Find Your Act Early Ambassador
Act Early Ambassadors expand the reach of the “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program and support their respective state’s work toward improving early identification of developmental delays and disabilities, including autism.
Since 2011, professionals with medical, child development, developmental disability, special education, and early intervention expertise have been selected to
- Serve as a state or territorial point-of-contact for the national “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program;
- Support the work of Act Early Teams and other state/territorial or national initiatives to improve early identification of developmental delay and disability; and
- Promote the adoption and integration of “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” resources into systems that serve young children and their families.
See how Ambassadors and others across the nation are promoting early identification of delays and disabilities using LTSAE.
CDC’s Act Early Ambassadors: Champions of Developmental Monitoring
View the contact information below to connect with your state or territory’s Ambassador!
Ambassador Bios [1.65 MB, 30 Pages, Print Only]
Alabama
Tish MacInnis
Alabama Strengthening Families Coordinator
Alabama Partnership for Children (APC)
Email: [email protected]
Alaska
Carmen Wenger
Director of Programs
All Alaska Pediatric Partnership
Email: [email protected]
Jessica Davis (Tribal Ambassador)
Manager, Child and Family Developmental Services Organization
Southcentral Foundation
Email: [email protected]
Arizona
Megan Wills
Chief Community Programs Officer
Easterseals Blake Foundation
Email: [email protected]
Arkansas
Amanda Fender
Program Manager/Family Navigator
UAMS/James L. Dennis Developmental Center
Email: [email protected]
California
Patricia Moore
Director, Help Me Grow Santa Barbara County
Family Resource Centers Network of CA
Family voices of California
Help Me Grow
Email: [email protected]
Michele Rogers, PhD
Executive Director, Community Trainer, Certified Childbirth Educator, Lactation Specialist
California Early Learning Institute
Email: [email protected]
Season Goodpasture (Tribal Ambassador)
Executive Director
Acorns to Oak Trees
Email: [email protected]
Colorado
Eileen Auer Bennett
Executive Director
Assuring Better Child Health & Development
Email: [email protected]
Connecticut
Bethanne Vergean
Early Childhood Project Coordinator
University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Email: [email protected]
DC
Yetta Myrick
Executive Director/President
DC Autism Parents
Email: [email protected]
Delaware
Sarah Mallory
Assistant Professor and Director, Health and Wellness Unit
University of Delaware Center for Disability Studies
Email: [email protected]
Florida
Christina Smith
Early Childhood Educator/Early Interventionist
University of South Florida Preschool for Creative Learning
Email: [email protected]
Liz Randall
Statewide Director of Help Me Grow Florida
The Children’s Forum
Email: [email protected]
Federated States of Micronesia
Clare Camacho
Speech Language Pathologist and Early Childhood Interventionalist
FSM Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program
Email: [email protected]
Georgia
Bridget Ratajczak
Child and Family Development Supervisor
GA Department of Early Care and Learning
Email: [email protected]
Guam
Elaine Eclavea
Guam Early Learning Chairperson
Guam Early Learning Council
Email: [email protected]
Hawaii
Jeffrey Okamoto
Chapter President
American Academy of Pediatrics, Hawaii Chapter Inc.
https://health.hawaii.gov/cshcn/hiileihawaii/
https://health.hawaii.gov/cshcn/files/2013/12/Hiileiwebsitelist4_10_14.pdf
Email: [email protected]
Idaho
Melissa Crist
Core Director
University of Idaho Center on Disabilities and Human Development
Email: [email protected]
Illinois
Cari Roestel
Nurse Care Manager and ECHO Autism Program Coordinator
Pediatric Development Center, Advocate Children’s Hospital, Illinois Masonic Center
Email: [email protected]
Jean Davis
Special Projects Manager
Bureau of Home Visiting, Illinois Department of Human Services
Email: [email protected]
Indiana
Stephan Viehweg
Associate Director of Indiana LEND
Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
Email: [email protected]
Iowa
Michelle Holst
State Coordinator, 1st Five healthy Mental Development Initiative
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
Email: [email protected]
Kansas
Peggy Kemp
Professional Development/Trainer
University of Kansas
Email: [email protected]
Kentucky
Christine Hausman
Content Coordinator of Training
University of Kentucky
Email: [email protected]
Louisiana
Julie Emory
EPSDT Coordinator
Burea of Family Health
Email: [email protected]
Leslie Lopez
Assistant Professor
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans
Email: [email protected]
