MassFamilies Board of Directors

Please check the MassFamilies Calendar for scheduled board meetings.

Officers

Rania Kelly,
Co-Chair

MassFamilies has challenged me to imagine better, taught me how to advocate for my family, how to access resources to support my family, and pushed me to dream big for my little guy. I am passionate about disability and chronic illness rights, as well as architectural/design accessibility (physical, intellectual, sensory).

I am new to the word of nonprofits but believe that my 20-years of professional experience in the private sector (specifically architecture, engineering, and marketing) brings valuable skills to the board and organization.

Currently I serve on the Commission of Disability in my town, completed The Commonwealth Seminar’s six-week program on legislative and state budget process for community leaders, and am enrolled in INP’s certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership at Tufts University.

I am inspired by the board’s talent, passion, and commitment, each bringing unique talent and skills. My colleagues have shown unwavering commitment to the families we serve, and the ability to rise to the challenge. It is an honor and pleasure to work beside them to help our families imagine better.

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Brian Sullivan,
Co-Chair

Coming soon

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Keila Torres,
Clerk

Photo: Keila Torres, MassFamilies Outreach Coordinator

My name is Keila Torres. I currently reside in Western Massachusetts. I’ve been a Special Education Advocate for over twelve years, focused on Autism, I/DD, and other areas. I studied Deaf Studies at Holyoke Community College and later expanded my studies to Associate of Arts with a concentration in Early Childhood Education. I recently joined MassFamilies as an Outreach Coordinator for Spanish-speaking families. I want to help families to find their voice in their community and advocate for changes that make them inclusive in services and support for their loved ones with disabilities. I am fortunate to have the support of my husband, my two sons, and my daughter, who have multiple (dis)-abilities. In my free time, I like to spend time with my family, listen to music, read and watch superheroes movies with them.

Mi nombre es Keila Torres. Actualmente resido en el oeste de Massachusetts. He sido defensora de la educación especial durante más de doce años, enfocado en el autismo, I / DD y otras áreas. Estudié Cultura y lenguaje de Sordos en Holyoke Community College y luego amplié mis estudios a Asociado en Artes con una concentración en Educación Infantil. Recientemente me uní a MassFamilies como coordinadora de alcance para familias de habla hispana. Quiero ayudar a las familias a encontrar su voz en su comunidad y abogar por cambios que las hagan inclusivas en los servicios y el apoyo para sus seres queridos con discapacidades. Tengo la fortuna de contar con el apoyo de mi esposo, mis dos hijos y mi hija, quienes tienen múltiples (dis)capacidades. En mi tiempo libre, me gusta pasar tiempo con mi familia, escuchar música, leer y ver películas de superhéroes con ellos.

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Lauri Medeiros,
Treasurer

I began my journey as an education, family and systems change advocate for children with disabilities and their families after attending the Family Leadership Series in 1998. My real life journey continues to this day advocating for children with disabilities and their families to embrace, navigate, improve and integrate all systems including the educational, health care delivery and agency provider systems so that we can all work collaboratively toward a common goal. Equally important, I believe that the family’s voice should be heard and that the family’s expertise be valued and fully integrated in decision making at all levels including the level of care as well as in local, state and federal policy decisions. I believe that every child and their family should be able to live, play and easily access community, health care, family supports, a meaningful education and independent life options.

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Board Members

Ann Berube

My parenting journey began 31 years ago. I was a work-at-home wife, and mother of three very unique children. In 2004 I participated in Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change (MFOFC) Family Leadership Series (FLS) and my family was forever changed – we began to imagine a better life. The FLS connected me with families who were supporting children that had various diagnoses, and a network of individuals & organizations that could help each other. I wanted to give back, so for several years, I volunteered to learn from and help mentor other FLS families. With others, I chaired our school district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council while my children were in school. My current position as Prevention Specialist at Y.O.U. Inc.’s Family Support Center in Gardner, allows me to offer bi-weekly support groups, and help families find tools and resources to navigate systems and advocate for their family’s needs. I volunteer on the Board of Directors for MFOFC, the North County Site Advisory Board for the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) North Central Citizen’s Advisory Board, and Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress Advocates in Motion Advisory Council. I do all this while supporting my daughter’s DDS Agency with Choice Adult Service Program and her local, regional & statewide self-advocacy efforts. I hope to continue to learn from my children, and the ever growing community of support and inspiration we receive from those we have met along our journey.

