Johnson (she/her) is a family physician who specializes in the care of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). She earned her medical degree from the University of Colorado and completed residency at Tacoma Family Medicine in Tacoma, WA. She currently works at Tepeyac Community Health Center in Denver CO. She previously worked in Colorado Springs, CO and Cincinnati, OH providing primary care for children and adults with IDD. She serves on the board of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry and is a fellow of the American Board of Developmental Medicine. She is originally from Colorado, has a brother and son with Down syndrome, and is well connected in the Colorado disability community. Dr. Johnson is committed to supporting patients in achieving their health and independence goals through patient-centered care. Outside of work, Dr. Johnson enjoys spending time outside with her family hiking or cycling and reading.
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Melissa Khorana, RN MS CNP, Director, The Arc of Greater Cleveland
Emily Kullman, PhD
Associate Professor Cleveland State University |
Emily Kullman, PhD is faculty in CSU's Department of Health Sciences and Human Performance where she teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses in Exercise Science. She has been involved in research spanning several disciplines within the realm of exercise physiology, including spaceflight, muscle physiology, sports performance, exercise and cancer, obesity, nutrition and metabolism. Her future research interests include: 1. The role of exercise on cancer prevention, treatment, and recovery; 2. Exercise immunology; 3. Alternative treatments for obesity; 4. Sports performance.
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Siran Koroukian, PhD
Professor CWRU School of Medicine |
Siran M. Koroukian, PhD is Professor of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at CWRU School of Medicine. Dr. Koroukian’s research is informed by her early career in nursing and health policy focused on Ohio’s Medicaid program and the population that it serves. Much of her academic work bridges between public health and big data/informatics to uncover disparities in access and outcomes, with a focus on chronic illnesses, including cancer and epilepsy, especially among older adults. Her studies on cancer and aging highlight the importance of developing methods to identify adults with multimorbidity (MM), and underscore the importance of defining MM as not only co-occurrence of chronic conditions, but also of functional limitations and geriatric syndromes. Central to her work are data originating from large databases, such as Medicare and Medicaid, tumor registries, clinical assessments, vital records, and more recently, electronic health records.
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Stephanie Larson, PhD
DO Candidate OU Heritage Col. of Osteo. Medicine |
Stephanie Larson, PhD completed her fellowship training in clinical ethics at the Cleveland Clinic. She has participated in over 450 consultations and gained sub-specializations in genetic ethics and disability bioethics. Her research interests include disability cultural competence in medical practice and clinical ethics consultation, advance care planning, public health, preventative medicine and ethics, rural health, and narrative ethics. She holds a PhD in English with a certificate in bioethics from Emory University where she researched the role of narratives in literature and public health using the case study of parasite eradication campaigns in the US and Global South. She also holds a BS in Psychology and BA in literature from Purdue University.
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Tamara Lentini, MSN RN
Health Services Manager Cuyahoga Co. Board of DD |
Tamara Lentini is the Health Services Manager at the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities. She has been in the field of nursing for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for over 25 years, providing care and consultation for individuals throughout their lifespan. She began working at the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities in 2005, taking on the role of Health Services Manager in 2021 after serving as the nurse educator for nine years. Tamara is also the guardian to two adults with disabilities. Tamara holds a license as a Registered Nurse and has her Master of Science in Nursing with an Education focus.
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Beth Lucas, MNA
President & CEO UCP of Greater Cleveland |
Beth Lucas became the President & CEO of UCP of Greater Cleveland in 2022 after serving as UCP’s Chief Operations Officer for seven years and their Director of Development for five years prior to that. She has spent her entire career in the nonprofit sector, first specializing in fundraising and marketing. Beth’s passion for program development and sustainability drove her to pursue the operational and administrative sides of the agency and, under her direction, UCP of Greater Cleveland and those they serve have benefited. Beth has a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Administration from John Carroll University and a Bachelor of Arts from Baldwin Wallace University. She is a graduate of the National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities Leadership Academy and engages in advocacy, outreach and fundraising efforts for UCP as well as various mental health-related groups.
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Lizz Mazwell
Executive Director GiGi's Playhouse |
Lizz Maxwell serves as the Executive Director of GiGi’s Playhouse Cleveland, where she leads the organization’s mission to change the way the world views individuals with Down syndrome by driving inclusion, empowerment, and lasting community impact. Since joining GiGi’s in 2016, Lizz has guided the Playhouse through significant growth and community impact, strengthening partnerships and expanding access to lifelong supports for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. A graduate of Notre Dame College with more than twenty years of experience in alternative education and leadership, Lizz is a passionate advocate for awareness and acceptance, championing inclusive communities across Northeast Ohio through speaking engagements and professional development.
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Gail McPeake, RN, BSN
Nurse Healthcare Educator |
Gail has provided nursing services to adults and children in multiple settings for over 30 years. She is passionate about improving the standards of healthcare and methods of delivery. Gail initiated nursing telehealth and electronic medication records at Koinonia Home. She enjoys teaching staff and presenting on various topics, from diabetes to autism.
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Emily Monteleone, MBA, Board Member, GiGi's Playhouse Cleveland
Meg Nachtwey, MNO
Chief Executive Officer Welcome House, Inc |
Meg Nachtwey is the Chief Executive Officer at Welcome House, Inc. After previously serving on the Welcome House Board of Trustees in the late 1990s, Meg officially joined Welcome House in 2012 as the director of development and later Chief Operating Officer until being named CEO in 2025. She provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for a team of 350 staff members and manages the day-to-day operations of 40 residential homes throughout the region, ensuring high-quality care, regulatory compliance and a strong organizational culture. Prior to joining Welcome House, Meg served as the fund development director at several area nonprofits. Most recently, Meg was elected to serve on the ANCOR Board of Representatives and is also a board member of the Ohio Association of Direct Support Professionals. Meg earned her Masters in Nonprofit Organizations from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Arts from Hillsdale College.
