submitted by Melanie Zalman
Donna Stephens, grandmother to Samuel (living with PWS) has volunteered with PWSA the last several years!
She attended the 2023 DC Fly-In as a PWS grandparent advocate and has met with elected officials representing Louisiana.
She was an integral part of our recent 2025 International PWS Conference in Phoenix, AZ, making important things happen behind-the-scenes. From blowing up balloons to assembling packets, to helping to make sure we all took breaks, Donna stepped in offering all kinds of support to all of us.
Donna is a loving grandmother who would do anything for Samuel. She is softspoken, humble, and proud of her daughter Katie- a part-time staff member of PWSA’s development team. Donna’s warm smile, up-beat personality, and can-do attitude is a tremendous asset to PWSA USA.
Donna has a heart of gold, and her love of her family inspires her to keep giving of herself to PWSA at every opportunity. Thank you, Donna, for your heartfelt and inspiring dedication to the PWS community.
Jennifer Bolander has been serving as a Special Education Specialist for PWSA (USA) since October of 2015. She is a graduate of John Carroll University and lives in Ohio with her husband Brad and daughters Kate (17), and Sophia (13) who was born with PWS.
Perry A. Zirkel has written more than 1,500 publications on various aspects of school law, with an emphasis on legal issues in special education. He writes a regular column for NAESP’s Principal magazine and NASP’s Communiqué newsletter, and he did so previously for Phi Delta Kappan and Teaching Exceptional Children.
Evan has worked with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (USA) since 2007 primarily as a Crisis Intervention and Family Support Counselor. Evans works with parents and schools to foster strong collaborative relationships and appropriate educational environments for students with PWS.
Dr. Amy McTighe is the PWS Program Manager and Inpatient Teacher at the Center for Prader-Willi Syndrome at the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Duquesne University receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education with a focus on elementary education, special education, and language arts.
Staci Zimmerman works for Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Colorado as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) consultant. Staci collaborates with the PWS multi-disciplinary clinic at the Children’s Hospital in Denver supporting families and school districts around the United States with their child’s Individual Educational Plan.
Founded in 2001, SDLC is a non-profit legal services organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the legal rights of people with disabilities throughout the South. It partners with the Southern Poverty Law Center, Protection and Advocacy (P&A) programs, Legal Services Corporations (LSC) and disability organizations on major, systemic disability rights issues involving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the federal Medicaid Act. Recently in November 2014, Jim retired.