Richard J. Robison, Executive Director
Boston Office 617-236-7210 x 373
rrobison@fcsn.org

Richard J. Robison has been the Executive Director of the Federation for Children with Special Needs since March 1997. He is the father of three children, two with disabilities, an ordained minister, and is the pastor of a Baptist Church in Brighton. He has been an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and since 1996 has served on the Sudbury School Committee. Dr. Robison has worked as Director of Community Relations at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation. Dr. Robison is actively involved in issues affecting families of children with special needs across the Commonwealth

Robin Foley, PTI Project Director
Boston Office 617- 236-7210 x 335
rfoley@fcsn.org

Ms. Foley has held the position of Project Director for special education projects at the Federation since 2002. She is the parent of three children, one of whom has special needs. She has been actively involved for many years in advocacy and in assisting parents of children and adults with special needs. Robin is presently serving on the Statewide Advocacy Council to special education and the Governor's Commission for Mental Retardation.

Sara Diaz, Latino Outreach Coordinator
Boston Office 617- 236-7210 x 328
sdiaz@fcsn.org

Sara Diaz is a Literature and Linguistic graduate from Quindio University in Colombia. She also majored in psychology with an emphasis in special education at Urban College of Boston. Ms. Diaz’s broad experience in Columbia includes: Spanish and Literature Teacher at the secondary level, Spanish Teacher at University Libre de Bogotá, High School Principal of students with emotional and behavior problems, as well as radio reporter. Since her arrival to the United States Sara Diaz has worked as an Early Intervention assistant teacher, as well as for Familias Latinas Unidas (Latino Families United) for Down syndrome, as both secretary and facilitator. Currently, Diaz is working for two Federation projects: Parent Training Information (PTI) and Family Ties. Her primary focus is to provide information, orientation, support and serve as an interpreter for the Hispanic community. Ms. Diaz also coordinates a support group for Spanish speaking parents of children with special needs. In 2003, Sara Diaz received an award given by the Federation for Children with Special Needs, for working with Latino Families. Sara is married and has a child with Down syndrome.

Amanda Green, Project Associate
Boston Office 617-236-7210 x 307
agreen@fcsn.org

Amanda Green is the mother of three boys, the eldest of whom is a teenager with disabilities. For six years, Amanda served as co-chair of Belmont’s special education parent advisory council and was active on several school district committees. She remains committed to community and church involvement. Amanda holds a Master’s degree in English literature from Mills College and a B.A. in Biology from Swarthmore College. She has taught 7th and 8th grade English, as well as ESL (English as a Second Language), and has prepared students to take the GED high school equivalency exam. At the Federation, Amanda works part-time, helping to coordinate workshops, monitoring the PAC Chair Information Listserve, and writing educational materials.

Marilyn Gutierrez-Wilson, Latino Information Specialist
Boston Office 617- 236-7210 x 351
marilyng@fcsn.org

Marilyn joined the Federation in 1999 & has been an Information Specialist since 2004. She provides information training & support to Latino parents. She does translations for the 2 projects she works with at the Federation. Marilyn is a graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education from York College in New York. She worked as a Service Coordinator in an early intervention program based in a New York City hospital. The program relied on her to translate the evaluation meetings & the IFSP's. Currently, Marilyn is working for two Federation projects: Parent Training Information (PTI) and Advancing Parent Professional Leadership in Education (APPLE). Her primary focus is to provide information, orientation, support and serve as an interpreter for the Hispanic community.

Terri McLaughlin, Transition Specialist
Boston Office 617- 236-7210 x 335
tmclaugh@fcsn.org

Terri McLaughlin is currently the Transition Specialist at the Federation. She coordinates transition conferences, facilitates workshops and provides technical assistance to parents and professionals on transition issues for students ages 14-22. She is a former Federation board member, and is active on numerous regional and local boards supporting individuals and their families with autistic spectrum disorders and other developmental delays. She is the founder of DASH (Disability Awareness Starts Here), a former 766 PAC chairperson and the parent of a high school student with special needs.

Rebecca Rizoli, Administrative Assistant
Boston Office 617-236-7210 x 312
brizoli@fcsn.org

Rebecca Rizoli has provided administrative support for PTI and other Federation projects since 2002. Having grown up with significant learning disabilities and ADHD, Ms. Rizoli is a strong advocate of students with special needs. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Stonehill College and has strong writing and computer skills.   

Dotty Robison, Central Massachusetts Coordinator
Central MA Office 800-331-0688 x 220
drobison@fcsn.org

Dotty Robison has worked with parents of children with special needs for over 20 years. She is the parent of three children, two of whom have special needs which include Down syndrome and autism. After 15 years as a Research Associate at Brandeis University's Heller Graduate School, Dotty became a Parent Consultant in 2005. Dotty will coordinate the PTI programs in Central Massachusetts.

Julie Sinclair, Western Massachusetts Director of PTI
Western MA Office 413-323-0681
sinclair@fcsn.org

Julie Sinclair is a parent of three teenagers, one of whom has Trisomy 21 or Down syndrome. Julie has a dual degree in Special Education and Regular Education from Seattle Pacific University. For over 25 years she has taught school and worked with various agencies that support individuals with developmental disabilities. Since January 2000 she has been the Director of the Western MA Parent Training and Information office at the Federation for Children with Special Needs. Julie has been honored with several awards and citations from Community Resources for People with Autism, The United ARC of Franklin and Hampshire Counties and the Department of Mental Retardation for providing exceptional support and advocacy to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Her outstanding performance to individuals and their families has and continues to make a difference in Western Massachusetts.

Rhea Tavares, Portuguese Outreach Coordinator
Boston Office 617- 236-7210 x 329
rtavares@fcsn.org

Rhea Tavares is a bilingual Brazilian advocate. At the Federation for Children with Special Needs, Rhea coordinates outreach to the Portuguese community and also assists numerous families by attending their children’s IEP meetings, presenting workshops, and providing information on the special education process. In addition, Rhea has initiated a support group for Portuguese-speaking families with special needs.

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