Board of Directors
Get to know the Sibling Leadership Network’s Board of Directors!
Chair
Kristin Lanari
Kristin is the oldest of three siblings and lives in Appleton, WI near her sister who has Down syndrome. Kristin has been an active member of WisconSibs since 2004 and the Sibling Leadership Network since its inception. She served on the WisconSibs Board of Directors for six years and was a member of the fundraising committee. She served as the Wisconsin state representative for the SLN board for many years before becoming the Co-Chair of Chapter Development and then Vice Chair.
In 2009, Kristin received a grant to photograph and edit a book called Walk With Me, featuring essays by local siblings of people with Down syndrome. She has spoken for numerous panels and seminars in Wisconsin and beyond, advocating for siblings and their families. More recently, Kristin founded the WisconSibs READ book club for adult siblings.
When she’s not advocating for siblings, you can find Kristin sewing, making music, hiking, and exploring national parks with her husband and two children. She owns a photography studio with her husband, and is also a food blogger and recipe developer specializing in recipes for people with food allergies.
Executive Director
Kaitlin McNamara
As a sibling, Kaitlin understands the vital role that siblings can and do play in the lives of their siblings with disabilities, as well as the support and tools they need as they navigate the sibling experience.
After earning an undergraduate degree in political communications from The George Washington University, Kaitlin moved to northern Wisconsin to be close to her three younger sisters. In 2015, she joined the leadership team of a local arts nonprofit as their Assistant Director and Education Coordinator. She then served as the Executive Director and later as a Board Member for a nonprofit organization focused on youth civic engagement.
In 2019, Kaitlin relocated to Madison, WI, to join the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities as the Project Coordinator for a Project of National Significance called Living Well. Her work has focused on enhancing quality services, educating about human rights, and improving the systems of reporting abuse and neglect of people with disabilities. In 2022, she graduated from The University of Wisconsin Law School, concentrating on disability justice and changing systems through administrative law.
Kaitlin is passionate about creating inclusive and safe communities for people with disabilities and equipping siblings with the resources and skills they need to advocate alongside their siblings on the issues that matter to them.
Vice Chair
Lisa Matthews
Lisa Matthews is a native Washingtonian. She currently works as a Program Director for a national non-profit organization where her personal passion is aligned with its mission to strengthen communities. For over 15 years, she has served as a volunteer with dedication to empowering individuals with disabilities, capacity building and economic development. Lisa prides herself on working to help sustain programs and services for individuals with a disability and their families. She is inspired by her experiences as a sibling of a brother with a disability along with other family and close friends with various health needs to join several organizations and broaden her understanding of the health care system. She is passionate about her work with service-based entities to have a deeper understanding of how to navigate within their systems to help improve the lives of individuals with a disability and their families.
Lisa is a member of the DC Autism Society, co-founder of DC Sibs group, and the DC Chapter liaison for the Sibling Leadership Network. She is a 2014 graduate of the DC Advocacy Partners program, member of the DC Quality Trust Program and Policy Committee, Past-Chair to the DC State Plan Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC) and Chair of the DC State Plan Implementation Committee for the DDC. She also serves on boards that provide support for residential care and services for individuals with a disability, at-risk youth, outreach food services for the homeless, and partner with other organizations to provide necessities to benefit community residents in various transitional stages of life.
She is the coauthor of two books and an Honoree Listee in the 2018 and 2019 Who’s Who in America. She has written articles for online publications and enjoys writing poetry. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Outgoing Chair
Linda Monterroso
Linda lives in Las Vegas, NV but was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. She has a brother, Steve with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who is five years younger. From an early age, Linda was involved in Steve’s care which introduced her to advocacy with AHRC and other nonprofit organizations, committed to finding ways for people with IDD to live full lives. Linda was introduced to the Sibling Leadership Network NY chapter during a conference hosted by ADAPT Community Network (formerly UCP of NY).
In 2018, Linda relocated to Memphis Tennessee where she was appointed by the governor as a member of the Tennessee Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. As a Council member, Linda was among a group of Tennesseans tasked with improving disability policies and practice, educating policymakers and the public through community collaboration. She was also a member of the Tennessee Adult Brothers and Sisters (TABS), a chapter of the Sibling Leadership Network.
Linda relocated to Las Vegas in 2020, where she saw a need to form a Nevada chapter of the Sibling Leadership Network. She partnered with the University of Nevada at Reno to create the Nevada SLN chapter and works with local organizations serving those with disabilities to build the chapter. Linda also serves as a Community Advocacy Committee member for the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
When Linda is not advocating for those with disabilities, working as a clinical research director or working on her Doctorate in Health Sciences, you can find her exploring the desert with her husband, rescue dogs and hosting family and friends, especially Steve!
Outgoing Chair
Shawnnita Buckner
For more than 10 years, Shawnnita Buckner has been a noteworthy leader in the community behavioral health services industry. Shawnnita has a bachelor’s in psychology from Texas Tech University, and she also hold credentials as a certified ScrumMaster and Six Sigma Black Belt.
As the sibling to an adult with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), since the age of 13, Shawnnita has been advocating, supporting, and helping to care for her older brother, Jay. At a young age, Shawnnita learned to navigate through the “system”, breaking through barriers and stereotypes, to ensure Jay’s life is meaningful.
Shawnnita also supports community agencies such as the IDD Council of Tarrant County where she strives to bring inclusion, awareness, and education to the community to ensure individuals with IDD (and, their families) can thrive.
