Zach Rossetti, PhD
President

Zach Rossetti, a former special education teacher and inclusion facilitator from New Hampshire, is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development at Boston University. His research focuses on social interactions and friendships between students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, family engagement in special education, and sibling roles and relationships. Much of this work is inspired by his brother Todd who was a huge Red Sox fan and had cerebral palsy. Zach received an M.Ed. in Special Education-Severe Disabilities from the University of New Hampshire and a CAS in Disability Studies and a Ph.D. in Special Education from Syracuse University.

Joe Cicero, BA
Treasurer

Growing up with an older sister severally disabled by cerebral palsy, Joe understands the issues that families of the developmentally disabled endure. He is passionate about increasing awareness of these issues and networking with those who understand them to develop scalable solutions. A management consultant by trade, Joe hopes to use his knowledge of business development to drive the MSSN’s strategic growth and fundraising initiatives. Joe earned his BA in Economics from the University of Rochester, where he was also captain of the varsity football team.

Elanna Seid, M.S., CCC-SLP
Clerk

Growing up with a sister with special needs, Elanna participated in Sibshop groups for many years, learning to appreciate the unique bond between siblings of children and adults with special needs. As a result of her experiences within the special needs community, Elanna was inspired to pursue a career working with children with special needs and their families. She is currently a Speech and Language Therapist in Boston Public Schools, where she primarily works with students with autism. Elanna earned her master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University and her B.S. from New York University where she also was on the varsity swim team.

Stephanie Dort, M.Ed. 

Stephanie Dort, a Boston native, has a strong interest in disability awareness and received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Communication Disorders (Speech and Language Pathology and Audiology) in 2008. Having a sibling with an intellectual disability prompted Stephanie to complete the Special Education M.Ed. program at the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2013 where she would be able to effectively advocate for students with disabilities.  Currently, Stephanie works for the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. Her role as a Qualified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor allows her assist consumers with disabilities of the Commonwealth with obtaining or maintaining competitive employment.

Stephanie also served on the Haitian American Public Health Initiatives Family Support Center (HAPHI-FSC) Board, where her primary role was to assist and coordinate workshops as well as organize social events for program participants. Stephanie was invited to speak at the 11th Annual Haitian Health Conference hosted by the Haitian Health Institute at Boston Medical Center where she conducted workshops for program participants. She also presented at the Parent Academy for the Randolph Public Schools on navigating special education.  Stephanie’s overall desire is to advocate, educate, and inform families of the various tools and resources that can aid individuals with disabilities.

Tierra Jenkins, Esq.

Tierra is a labor and employment law attorney, special needs advocate, a regular attendee of the MSSN Sharing Space for Adult Siblings and proud sister to two young adult brothers, one of whom has autism spectrum disorder.  At an early age, Tierra naturally fell into the role of big sister, advocate and confidante to her younger brother with ASD and played an active role on his IEP team throughout his elementary and high school years. Through this experience, Tierra developed a passion and skill for advocacy which led to her decision to become an attorney and to seek deeper involvement in the disability community.

Tierra is not only dedicated to serving those with disabilities but her community as a whole. Tierra currently serves on the board of directors for the Massachusetts Black Women Attorneys (MBWA) which advocates for justice and equality for African American women in the legal profession and Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL) which supports lawyer wellbeing by providing free and confidential mental health resources.

Shruti Tekwani, LMHC

Shruti is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who specializes in trauma, grief, and loss. She is also a certified coach and spends most of her time in online and in-person private practice as well as by presenting workshops & trainings. She received her masters in Counseling Psychology from Northeastern University and has 13 years of experience working with college students in crisis and in a counseling environment. Shruti credits most of her life work to her amazing sister Meghaa, who was born with Cerebral Palsy. Having Meghaa in her life has shaped who she is and is the driving force of compassion that Shruti practices in her day to day life. Shruti is also a Basic Instructor for the William Glasser Institute. She sits on the Board of Directors for the William Glasser International Organization, WGI-US, and the WGI-Northeast Region. Shruti also serves on the conference committee for the Sibling Leadership Network, an organization that supports siblings of people with disabilities.

Anne deBeaupre Williams, M.Ed

For the past 13 years Anne has worked with nonprofit organizations helping to maximize their marketing, public relations and fundraising efforts. She currently serves as Communications Specialist for Care Dimensions and previously worked at the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and Work/Family Directions, now W/FD Consulting in Watertown. Anne also has a background and a passion for helping children with special needs and their families, working for many years at the May Institute’s Early Intervention Program where she helped to start their first integrated preschool. Anne is excited to be a member of the MSSN Board and eager to help spread the word about the importance of all sibling relationships.

Mary Valachovic

Mary Valachovic has been working in the field of disability services for over 35-years. She began her career in New York state working at a state institution providing direct care support for people with autism and developmental disabilities.

After graduating from the University of New York, Albany she moved to Massachusetts and since then her professional experience spans not only the state of Massachusetts but all areas of service provision. Mary is committed to strong, ethical and values-based leadership. Mary’s brother Matthew, who had a developmental disability, serves as her inspiration both professionally and personally.

Rob Lever
Technology and Marketing Coordinator

Rob Lever has worked in human services for 15 years.  Starting as an Information Technology Professional, Rob built a passion for working with individuals with disabilities.  This was the start of a journey that has had Rob working in Marketing, Quality Assurance, and ABI (Acquired Brain Injury) program development.  Founder of the Non-Profit program We Love to Fish, Rob has taken 200+ individuals with disabilities on over 600 trips to find their perfect day on the water.  Most recently, Rob has connected with the mission of the Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Cod and serves as their Director of Training and Technology. 

Emily Rubin, MA, LICSW
Founder Emeritus

Emily is co-founder of the MSSN. She served as MSSN President from 2011-2019 and Executive Director from 2019-2021. She is an Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at UMass Medical School and Director of Sibling Support at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center.

Emily’s research interests relate to resiliency among siblings of people with disabilities. Her current research examines the impact of a child’s mental illness on his/her typically-developing siblings, and strategies to build resiliency and decrease trauma within families. Emily has published and presented her work nationally. She has a part-time therapy practice as a licensed social worker.

Hillary Dunn Stanisz, Esq.,
Board Chair Emeritus

Hillary devoted many years to serving on the MSSN board, transitioning to Board Chair Emeritus in 2022.

Hillary has an older brother with Angelman Syndrome, and, as a result of this experience, she has devoted her career to assisting individuals with disabilities and their families. Hillary is a Staff Attorney at the Disability Law Center where she represents individuals with disabilities in matters involving special education, housing and employment discrimination, abuse and neglect, and securing appropriate community supports and services from adult human service agencies. She has been involved in legislative and regulatory advocacy regarding disability issues and has trained individuals with disabilities, families and professionals in various areas of disability law.

Hillary previously worked in the Special Needs and Elder Law Practice Group at Fletcher Tilton PC and focused her practice in the areas of special education, advocacy with adult human service agencies, and guardianship. Hillary earned her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law and a B.A. from Tufts University where she also played basketball.