Myriam Alizo
e-mail address:
malizo@spannj.org
Myriam Alizo
has been working at SPAN since the year 2003 as a Parent Group Specialist
under the START Project, helping to develop and support Parent
Groups in the area of special education in the counties of
Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union. Myriam
is also part of the New Jersey Statewide Parent to Parent, covering the
northeast of the state.
Myriam sits on the Special Education Parent Advisory
Council in her local school district, and is a member of the Steering
Committee of the Bergen Chapter of ASPEN (Aspergers Syndrome Education
Network), and has made presentations in English and Spanish on IDEA, Basic
Rights and Parent Professional Collaboration, Parent Involvement in the
Special Education Process, Key Changes to the Special Education Law,
Engaging Immigrant/LEP Families in School, Ensuring Effective Services to
Immigrant &/or LEP/ELL Children & Families, etc.
Prior to working at SPAN, Myriam worked for over three
years as a Family Support Coordinator & Parent Trainer in Parent-to-Parent
of Miami, Florida, an organization dedicated to assist and advocate for
parents and their children with special needs. Myriam has two daughters, and
early on became very involved in their education as they struggled with
learning difficulties and the complexities of acquiring language skills in a
bilingual family/school environment.
Myriam Alizo has a B.S. in Electronic Engineering from Universidad Simon
Bolivar in Caracas,
Venezuela, and has been residing in the
United States since 1989.
Dianne Malley
dmalley@spannj.org
Dianne Malley is the START Project
Director. Dianne has a Master of Fine Arts from the State University of New
York at Buffalo. After completing her studies she lived in Los Angeles where
she was the Art Director of an art center for adults with developmental
disabilities. After working in Los Angeles she took a position as Assistant
Professor of Art and Gallery Director at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.
She has also been an active artist exhibiting around the country.
In 2001, Dianne relocated to Collingswood, New Jersey to
be closer to her family in the Philadelphia area and to spend more time
raising her three daughters. Her oldest daughter, Carissa has Down syndrome
and a rare heart-lung condition called pulmonary hypertension. Carissa
attends the Collingswood Middle School. Dianne has been a strong advocate
for her daughter to be included in school and the community.
Dianne helped to start the Special Needs Family Support
Group in Collingswood.
Deborah Lynam
dlynam@spannj.org
Deborah
Lynam lives in Haddon Heights, NJ along with her husband and three boys. It
is her belief that parental involvement is key to securing a quality
education for all children. Currently, she volunteers her time as a member
of her local Special Education Parent Support Group (STEPS) and as a Board
of Education member for her local school district. She is a tutor for the
Reading Assist Institute, working in DE Public Schools to provide reading
interventions to struggling students. She has also been a NJ Foster Parent
and a member of the Camden County Foster and Adoptive Parents Association.
In September 2009, she accepted
a position as Parent Group Specialist for SPAN's START Project serving
Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties. She is available to provide
technical assistance to support parent involvement and to assist in getting
parent groups up and running. She looks forward to working with the groups
already established in these areas; as well as, assisting school districts
and parents to organize new ones.
Connie Graham
cgraham@spannj.org
Connie Graham is the Parent Group Specialist for Atlantic, Cape May,
Cumberland and Salem counties. Connie was born and raised in
New York City.
She raised four daughters, one of whom has severe challenges.
Connie received her master's in social work from
Stony Brook University.
For a number of years she also served as the Director of Mental Retardation
and Development Disabilities for the Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk
County. Around the time when
she moved to New Jersey
she assumed guardianship for three of her young grandchildren all of whom
are children with special needs. Connie also serves on the board of
education in Pleasantville and is the chairwoman for the special education
committee. She started the advisory committee of parents with students with
special needs in Pleasantville called NANA, which stands for Never Alone,
Never Afraid. Connie recognized that parents want support, knowledge, and
training; parents will reach out for help and want respect for both parent
and child.
Carolyn Hayer
chayer@spannj.org
Carolyn
Hayer
is the Director of Parent & Professional Development
for SPAN, the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network.
Mrs. Hayer presents at conferences and conducts
trainings and workshops throughout New Jersey on a variety
of issues related to special education.
In addition, she is the Coordinator of the
Region 1 Alliance for Parent Centers which provides technical assistance to
parent centers throughout the Northeastern United States.
Mrs. Hayer is a member of the NJ State Special
Education Advisory Council; the NJ Governor’s Council on Developmental
Disabilities; NJ DDC Education Task Force; NJ Protection & Advocacy Board of
Directors; Hackensack Education Foundation and is President of the
Hackensack Board of Education.
She also participates on various panels, task
forces and committees around issues related to autism and to special
education.
Nicole Pratt
npratt@spannj.org
Nicole Pratt is the Parent Group Specialist for Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren counties. Nicole is a single working mom of two children who are in the special education system in New Jersey. Her daughter, who is in high school, has mild cognitive delay/mental health services with inclusive school services and her son who has a mild form of cerebral palsy but is highly functional in a self contained class in a local public school. Nicole has been an advocate for her children since they have been under the special education system.
She has worked in a number systems that serve children and families such as the early intervention system, adult system, and mental/behavioral health. Nicole serves on many parent advisory councils. In September 2009 she was appointed onto the Northeast Regional Early Intervention Collaborative Board of Directors, and in May 2010 appointed to the National Universal Exert Panel of the National Universal Screening for Young Children Coordinating Center and the Genetic Alliance Advocacy Partnership leadership training program.
In March 2009, Nicole was awarded a leadership award from The Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, NYMAC Family Scholar Leadership Certificate and the North Region Early Intervention Collaborative 2010 Community Leader Award.
Karen Antone
kantone@spannj.org
Karen Antone is the parent of a three children, her eldest son is autistic and fully included with supports in high school.
Karen feels that parental involvement and collaboration at all levels gives our children the greatest gains in education. "The workshops and training I received from SPAN gave me the tools to work with my team to individualize my children's educational plans, and have empowered me to advocate for inclusion and improved programs for children of all abilities."
Karen is the Parent Group Specialist for Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex Counties.
She is available to provide technical assistance, training, and support to increase parental involvement , and to help network, promote , and develop district Special Education Parent Advisory Groups .
She is also the SPAN Monmouth County Family Resource Specialist, a parent representative for the Monmouth County Children's Inter-Agency Coordinating Council (CIACC), active member of the Monmouth Family Council, member of the Middletown Township School District Parent Information Committee (PIC), and co-leader of the Middletown Township School District SEPAG . Her office is located in Special Child Health Services at the VNACJ building in Red Bank.
