Dear SLN Members and Supporters:
I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season and are looking forward to an even more wonderful and productive 2016. I am honored to be this yearās Board Chair for the Sibling Leadership Network. I appreciate all of the assistance from the current SLN leadership and committee members who have nurtured my tenure as Vice Chair for the past year. Katie Arnold, our Executive Director, has been a driving force for the network and an inspiration to me. I look forward to working with Katie and the new slate of officers: Vice Chair, Edward OāNeill; Outgoing Chair, Barbara Sapharas; Secretary, Sara Hansen; and Treasurer, Andrew McQuaide.
As 2016 Board Chair, it is my responsibility to ensure that the SLN is in line with its mission: to provide siblings of individuals with disabilities the information, support and tools to advocate with their brothers and sisters and to promote the issues important to them and their entire families. This year I am also coordinating the newly formed Board Development Work Group to come up with a guiding document for the SLN Board of Directors. We will be sending out a survey to the membership to get your input and ideas.
Now, a little bit about myself: I am a sibling myself, but I am the sibling with the disability, a mild form of Cerebral Palsy. My disability hasnāt really gotten in the way of my achieving anything, other than how I am perceived to potential employers. That is actually what led me to what I am doing now. I am working on a Ph.D. in family therapy at Texas Womanās University in Denton, Texas.
In addition to my role on the Board of the SLN, I sit on the Board of Directors of The Arc of Texas. My work with The Arc and the SLN has been very rewarding, and I look forward to strengthening supports for families who have siblings with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities.
Letās all reaffirm our commitment and support to the values of the SLN and make 2016 an even better year!
David W. Horton, MSSW, LMFT-A
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