Pioneers Who Served PWSA | USA - Board Members and Officers - Prader-Willi Syndrome Association

PWSA l USA would not be here today without dedicated volunteers, including members of the board of directors and officers. In the early years, PWSA l USA relied solely on these volunteers to provide leadership, strengthen its financial status, develop programs, and write newsletters. After the organization grew to the point that they could employ an executive director, board members and officers continued to be a “hands-on” board. Because of these devoted individuals, PWSA l USA has grown to be an international leader in providing support, education and advocacy to persons with PWS. The leadership, guidance and sharing of their time by these past and present pioneers, has truly been appreciated.

The following are lists of board members and officers. They are listed by the years they began their service, as well as all of the positions they served in.

The 1970s

In the early years, board members also served as officers. All board members were elected by the membership. Officers were appointed and did not have voting privileges unless they were board members.

Name	Position	Years Served	Total Yrs. Donated
Gene Deterling	President	‘75-80	5
	Treasurer	‘80-84	4
	Board Member	‘77-89	12
Fausta Deterling	Secretary	‘75-92	17
	Board Member	‘77-89	12
Delfin “Sam” Beltran	Board Member	‘77-91	14
	President	’80-91	11
Vanja Holm	Board Member	‘77-87	10
Shirley Neason	Board Member	‘77-85	8
	Vice President	’80-85	5
Andrea Netten-Sechrist	Vice President	‘77-79	2
	Board Member	‘77-79	2
Peggy Pipes	Board Member	‘77-83	6
Stephen Sulzbacher	Board Member	‘77-82	5
Bryan Hall	Board Member	‘77-80	3
Judy Schultz	Board Member	‘77-79	2
Richard Wett	Board Member	‘78-90	2
Jean James	Board Member	‘79-80	1
Cellia Ledoux	Board Member	‘79-85	6
Marge Wett	Vice President	‘79-80	1

The 1980s

As the years went on, more officers served without becoming board members.

Name	Position	Years Served	Total Yrs. Donated
Andrea Walczak	Board Member	‘80-83	3
Robert Scott	Board Member	‘80-82	2
Lota Mitchell	Board Member	‘80-89	9
	President	’01-04	3
Dorothy Thompson	Board Member	‘82-88	6
Stewart Maurer	Vice President	‘87-89, ‘93	3
	Board Member	‘82-95	13
Betty Shultze	Board Member	‘82	1
Roy Smith	Treasurer	‘84-87	3
D.J. Miller	Board Member	‘83-95	12
Lee Forthman	Board Member	‘83-86	4
Suzanne Cassidy	Board Member	‘84-93	9
Ted Briggs	Board Member	‘84, ‘85-88	4
Louise Greenswag	Board Member	‘85-97	12
Janalee T-Heinemann	Board Member	‘86-89	3
	President	‘91-96	5
Harvey “Bud’ Bush	Vice President	‘86-87	1
	Treasurer	‘87-91	4
Rhett Eleazer	Board Member	‘87-90	3
Penny Park	Board Member	‘88-94	6
Barb Whitman	Board Member	‘88-00	2
Mildred Lacy	Board Member	‘89-95	6
June Smith	Board Member	‘89-92	3

The 1990s

Name	Position	Years Served	Total Yrs. Donated
Curtis Schacklett	Board Member	‘90-93	3
Frank Moss	Board Member	‘90-92	2
Paul Alterman	Board Member	‘91-99	8
Jim Kane	Treasurer	‘91-94, ‘95-96, ’99-00	5
	Board Member	‘92-’99, ’16 – current	12
Pauline Parent	Board Member	‘92-99	7
Paul Wissman	Treasurer	‘94-95	1
	Board Member	‘92-95	3
Anette Ruiz	Board Member	‘92-95	3
Vicki Turner	Secretary	‘93-95	2
Penny Townsend	Board Member	‘94-97	3
Leo Schertz	Board Member	‘95-98	3
Gail Overton-Thune	Board Member	‘95-98	3
Ken Smith	Board Member	’95 –11	16
	Vice President	’04-05	1
Jim Gardner	Treasurer	‘96-99	3
	Board Member	’95 –04	9
Don Goranson	Vice President	‘94-99	5
	Board Member	’94 –00	6
Fran Moss	Board Member	‘96-99	3
Jerry Park	President	‘94-98	4
Bronnie Maurer	Secretary	‘96-98	2
Daphne Mosely	Board Member	‘97 –00	3
Jim Koerber	Board Member	’97, ’09-18	10
Barb Dorn	President	‘98 –01	3
Mary K Ziccardi	Secretary	’98 –00	2
	Board Member	’00-09, ’10-13, ’18-19	13
Mike Larson	Board Member	’98 – 00	2
Dan Driscoll	Board Member	’98 –07, ’08-17, ’18-current	21
Waunita Lehman	Board Member	’97 –00	7
Mary Lynn Larson	Vice President	’99 –00	9
Pam Tobler	Board Member	’99 –05	6
Dorothy Cooper	Board Member	’99 –02	3
Pauline Haller	Board Member	’99 –02	3
Carolyn Loker	Board Member	’99 –07	8
	President	’04‘-07	3