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Mary Nix
Family Advocate |
Mary Nix is a lifelong advocate for her sister, who has an IDD, and was inspired to activism at a young age through her mother's tireless efforts as a parent advocate for community inclusion. Mary follows current IDD legislative issues in the Ohio Statehouse, providing written and oral testimony in support of initiatives to improve the service provision system. She and her mother have previously worked on grant-funded projects to create educational videos on delivering healthcare to patients with developmental disabilities. In addition to the DD-PBRN, Mary serves on the Welcome House Family Advisory Council. Her professional background includes web development, social media and content management for clients across North America.
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Deborah Picker, M.Ed.
Healthy Aging Support Coordinator Down Syndrome Assn. of NE Ohio |
Deborah Picker is the Healthy Aging Coordinator for the Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Ohio. After a career as an Intervention Specialist in the public schools, Deborah retired and changed paths in order to focus on an area of personal and professional interest, Healthy Aging in adults with Down syndrome. With experience as a parent of two adults with Ds, she facilitates discussions and seminars about how to live a balanced lifestyle in order to minimize the impact of aging in people with Ds. Her vision is to educate their family members about options and supports needed to help their loved ones continue to live and learn in good health.
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Barb Sapharas, MA
Ambassador Coach Charting the LifeCourse |
Barb Sapharas has worked in the field of IDD for over 45 years. She is a Charting the LifeCourse Ambassador and Ambassador Coach. She is also a Person Centered Thinking (PCT) Mentor Trainer. Her passion for supporting and empowering people with lived experience and families is driven by her role as a sibling. She was a licensed Speech Language Pathologist for over 40 years, supporting people to communicate as well as teaching those around them to recognize and respect what was communicated. She is a founding member and former Board Chair of the non-profits Ohio SIBS as well as the National Sibling Leadership Network. She has seen how Charting the LifeCourse empowers people and families to identify their good life and gives them “paper power” and “paper courage” to share their vision with others and direct their lives. She is dedicated to supporting and empowering people and families to have control over the lives they value.
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Laura Sorg, MD
Medical Director Ohio Dept. of Developmental Disabilities |
Dr. Laura Sorg is the Medical Director for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. Throughout her career as a family physician, Dr. Laura has focused on care throughout the life span, rural medicine, and caring for those with intellectual disabilities. Her goal is to expand awareness of preventative care to the almost 100,000 Ohioans DODD serves with developmental disabilities, as well as education to the health care professionals serving them. Raised on a farm in Southwest Ohio, her passion for caring for others started as a classroom assistant in fourth grade to children with disabilities. Dr. Laura’s devotion to the field was cemented when her youngest son was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. Laura is inspired daily by her husband Jonathan and their two sons. In her free time, she enjoys running, gardening and watching her sons compete at various events.
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Tony Thomas, LISW-S ACSW
Executive Director Welcome House, Inc. |
Tony Thomas, LISW-S, ACSW has extensive experience in the developmental disabilities field. He served as Executive Director of Welcome House Inc from 1999 to 2025; Welcome House, Inc. is a residential and community services agency serving 210 persons with IDD in 46 group residential and community living sites with a staff of over 400. Tony has been actively involved in the development of the first ever statewide credentialing and certification program in Ohio for DSP’s working with persons with IDD. He has worked with others around the country to establish a national credential for DSP’s under the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP). Tony was awarded the John F. Kennedy Jr. national award in September of 2019. This award is presented to a person who has committed significant time and effort for workforce development for the IDD field. Tony received his Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the Ohio State University in 1977 and received his Master’s degree in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University and its Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences (MSASS) in 1984. He is also a Licensed Independent Social Worker in Ohio with specific supervision designation (LISW-S).
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Beth Thompson, MSSA, LSW
Program Director Milestones Autism Resources |
Beth has over a decade of experience working directly with autistic young adults, guiding families and individuals toward greater independence. Prior to joining Milestones in 2011, Beth served as a Youth Transition Specialist with LEAP (Linking Employment, Abilities & Potential). Beth earned her MSSA with a concentration in Community Development and Social Change from Case Western Reserve University. She has represented Milestones on the Employment First Transition Council for the State of Ohio where she assisted with policy development and implementation and also serves as a field advisor for Case Western Reserve University Graduate School of Social Work and previously sat on the internal curriculum committee. She has also presented on topics related to autistic teens and adults throughout the state of Ohio and national conferences. Beth is dedicated to mentoring self-advocates to become teachers for others and expanding community engagement for autistic individuals.
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Ginnie Whisman, LSW, MS
Health Improvement Policy Specialist Ohio Dept. of Developmental Disabilities |
Ginnie Whisman retired as a Health Improvement Policy Specialist at The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD). Ginnie has spent her entire career collaborating with people with developmental disabilities with a primary focus on deinstitutionalization. She began her career at Orient State Institute providing direct support to individuals and training to staff. She worked at Goodwill Columbus as the director of Community Services providing residential and employment services to people for over 20 years. She developed Goodwill’s supported living program where they supported over 100 people living and working in their community. She rejoined the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities in 2007, as Assistant Deputy Director and became the Deputy Director in 2009 where she and her team moved over 1000 people out of state operated developmental centers into smaller community-based homes. In 2021 she started her current position to focus on health improvement and other special projects for DODD. She has an Associates Degree in Mental Health and developmental disabilities from Columbus State, a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from The Ohio State University and a Masters degree in Human Service Management from Franklin University. She is a licensed social worker with over 42 years of experience in the disability system.
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