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 the Sibling Leadership Network since its inception, and has served as Chair of the Board since January 2024. 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 or working at her “real job” as a Communications Director, in her spare time you can find Kristin sewing, making music, hiking, and exploring national parks with her husband and two children.
Vice Chair
Julie Wolf
Julie Wolf is a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at the Yale Child Study Center in Connecticut, where she serves as the associate director of the Developmental Disabilities Clinic and the center’s vice chair for professional development and education. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Connecticut in 2005. She continued her specialty training in autism through an internship at the University of Chicago Hospitals and a post-doctoral fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center. She has served on the State of Connecticut’s Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council since 2019. Julie has a brother on the autism spectrum and is passionate about supporting siblings of people with disabilities. She is a trained Sibshop facilitator and co-leads CT Sibs, Connecticut’s chapter of the SLN, in partnership with PATH-CT. She previously served as co-chair of chapter development for the SLN and is excited to be stepping into the role of vice chair.
Treasurer
Linda Monterroso
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Linda’s commitment to supporting individuals with disabilities began early in life through her close relationship with her younger brother, Steve. Steve has an intellectual and developmental disability. As part of his care circle, Linda became involved with AHRC and other nonprofit organizations. She later connected with the Sibling Leadership Network’s New York chapter through ADAPT Community Network (formerly UCP of NY), further expanding her advocacy efforts.
In 2018, Linda relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, where she was appointed by the governor to serve on the Tennessee Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. In this statewide leadership role, she worked to strengthen disability policies and practices, champion inclusive communities, and educate policymakers and the public. Linda was also active in Tennessee Adult Brothers and Sisters (TABS), a chapter of the Sibling Leadership Network, supporting adult siblings of people with disabilities.
Since moving to Las Vegas in 2020, Linda has continued her advocacy at both the state and community level. She serves on the Community Advocacy Committee for the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities and is a graduate of the Nevada Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program.
Professionally, Linda is a clinical research director and holds a Doctorate in Health Sciences from George Washington University. Her dissertation explored how support systems impact the health and well being of caregivers of individuals with disabilities—reflecting her deep personal and professional commitment to strengthening families and communities.
Outside of her advocacy and research work, Linda enjoys exploring the desert with her husband and their rescue dogs, and especially loves welcoming family and friends—most of all her brother, Steve.
Secretary
Ted Tomeny
Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ted lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and is an Associate Professor of Psychology at The University of Alabama. Ted’s interests in siblings are both personal and professional, primarily inspired by his brother who has developmental disabilities. Ted’s research focuses on the experiences of family members of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), with a particular focus on siblings and caregivers. He is married with two young children and, in his spare time, enjoys exercising, watching terrible reality TV, and working in his yard.
Co-Chair of Advancement
Dr. Carolyn Shivers
Dr. Carolyn Shivers is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Niagara University and Director of the Undergraduate Minor in Disability Studies. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Notre Dame and her Master’s and Ph.D in psychology from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Shivers’ research focuses on psychosocial outcomes for siblings of individuals with disabilities, as well as how ableism impacts people with disabilities and their families.
After completing her Ph.D, Carolyn earned a postdoctoral fellowship with the Daughters of Charity Technology Research into Intellectual Disability (DOCTRID) at Michigan State University and Trinity College, Dublin. She then accepted a position in the department of Human Development and Family Science at Virginia Tech, where she created the Pathways Minor in Disabilities Studies. In 2022, she relocated to Western New York to her current position.
Carolyn was raised by a sibling; her mother’s youngest brother has Down syndrome, and Carolyn grew up watching her mom and her mom’s other 4 siblings support their brother. Now, she teaches her students how to recognize the full humanity of people with disabilities.
Co-Chair of Advancement
Lisa Pastor
Lisa is from the Greater Boston, Massachusetts area, where she grew up as the middle sister of two brothers (though she often tells friends and family she feels like the oldest!).