Shawnnita and her husband, Jason, are the proud parents of Kaden and Kairo. She currently lives in Arlington, TX with her family. Professionally, Shawnnita serves as the Director of Compliance Special Projects for a leading mortgage company.
When she is not keeping busy, you can find Shawnnita reading, shopping, or spending time with family outdoors.
Treasurer & SABE Ex Oficio
Eric McVay
Eric McVay is a board member of the Sibling Leadership Network and a member of Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE), the national self-advocacy organization for people with developmental disabilities. He is also an active member of his state self-advocacy organization in Maine called Speaking Up For Us. Eric is also part of the Consumer Council System of Maine, a voice for consumers of mental health services. He is active in advocacy and knowledgeable about policies that impact people with disabilities. Eric lives in Maine. He has a close relationship with his younger sister.
Research Co-Chair
Zach Rosetti
Zach Rossetti is Co-President of the Massachusetts Sibling Support Network, the Massachusetts chapter of SLN. A former special education teacher and inclusion facilitator from New Hampshire, he is currently 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.
Co-Chair Research
Nikki Donnelly
Nikki is one of three children, with the youngest sibling being an adult with autism and intellectual disability. Robby has guided her career path in special education and passion for advocacy for people with autism and special needs. She currently serves as an Autism Consultant in Southern Oregon and is pursuing her PhD in Special Education. She was previously a special education teacher and administrator in CA. Her career allows an outlet for her passion to facilitate the availability of quality, inclusive experiences. Watching her brother grow from a non-verbal, self-injurious child to a well-functioning, independent adult inspires her to help other families. Her brother currently lives with her and she manages his care while balancing a professional and personal life. Nikki enjoys snowboarding, hiking and backpacking.
Chair of Policy and Advocacy
Tiffany Banks
Tiffany Banks is originally from Baltimore, Maryland where she grew up with 3 brothers, one of whom identifies as an individual on the Autism Spectrum. She is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Colorado and completed her LEND fellowship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. Tiffany completed her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work at Niagara University and her Master’s degree in Social Work with a specialization in Maternal and Child Health from the University of Maryland at Baltimore. After 10 years of serving individuals with disabilities as a social worker, Tiffany has recently returned to school to work towards a PhD in Social Work at Colorado State University. Tiffany and her husband Scott live in the Colorado suburbs and spend their free time raising a variety animals and fostering for a canine rescue.
Co-Chair of Policy and Advocacy
Nina Bihani
Nina Bihani lives in Detroit, not too far from her parents and younger brother Nishant, who has autism and developmental disabilities. From the moment he was born, Nina formed an unbreakable bond with Nishant. As she grew older, she appreciated seeing the world through the lens of a sibling and felt a strong desire to improve life for others like her brother. Eventually, this led Nina to medical school where she chose to specialize in psychiatry. She hopes to build a career in which to provide psychiatric care for adults with developmental disabilities. She also strives to improve the wellbeing of sibs. Nina is currently involved in research that facilitates coordination of care in the diagnosis and treatment of autism and developmental disability, so that early intervention can be initiated as quickly as possible, and also to implement effective transition planning as these children grow to adults.
Nishant and Nina’s favorite hobbies are eating ice cream, going for long drives, and listening to Bollywood oldies together. When she isn’t working at the hospital or studying for board exams, you can find Nina trying out new recipes, watching comedy specials, or eating cheesecake and tacos.
Co-Chair of Network Development
Julie Wolf
Members At Large
Ex Officio: Sibling Support Project Representative
Emily Holl
Emily Holl’s experience with the Sibling Leadership Network began in 2006, when the network was a dream discussed by a handful of siblings sitting in a circle in an otherwise empty hotel conference room.
Over the next few years, as the dream of a national sibling organization grew into the Sibling Leadership Network, Emily served as the New York representative while working with siblings locally to establish sibsNY, the state’s chapter of the SLN. She also served as Communications Committee Chair of the SLN.
Emily, who has an older brother with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has worked in the disabilities field since 2003. She has experience as a communications professional and as a licensed Social Worker. Emily has conducted research and published on sibling issues, and she had the pleasure of working with Don Meyer and several SLN authors in co-editing “The Sibling Survival Guide.”
In 2015, Emily and her family moved from New York to Minnesota, where she currently supports students with disabilities at a community and technical college. She is thrilled to reconnect with the SLN and to offer her support as Secretary.
Ex Officio: Sibling with a Mission
Nathan Grant
Nathan Grant is the twin brother of Nik Grant, who has a rare genetic condition called Mucopolysaccharidosis II, also known as Hunter syndrome. Nik has inspired Nathan to offer support and advocate for individuals, siblings, and families touched by complex health needs, including chronic illnesses and developmental disabilities. Nathan is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and is a student at Harvard College where he is studying Molecular and Cellular Biology. Inspired by his brother, Nathan created Siblings with a Mission to serve siblings and sibling supporters of all backgrounds. Siblings with a Mission offers support through story columns where siblings and families can share their stories with others, a resource database, and sibling and family conferences. Siblings with a Mission recently collaborated with the Sibling Leadership Network to create a LEND curriculum to inform health professionals about the experiences and needs of siblings. It is Nathan’s goal to increase support for siblings, spread awareness of the sibling experience, and inform others about the importance of recognizing and supporting siblings. Nathan is excited to bring his background from Siblings with a Mission to increase support and connect with more siblings through the Sibling Leadership Network.