Submitted by Carrie Ilijevich, PWSA | USA Marketing & Communications Director
If you’ve been to a PWSA | USA event in the last few years, there’s a good chance you’ve seen (and maybe even posed in front of) something incredible that Melissa Rivas created.
Melissa is not only an amazing mom to 7-year-old Sofia, who is living with PWS, but also one of the most dedicated and creative volunteers we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. She’s been helping PWSA for years in all kinds of ways – from designing major marketing campaigns and logos, to building event displays, and even sending thoughtful emails to cheer on PWSA’s staff. Her kindness, talent, and energy truly make her one of a kind. Melissa also created the helpful and resourceful “PWS Hub” Facebook group!
At both the 2023 PWSA | USA Convention and the 2025 International PWS Conference, Melissa took on a huge task: designing and building the giant photo op displays. The 2023 one was made by hand (!!), and the 2025 one was a digital masterpiece – a massive photo mosaic filled with pictures submitted by our community from all around the world. That backdrop became the perfect symbol of this year’s theme, United in Hope. It beautifully showed off our loved ones living with PWS and truly brought a global feel to the event.
These displays took countless hours to create, and Melissa did it all with such care, thoughtfulness, and style. They were both huge hits and allowed attendees to snap photos and share memories in front of them. They weren’t just backdrops; they were works of art that helped people connect and celebrate coming together.
Melissa is one of those people you just love being around. She radiates positivity, lifts everyone up, and brings so much heart to everything she does. Personally, I feel incredibly lucky to know and work with Melissa. Every project with her leaves me feeling more encouraged and inspired.
Melissa, thank you for all that you’ve done (and continue to do) for PWSA and the PWS community. We are so fortunate to have your talents, your kindness, and your light shared with us!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.