Lisa’s older brother has Down syndrome and autism. She and her brother are only 23 months apart, and from a young age, they were inseparable—so much so that people often mistook them for twins. Lisa learned early on that her brother was different and would need his family to fight for his place in the world, and that one day, that responsibility would ultimately be hers.
Lisa’s passion for advocacy as a sibling has inspired her work as a self-employed marketing consultant, helping non-profits and mission-driven organizations make a positive difference in the world. She is especially passionate about human rights, healthcare, economic development, education, and other areas of public policy that strengthen society.
When Lisa isn’t advocating for her sibling and helping her clients grow their impact, you can find her exploring New England, taking a barre or boot camp class (two very different, but fun, workouts!), and binging her current favorite TV show.
Co-Chair of Network Development
Lisa Matthews
Lisa Matthews currently serves as a Board Member of the Sibling Leadership Network (SLN) and is Co-Chair of its Network Development Committee, where she helps strengthen partnerships and expand engagement across the organization. She is the former Chair of the DC Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC Council), providing leadership and oversight to advance policies and initiatives that support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
Prior to her council service, Lisa was a graduate of the DC Advocacy Partners Program (DCAP), where she developed skills in advocacy, systems change, and public policy. That experience deepened her commitment to effective leadership and meaningful community impact.
As a sibling of a brother with disabilities, Lisa is passionate about navigating complex disability systems to better understand her role and to support her family and others on similar journeys. Her lived experience, combined with her leadership background, fuels her dedication to advancing equity, access, and inclusion.
Lisa’s goal is to educate, elevate, and empower individuals and families to identify challenges, develop solutions, and create positive change in their lives and communities. She believes that informed advocacy, collaborative leadership, and strong networks are key to building systems that truly serve and uplift people with disabilities.
Co-Chair of Network Development
Heather Dee Frankovich
Heather Dee Frankovich is a licensed psychotherapist, speaker, and program developer with over 20 years of experience supporting individuals and families navigating complex emotional and relational dynamics. She is the creator of SibThrive, a support program created specifically for adults who were raised with a brother or sister with disabilities—an often underserved and overlooked population.
As both a clinician and a sibling herself, Heather brings a unique blend of lived experience and professional expertise to her work. SibThrive was developed to address the emotional, identity, and wellbeing needs of adult siblings, offering trauma-informed, relationally grounded support that complements advocacy, policy, and future-planning efforts.
Heather has led group programs and retreats nationally, and her work focuses on helping high-impact individuals reclaim clarity, resilience, and purpose. She is passionate about elevating sibling voices and believes that when siblings are better supported, they become stronger advocates, leaders, and community members.
Heather is honored to contribute her clinical perspective, programmatic insight, and sibling-centered lens in service of the Sibling Leadership Network’s mission to support and empower siblings across the lifespan.
Co-Chair of Finance
Luke Hahn
Luke is the proud older brother of Jeremy who has profound autism. His life’s pursuit is to better the world for sibs and their siblings. As finance co-chair and board member of the SLN, he will leverage his expertise in program management and operations to support the SLN mission. He comes with a background in STEM with a physics and mathematics BS degree from the University of Maryland College Park and management from his time in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program and data center construction industry.
Co-Chair of Policy and Advocacy
Tiffany Banks
Tiffany Banks is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at University of Maryland Baltimore County. In her clinical work, Dr. Banks practices person-centered mental health services to benefit the lives of Autistic youth and young adults. Her research interests include understanding the impact of animal assisted interventions, disability justice, neurodiversity, and the interconnected lives family systems and disability, with a focus on siblings. Tiffany’s brother, Michael, is the central inspiration and motivation to advocate for policy change. Tiffany and her husband, Scott, enjoy spending time with their two mischievous corgis, Butters and Marjorine.
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 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.
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.
Interested in joining the Board?
Board Members are elected at the November meeting each calendar year for any open positions. You can apply at any time and a member of the Board Governance Committee will reach out to you.