IDDRC Community Advisory Board

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IDDRC Community Advisory Board

IDDRC Community Advisory Board

The CHOP-Penn Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC) is committed to working with community members to help guide research on intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our 2024-2025 Community Advisory Board members bring diverse experiences from families impacted by autism, Down syndrome, and other genetic intellectual and developmental disabilities.

We're working together to improve community education on the impact of IDDRC research, enhance the inclusion of families and self-advocates in the research process, and gain insights to enrich scientists' understanding of lived experience.

Thank you to our board members for their commitment to making a difference.

Amy Kelly, MBA, MNM
Amy Kelly is the mother to Danny, Annie and Ryan. Annie is diagnosed with moderate to severe autism, verbal apraxia, intellectual and developmental disabilities and general anxiety disorder. Kelly is the National Director of Family Engagement for Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, one of the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit providers of behavioral healthcare and serves as a family representative on several special needs boards in the community, both locally and nationally. In addition, she participates with other patients and families in efforts supported by the Autism Care Network and serves on an executive committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics to assist children and adolescents with special needs and the importance of quality care.

Katharine Lopez Weymouth, MD
With a background in research, Dr. Weymouth has a background in research and believes in the impact of science on deepening our understanding of the world around us. Additionally, she has seen firsthand the ability of CHOP and the University of Pennsylvania to transform lives through medical research and clinical care in her various roles as a physician, participant, and family member. She brings three decades of personal and professional experience in the medical and intellectual disability communities to her service as an IDDRC Community Advisory Board member.

Reema Norford
Reema Norford is a part-time music instructor diagnosed with both autism and ADHD. When she is not teaching, she is usually working on a creative project in music, writing, or drawing. She participated in Muhlenberg's Disability Advocacy Group in college and continues to follow content creators with similar diagnoses who post about their experiences to help others find the words to describe theirs. Much of the music Norford writes expresses her own experience with autism and ADHD.

Lisa Feehery
Lisa Feehery is the Board Co-Chair of the Dup15q Alliance, a patient advocacy organization that promotes awareness, research, and treatments for chromosome 15q11.2-13.1 duplication syndrome, and supports families affected by the condition. She is also an educational advocate who helps children with special needs receive appropriate educational services. In addition to her lived experience in managing care for her fourth child, who has interstitial duplication 15q syndrome, she brings a background in law, policy, and strategic planning to the IDDRC.

Juan Dipini
Juan E. Dipini is a US Navy veteran who is passionate about serving his local community. He has served, guided, and provided sound and effective advice to organizations across the state of Pennsylvania over 12 years of experience in community involvement.

He is experienced in creating partnerships, community programs, planning, budgeting, audits, governance documentation, financial statements, rules, and regulations. Dipini's military service prepared him to incorporate his operation, tactical, and design experience into life as a civilian.

Dipini is the father of a child affected by autism and is proactively involved with the autism, special needs, and developmental disabilities communities. He organizes community and congressional advocacy concerning national bills and local guidelines affecting autistic children and adults. He is also involved in securing funding for research.

Raj Kumar
Raj Kumar has worked closely with various CHOP specialists since 2008 as the primary caregiver and advocate for his son, who is diagnosed with Down syndrome and autism. This experience deepened his understanding of the unique challenges faced by individuals with special needs and their families and fueled his commitment to making a positive impact through professional and advisory roles.

Kumar is a senior technical leader and digital transformation architect, experienced in driving technology-driven business innovation through artificial intelligence, the internet of things, collaboration, and cloud-native platforms in the healthcare industry. He focuses on customers' pain points and designs practical solutions using emerging technologies and empathetic design. He prides himself on mentoring the next younger generation to develop future leaders in business and technology.

Tereze Sinno
Tereze Sinno is a mother to two young children, one of whom has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism. She and her husband are fierce advocates for their children and have become fully immersed in the greater Philadelphia Down syndrome community, especially CHOP's Trisomy 21 clinic, and are looking to expand their knowledge in the autism community as well.

Relatively new to advocacy and disability rights, Sinno is committed to having a seat at the table, wherever possible, to help children with disabilities reach their full potential.

Amber Wynne
Bio coming soon!

Nicole Bottino
Nicole Bottino is a marketing and advertising professional who currently directs client relations at a television production company, driving innovative strategies to elevate brand visibility. She excels at building and nurturing key industry relationships, leading to collaborations with influential business leaders and philanthropists.

Bottino is a mother of two, including a child with special needs. Her personal journey has inspired her extensive involvement in advocacy and support for individuals with disabilities. Her family serves as ambassadors for the Eagles Autism Foundation, KultureCity, and Easter Seals, working to raise funds, spread awareness, and promote inclusion.

As lead coordinator for the Persons with Disabilities Ministry at St. John Chrysostom Parish, Bottino leverages her skills and compassion to create meaningful opportunities and events for the disabled community. She finds joy in baking and spending time with family and friends.

Christina Stewart, AAS, CCHW
Christina Stewart is a certified Community Health Worker and holds an associate's degree of Applied Science in Human Services. She brings her lived experiences as a healthcare professional and mother of an autistic child to her advocacy work with the IDDRC.