Board of Directors
Rachel Morgan
Rachel Morgan - Chairman of the Board/Founder
Rachel is a wife and a mother of four beautiful children. Husband is Jeff; Two sons Adam age 9 whom also has a diagnosis of Autism and Collin age 2; Two daughters Paige age 7, Hailey age 5.
Rachel is currently working towards her Master's in Education degree with an emphasis on Autism and Sensory Impairments at Lindenwood University with expected graduation date of fall of 2013. She received her Bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University in Behavioral Psychology & Criminology in 1995.
Rachel has over 9 years experience working with children that have special needs and their families. Her experience comes from being a Family Service Coordinator/Child Find Coordinator for the First Steps program for over 8 ½ years. Currently Rachel is a Graduate Assistant at Lindenwood university and working as a consultant for the medical and educational community regarding supports for families raising a child with autism. I have partnered up with Dr. April Regester from UMSL to rejuvenate the MO-TASH Chapter here in the St. Louis area.
On April 15th, 2008 Rachel founded the Non-Profit Organization The Adam Morgan Foundation to help raise awareness and financial support for interventions for families that are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders. Almost four years later we have been able to support over 150 families in the St. Louis & St. Charles metropolitan areas.
Contact Rachel at click to send mail
Stacey Goodwin
Stacey Goodwin - Secretary
Stacey Goodwin is a Case Management Supervisor for the St. Louis Regional Office in St. Charles County. Stacey has 15 years experience with DMH with the first 11 years working as a service coordinator. Three years were devoted to adults in residential placement in Warren County, eight years were coordinating services for those children in First Steps and the last four years have been supervising the largest team for St. Louis Regional Office. Stacey holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Eastern Illinois University.
In the past Stacey was able to attend very hands on ABA training with a family. She has sat through the 3 week parent training that Touch Point Autism provided as well as going through the Introductory Relationship Development Intervention training with Dr. Gutstein. Currently Stacey is reviewing and approving 175 autism project (EMAP) plans per year. Over the last 15 years Stacey has attended numerous trainings on autism, dual diagnosis and other specialty related conferences and trainings.
Stacey currently sits on the Human Rights Committee for Community Living an agency that provides residential placement and other services. She also sits on the St. Charles System of Care Board where several agencies come to the table to work collaboratively for families in dire need. Finally Stacey sits on the Regional Interagency Coordinating Council to review several aspects of the early intervention programs in the St. Louis area.
Katie Hotard
Katie Hotard - Board Member
Katie is an involved stay-at-home mom who formerly expended time and energy in the financial industry. She and her husband Alan have a musical and outdoorsy elementary school-aged daughter, Maddie, who happens to be on the autism spectrum.
Katie's areas of interest and experience include parent advocacy, legislative advocacy, nutrition and diet strategies, biomedical interventions, equine-assisted therapy, Brain Gym, sensory diets, and therapeutic listening.
Since 2008 Katie has been working to learn as much as she can about raising a healthy, happy family while meeting the challenges of autism. She served on the Rockwood Early Childhood PTO, testifying before a Missouri House of Representatives Autism Insurance Bill committee; graduated from the St. Louis County SSD Parent Leadership Institute; and was certified as a parent mentor through MPACT. She and Alan together completed Touchpoint (then Judevine's) Intensive Parent Training.
For the Foundation, Katie is focused on fundraising and board recruitment efforts. Katie graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Sandi MacInnes
Sandi MacInnes - Treasurer
Wife and Mother of Three
Two step daughters with learning disabilities.
The youngest daughter to attend Truman State University fall 08.
I tend to specialize in helping families locate resources to support children with disabilities. I provide a resource listing to the families I work with of articles, web sites of interest, continuing education information, ideas for recreation and free/low cost activities for children and families. I believe that having someone, focused on disabilities as a life work, involved with a family of a child with a disability can be strong asset when looking for resources to help that child.
1996-Current
12 Years experience as a Family Service Coordinator with the Early Intervention Program in the state of Missouri and Regional Center Services Coordinator for Children up to age 18 with Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.
2008
Completed the 4 Day Autism Conference in Columbia Missouri sponsored by the Thompson Center for Autism.
2007
Completed the 2 Day Conference "A Five Component Approach to Early Intervention in Natural Environments" in St. Louis.
2006-2007
Completed the 2, 2 Day "Promoting Resiliency in Children, Families and Communities -accessing Resources for Families of Children with Disabilities Training in St. Louis.
2006
Completed the 2 Day Conference "Different Diagnoses in Play Therapy" Focus on Aspersers' Symptoms and Reactive Attachment Disorder in St. Charles.
2006
Completed the 3 Day National Autism Symposium in Osage Beach Missouri sponsored by the Department of Mental Health.
Ongoing trainings and conferences to date include various classes, conferences and course on many forms of disabilities to include Autism Spectrum Disorders as an area of interest. These are too numerous to list.
Contact Sandi at click to send mail
.jpg)
April Regester, Ph.D.
April Regester - Board Member
April Regester received her Ph.D. In Special Education, Disabilities & Risk Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2009. She also holds a M.A. In Special Education, and a Preliminary Education Specialist Credential for students with moderate to severe disabilities.
April’s research interests include friendship development and social supports for individuals with severe disabilities. She also conducts research in autism, positive behavior supports, inclusive education, college and adult life skills supports for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Supported Living. In addition, April conducted a year long Post Doctoral Fellowship at the Eli & Edythe L. Broad Asperger Research Center at the world renowned Koegel Autism Center.
At UMSL, April teaches courses related to Behavior Management, Individual & School-wide Positive Behavior Supports, Transitions and Planning, and Cross Categorical Special Education. She is also serving on three doctoral dissertation committees and advising students obtaining an M.Ed. In Special Education.
April currently serves on UMSL College of Education M.Ed. Program Committee, the Dean’s Committee on Social Justice, the Teacher Education Committee, and the Senate Libraries Committee. She will also be a Faculty Site Leader at the University of Missouri- St. Louis Martin Luther King Day of Service 2011. April belongs to several organizations related to Special Education (Council for Exceptional Children, TASH, Association for Applied Behavior Analysis) and is an honorary board member for the California chapter of TASH.
Linda Thierry
Linda Thierry - Accountant
Linda works at a District Court in Michigan. She is the Account Clerk/Technical Assistant at the court. She has been working for the court system for 20 years and in the capacity of Account Clerk for 8 years.
Linda is the Grandmother of Adam Morgan and very proud of all of his accomplishments!
1989- Graduated with an Associates Degree in Business from Oakland Community College.