Maine
Nancy Cronin
Executive Director
Maine Developmental Disabilities Council
Email: [email protected]
Maryland
Kristen Paul
Director of Early Childhood Programs
The Parent’s Place of Maryland
Email: [email protected]
Massachusetts
Kate Barlow
Associate Professor
American International College
Email: [email protected]
Michigan
Ashley Shayter
Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst-Doctoral
Pathways Community Mental Health
Email: [email protected]
Minnesota
Jennifer Hall-Lande
Researcher/Principal investigator on MN ADDM (Autism and Developmental
University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration (ICI) and Minnesota LEND
Email: [email protected]
Mississippi
Leslie LaVergne
Assistant Director
The University of Southern Mississippi, Institute on Disability Studies
Email: [email protected]
Missouri
Alicia Brewer Curran
Associate Director, ECHO Autism Communities
University of Missouri School of Medicine
Email: [email protected]
Montana
Lora Cowee
Healthy Montana Families Home Visiting Program Specialist
Montana Department of Health and Human Services-Early Childhood and Family Support Division
Email: [email protected]
Nebraska
Kerry Miller
Assistant Professor
University of Nebraska Medical Center – Munroe Meyer Institute
Email: [email protected]
New Hampshire
Jennifer Pineo
Lead Trainer/Family Leader
NH Family Voices
Email: [email protected]
New Jersey
Deepa Srinivasavaradan
State Parent Lead & Director of Early Childhood Initiatives
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
Email: [email protected]
New Mexico
Alyx Medlock
LEND training director/speech-language pathologist
New Mexico UCEDD/LEND
Email: [email protected]
Nicole Loveless (Tribal Ambassador)
Parent Leader for Indigenous Community, New Mexico
Early Relational Health
Email: [email protected]
New York
Liz Isakson
Executive Director
New York Docs for Tots
Email: [email protected]
Romina Barros
Chief, Division of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
NYU Long Island School of Medicine
Email: [email protected]
North Carolina
Rebecca Edmonson Pretzel
Professor, Psychologist
University of North Carolina
Email: [email protected]
North Dakota
Hilory Liccini
Associate Director/ Assistant Professor
North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities, UCEDD/Minot State University
Email: [email protected]
Northern Mariana Islands
Chrislaine Manibusan
Family Support Specialist
Family 2 Family HIC
Email: [email protected]
Ohio
Steph Weber
Clinical Psychologist; LEND/UCCEDD Training
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: [email protected]
Oklahoma
Bonnie McBride
Associate Professor of pediatrics
University of OK Health Sciences Center
Email: [email protected]
Oregon
Sherri Alderman
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician
Alderman Boreal Consulting, LLC
Email: [email protected]
Pennsylvania
Illecia Voughs
Early Intervention Technical Assistance
Email: [email protected]
Puerto Rico
Nancy Nieves-Muñoz
Health Policy Consultant
Puerto Rico Department of Health
Email: [email protected]
Rhode Island
Jen Sanchez
Early Intervention Technical Assistance Specialist
Rhode Island College
Email: [email protected]
South Carolina
Tiffany Howard
Pediatric Support Network Manager, Help Me Grow SC
SC Infant Mental Health Association
Email: [email protected]
South Dakota
Lisa Sanderson
MCHB Family to family Health Information Center Project Director and Grants Coordinator
South Dakota Parent Connect Inc.
Email: [email protected]
Tennessee
Toni Whitaker
Professor of Pediatrics, Developmental Pediatrician, LEND Director
University of TN Health Science Center, Department of Pediatrics
Email: [email protected]
Texas
Laura Kender
Chief of Child and Family Services
My Health My Resources of Tarrant County (MHMR Tarrant)
Email: [email protected]
Andria Horton
Executive Director
Champions for Children
Email: [email protected]
Utah
Janel Preston
Special Educator and Autism Specialist
Institute for Disability Research, Policy, and Practice – USU
Email: [email protected]
Vermont
Janet Kilburn
Early Childhood Director
Vermont Department of Health
Email: [email protected]
Virginia
Deana Buck
Early Childhood Consultant
Early Childhood Consultant and Affiliate Faculty Member VCU, Retired
Email: [email protected]
Washington
Chris Gray
Pregnancy & Early Childhood Development Program Manager
WithinReach
Email: [email protected]
West Virginia
Jackie Newson
Program Director
West Virginia Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health
Email: [email protected]
Wisconsin
Morgan Conti
Program Manager- Medial Home Initiative
Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin
Email: [email protected]
Wyoming
Cari Glantz
Senior Project Coordinator
Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND), University of Wyoming
Email: [email protected]