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LDA-CT is a chapter of the Learning Disabilities Association
of America
www.ldaamerica.org
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| Our Board
of Directors |
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| Board
President Joan M. Shapiro is a wife and mother of three
children, one of whom was diagnosed with learning disabilities
in preschool and recently graduated from college. "LDA of Connecticut
helped me to understand special education law," Joan says. "I
attended the parent advisor classes, discussed academic, social,
and school-related issues with parent advisors, and often got
valuable information necessary to help my son, in and out of
school. I've turned to LDA of Connecticut for guidance regarding
related professionals, school issues, the college process and
employability." Joan graduated with a bachelor of science degree
in economics and finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University
in Madison, New Jersey, and a master's degree in education from
St. Joseph College in West Hartford. She worked as a computer
programmer, systems analyst, and medical practice manager before
retiring and becoming a busy volunteer. |
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Board
Treasurer William J. Bossi, FSA, MAAA, is the president
and managing member of Disability Insurance Specialists LLC,
an insurance consulting and third-party administration firm.
Prior to founding DISpecialists in 1996, Mr. Bossi served three
years as an independent actuarial consultant and 16 years with
The Prudential Insurance Company, Connecticut General Life Insurance
Company/CIGNA, Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, and
Monarch Life Insurance Company. He received a bachelor of science
degree in mathematics from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
He received his fellowship in the Society of Actuaries in 1983
and became a member of the American Academy of Actuaries in
1985. He has served on the Society of Actuaries Subcommittee
for Minority Recruiting and has been a speaker at industry meetings.
He is a past president of the LDA-CT board. |
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Board
Secretary Diane Willcutts has been an active LDA member
since 2002, primarily involved with the legislative and parent-advisor
programs. She has been a professional advocate since 2003, working
with families and school teams in more than 35 Connecticut districts.
Before that, Diane was a program manager in the University of
Connecticut's Department of Psychology, where she acted as a
liaison between researchers and public schools, taught courses
in statistics and research design, and presented at international
conferences. She recently joined the board of directors of the
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and belongs
to SmartKids with Learning Disabilities and the Autism Spectrum
Resource Center. She lives in West Hartford with her two children,
three cats, and a dog. |
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Becky
Botkin
began advocating for students and their families in Iowa, in
the first year of federal legislation that mandated the education
of disabled students in their home districts. By building bridges
between home and school and ensuring everyone was treated as
equal members of a team, she helped students who had been living
in state institutions make the transition to local classrooms.
The work also required identifying and addressing unmet needs
as well as identified needs that were not being met, arranging
evaluations, helping to develop individual education plans (IEPs),
and overseeing the implementation and effectiveness of the plans.
In addition to working with school systems, Becky has also worked
with the Pentagon, the Veterans Administration, and other military
systems to secure services for families and benefits for veterans.
On a personal note, her late husband had ADHD (attention deficit
and hyperactivity disorder) with OCD (obsessive compulsive behavior),
and her son has ADHD with dyslexia. |
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| Judi
Bunker is a retired special-education teacher for the Capitol
Region Education Council (CREC), where she taught children with
severe developmental disabilities at River Street School in
Windsor. She was a consultant for the school in 2006-2007 and
currently serves as a substitute teacher. She has a master's
degree in preschool special education from the University of
Hartford and certification in special education from Southern
Connecticut State College. In addition to her parent-advisor
work with LDA-CT, she volunteers as a tutor with Catholic Charities
Refugee Program, also serving on the board of that program.
She also volunteers with the Covenant to Care for Children,
giving support to teen mothers and their infants. Her husband,
Roger, is a special education lawyer. She has four children
and nine grandchildren. |
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| Harriet
"Jeff" Clark graduated from Oberlin College with a bachelor's
degree in psychology and from Central Connecticut State University
with a master's degree in special education. She was a special
education teacher in the Southington school system for 26 years,
serving students in grades K through 12. Her specialty is reading
disabilities, including dyslexia. Jeff has been active in the
Learning Disabilities Association since the late 1970s serving
as a board member, newsletter editor, annual conference planner,
and president. Since retirement, she has been a parent advisor
and, most recently, coordinator of the parent-advisor training,
recruiter of new PAs, and conference planner. |
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Ann Seigel
is a retired special educator who has an adult son with learning
disabilities, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
and Asperger's syndrome. She has been on the LDA of Connecticut
board for many years and was president during the late 1980s.
She continues to volunteer as a parent advisor for the organization
and represents it on many statewide councils. She lives in West
Hartford. |
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