Board Members

John has been an ally to the disability community and to siblings. He joined Ohio SIBS in 2016 and has served on the board as treasurer.

Jacqui is the middle child of five siblings – three sisters and one brother. One of her sisters and her brother have multiple disabilities from PKU (phenylketonuria) and other health issues. Growing up with special needs siblings provided Jacqui with insight, understanding, and compassion for individuals with disabilities and for their caretakers. Jacqui is guardian for her sister, and like many other sibs, learning the system and meeting many wonderful caregivers.

Jacqui joined the Ohio SIBS board in November 2016. She provides technical support for Ohio SIBS, and has served as chair from 2022 to present.

Lynne is an educator with 40 years of experience, and a 32 year veteran of Developmental Disabilities Services in Hamilton county, Ohio. She served in a variety of coordination and managerial roles that culminated in the unique and rewarding opportunity to work directly with families for 16 years. Lynne co-founded The Common Threads Network of southwest Ohio, and Silver SIBS-Ohio, which now has a home with Ohio SIBS. She is also a Charting the LifeCourse Ambassador working for the Nisonger Center through the Family Resource Network-Ohio (FRNOhio). A past Ohio Adult SIBS board member, she has returned to support the growing organization’s future commitments to continuously engage siblings throughout the year, and build-in supports that strengthen transitions across the lifespan.

With Darrell, her spouse of 43 years, they are proud parents of 2 adult children. Now retired, Lynne volunteers hopeful that progress will never end. She enjoys writing, and dances “when no one is watching”

Early in his career, Derek was fortunate to get experience in civil litigation, business transactions and estate planning. Then in 2009, he and his wife had their first daughter who was born with Down syndrome. Like many of his clients today, they were inundated with information and felt overwhelmed. Nine years later, Derek now spends the majority of his days helping similarly situated families understand the various resources that exist. Derek finds it very rewarding to meet with families of all varieties and help them understand how to effectively and practically plan their estate. More than that though, he enjoys helping families understand the resources available to them and how to get the most out of those resources. His practice areas include Estate Planning, Special Needs Estate Planning, Developmental Disabilities Law, Elder Law, Guardianship, Probate, Probate Litigation and Business (organizational, transactional and succession). Derek earns his clients’ trust by working hard to accomplish their goals, being accessible and giving advice based upon experience.

Her SIB Jackie cannot talk, and they have always shared a connection through photography. In 2009 she made a documentary photography project of her sister’s day habilitation where she photographed her and her friends. From 2012-2017 she assisted Bowling Green photography students with a community collaboration where students partnered and photographed adults with disabilities. In 2020 she completed a portraiture project with a man that uses a power wheelchair. Together they made long-exposure photographs of his spinning wheelchair to promote visibility of disability. Dianna has also taught photography classes as a graduate student at the University of Missouri and as an adjunct for North Central State College.

During the pandemic, she moved with her husband Matt to be near her family on a small farm in Mansfield, Ohio. Working with Ohio SIBS is a dream job for her. She understands the importance of the sibling relationship and she is looking forward to advocating and supporting people with disabilities and their sisters and brothers.

She enjoyed that work immensely, which led her to pursue her masters degree in social work. During her MSW program she was lucky enough to find her mentor Dr. Tom Fish whose work involved siblings of individuals with disabilities. Kelly’s work with Dr, Fish provided her with the experience of facilitating groups for young siblings of individuals with disabilities. Throughout her career in behavior support services adult siblings have often been team members for her clients, serving in the role of advocate or guardian.

Kelly has been able to see many times the wonderful role siblings have in the life of their brother or sister with a developmental disability. Although Kelly does not have any family members with disabilities she does have a strong connection with her siblings, Kristen and Kacy. They are two of her biggest supporters and she cherishes those relationships.

While serving on the Ohio SIBS board she hopes to support siblings and help them to connect and gain knowledge that will help them support their sibling throughout their life.

Christy completed the University of Cincinnati’s LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities) program in 2022, was the Adult Matters Coordinator at the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati for over 9 years and is a trainer for National Task Group on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Her career path has been influenced by her younger brother Michael, who has Down syndrome, and as challenges or obstacles arise, Christy strives to join in finding solutions. We were speakers together at a DSAGC event in the picture included. Throughout her career, she has presented nationally on sibling topics along with other areas such as future planning.

Christy and her husband Chris have two daughters and live in Cincinnati, Ohio. She joined Ohio Sibs in 2024.