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Sue Crosby
West

I am a mother of two 18 year-old sons with autism, a former paraprofessional and parent advisory council member, and an active Parent/Caregiver Group member at the United ARC in Franklin County. I have also organized and attended numerous legislative events to discuss the needs of those impacted by developmental disabilities.

As a licensed social worker, I enjoy helping caregivers recognize their unique strengths, and discover ways to use them to help advocate for their families. I am always inspired by the spirit, resilience, and determination of parents and caregivers. I look forward to every opportunity to support and learn from them.

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Nicole Desnoyers
West

Photo: Nicole Desnoyers, MFOFC Board Member

Mom to 3 very special kids; Nakayla (13), Ja-Seir(10), and Miyah(5). I live in Springfield and have a passion for children's mental health awareness. I am devoted to seeing a community that focuses on the whole health...mind, body, and spirit.

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Jess Mendes,
Metro-Boston

I’m a multilingual, first-generation American and sister of a young man with IDD. My brother is the most resilient person I know and I’m grateful for the invaluable lessons he’s taught me. As a freelance strategist and producer, I enjoy bridging the gap between critical thinking and emotional intelligence. Outside of MFOFC, I am creative. I have had the opportunity to collaborate with multidisciplinary artists, fashion brands, lifestyle magazines and tech companies. My creativity has allowed me to freely explore and interpret the world through different mediums. This independence is a privilege I want my brother to have.

The work of changing the world has a million frontlines and my experiences have empowered me to join MFOFC. I believe fighting for equality is lifelong work, and the most radical way to approach it is to cultivate collective agency.

“Freedom is what we do with what is done to us.” ― Jean-Paul Sartre

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Jaya Pandey

Jaya Pandey is a 2017 graduate of the Family Leadership Series. She lives in Franklin, MA with her husband (Ashish) and two sons (Ajey) and (Anand). Anand is on Autism Spectrum.
She has a master’s in Chemistry and has worked as a high school teacher in India. Jaya lived in Singapore before moving to the United States.
She works as a Business Analyst in a finance firm. She has multiple interests and is passionate about writing, cooking, music, traveling and connecting people to one another . She writes about various issues on her two blogs and for various organizations . In 2015 she became a part of the 100SareePact and since then she has used Sarees as a medium to talk about social causes, disability and life as an immigrant woman and a Special Needs child’s mother. She is very involved in the Indian community in MA and has been working on raising awareness about special needs and Autism.

From personal experience and her own journey she has made it a mission to help Indian moms with Special Needs Children. She truly understands how isolated, confused and overwhelmed a mother can feel when her child gets diagnosed.
She founded “Desi Moms Network” a Global Community that connects Indian Moms with Special Needs Children to encourage them to be each other’s combined strength, support and resource.

Her blogs are MomLovesAnand.Blogspot.com and
Jayapandey.blogspot.com

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Haran Phaneuf
Central

I have always had a passion for education, empowerment, and advocacy. Before becoming MassFamilies' Central Regional Coordinator, I worked in higher education for 15 years developing synergistic leadership programs for university honors students from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, I served for seven years on the National Honors Collegiate Council's Education of the Gifted Committee promoting awareness within higher education about how to identify and educate gifted students with learning differences.

As an individual with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a parent of a child with autism (ASD), I know firsthand how important it is to connect with other families in order to cultivate a caring, informative, and responsive support system. As a past participant in the Family Leadership Series, I was inspired by hearing other families’ stories and motivated by our shared journey, igniting a desire to empower and support others navigating the challenges and complexities of having a special needs family member.

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MassFamilies Board of Directors

Officers

Board Members

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