The 2000s

In 2007, the board of directors voted to eliminate the positions of president and vice president. It was felt the chairman of the board was sufficient in providing the leadership for the organization. There was also expansion of staff positions which was providing more assistance in day-to-day operations.

Name	Position	Years Served	Total Yrs. Donated
Barb McManus	Secretary	‘00-03	3
	Board Member	’03 -06	3
Karen Goldberger	Treasurer	‘00 –06	6
Bob Hartnett	Board Member	‘00-02	2
Steve Lundh	Board Member	‘00 –03	3
Steve Diaz	Board Member	‘00 –01	1
Rob Lutz	Board Member	’01-07, ’13-current	14
Liza Graziano	Board Member	’02-06	4
Carol Hearn	Board Member	’02-11	9
Janice Agarwal	Board Member	’02-11	9
Henry Lee	Secretary	’03-04	1
Mark Ryan	Board Member	’03-09	6
Don Armento	Board Member	’04-05	1
Steve Leightman	Board Member	’04-13, ’17-18	10
John Heybach	Board Member	’04-13	9
Julie Doherty	Secretary	’04-current	17
William Capraro	Board Member	’05-08	3
Kerry Headley	Vice-President	’06-07	1
	Board Member	’08-11	3
Linda Gourash	Board Member	’06-09	3
Jackie Stoner-Mallow	Board Member	’06-15	9
Jamie Bassel	Board Member	’07-10	3
Bert Martinez	Treasurer	’08-16	8
Michael Alterman	Board Member	’08-16	8
Greg Cherpes	Board Member	’09-15	6
Michelle Torbert	Board Member	’09-18, ’19 – current	11
Lisa Thornton	Board Member	’09-15	6

The 2010s

Name	Position	Years Served	Total Yrs. Donated
Michelle Holbrook	Board Member	‘11-14	3
Rob Seely	Board Member	’13-18	5
Michael Troop	Board Member	’13-15	2
Sybil Cohen	Board Member	’13-16	3
Tammie Penta	Board Member	’14-current	7
Denise Westenfield	Board Member	’14-16	2
	Treasurer	’16 –19	3
Tom Noonan	Board Member	’15 –17	2
Tom Conway	Board Member	’15 –18	3
Leon Caldwell	Board Member	’15 –18	3
Marguerite Rupnow	Board Member	’15 -current	6
Dan Beaver	Board Member	’16 –17	1
Pete Girard	Board Member	’16 -current	5
Mitch Cohen	Board Member	’17 -current	4
Crystal Boser	Board Member	’18 -current	3
Kristi Rickenbach	Board Member	’18 –19	1
Christine Geraci	Board Member	’18 – ’20	2
Paige Rivard	Board Member	’18 –‘20	2
Pam Zambrotta	Treasurer	’19 –current	2
Denise Servais	Board Member	’19 -current	2
Tim Hearn	Board Member	’19 -current	2
Matt McCleery	Board Member	’19 -current	2

The 2020s

Name	Position	Years Served	Total Yrs. Donated
Jeffrey Covington	Board Member	’20 –current	1

The top 8 individuals who have served PWSA l USA for the longest period of time include:


Dan Driscoll (21 years)	Julie Doherty (17 years)	Ken Smith (16 years)	Mary K. Ziccardi (15 years)


Jim Kane (14 years)	Rob Lutz (14 years)

Not Pictured: Fausta Deterling (14 year) and Stewart Maurer (13 years).

In addition to the board members and officers of PWSA l USA, we want to acknowledge and thank all of the board members and officers of all of our chapters. Their time and commitment to serving their local chapter in meeting the needs of persons with PWS is greatly appreciated. Thanks to you for all that you do.