What’s your job title? Information & Referral Specialist
What sort of duties do you have at work? Front desk Family Support calls and emails, Database merging
Do you have any mentors in your professional life? Yes
What was your first job? Customer Service
Who inspires you? My boss, my brother, my husband
What kind of music do you like? Rock, R&B, Reggae, and Arabic Music
What’s the best concert you’ve been to? Jon Bon Jovi & Pink Floyd
Do you like traveling? YES
What’s the best place you’ve traveled to? Locally Texas and Florida ; Overseas Alexandria (Egypt)
What’s the most exciting part of your job? Helping others, learning new skills, talking to parents
What is your favorite animal? Turtle
What’s something you’re proud of? I am proud of the hard work we are doing at PWSA | USA, and the challenges I continue to overcome with my son
What’s your favorite movie? Wreck it Ralph
Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies? Music, Poetry, Traveling, Hanging out with friends, Learning cultures/ languages
Do you have any pets? Nope
What’s something you find challenging about your work? Working remotely is convenient, however, being away from people can be challenging
What motivates you at work? Achieving milestones, getting the work done, my colleagues, teamwork
What’s your favorite memory? Many childhood and trip memories
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received? Best Auntie in the world!
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Radio Announcer
What’s your favorite thing to do on the weekends? Visit new place in town, Go out to eat, Visit a friend
What’s your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving
Can you speak more than one language? Yes, four
What was your favorite subject in school? History
If you could play an instrument, what would it be? Violin
Which historical figure would you most like to meet? Mohamed the prophet
What’s your favorite season? Autumn
What three items would you take with you to a deserted island? The Holy Quran, My phone, My Laptop
What’s your idea of a perfect day? Sleep in and waking up to go to beach
Jennifer Bolander has been serving as a Special Education Specialist for PWSA (USA) since October of 2015. She is a graduate of John Carroll University and lives in Ohio with her husband Brad and daughters Kate (17), and Sophia (13) who was born with PWS.
Perry A. Zirkel has written more than 1,500 publications on various aspects of school law, with an emphasis on legal issues in special education. He writes a regular column for NAESP’s Principal magazine and NASP’s Communiqué newsletter, and he did so previously for Phi Delta Kappan and Teaching Exceptional Children.
Evan has worked with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (USA) since 2007 primarily as a Crisis Intervention and Family Support Counselor. Evans works with parents and schools to foster strong collaborative relationships and appropriate educational environments for students with PWS.
Dr. Amy McTighe is the PWS Program Manager and Inpatient Teacher at the Center for Prader-Willi Syndrome at the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Duquesne University receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education with a focus on elementary education, special education, and language arts.
Staci Zimmerman works for Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Colorado as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) consultant. Staci collaborates with the PWS multi-disciplinary clinic at the Children’s Hospital in Denver supporting families and school districts around the United States with their child’s Individual Educational Plan.
Founded in 2001, SDLC is a non-profit legal services organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the legal rights of people with disabilities throughout the South. It partners with the Southern Poverty Law Center, Protection and Advocacy (P&A) programs, Legal Services Corporations (LSC) and disability organizations on major, systemic disability rights issues involving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the federal Medicaid Act. Recently in November 2014, Jim retired.