Meet Members of Georgetown University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council

September 2, 2021

The Georgetown University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (GUCEDD) is highlighting members of its Advisory Council (GAC) through a series of videos. The three newest members to participate are Wilma Elen, a parent of a person with an intellectual/developmental disability (IDD); Rebecca Salon an advisor to Project ACTION! and a representative from the State Office on Policy, Planning, and Innovation for the District of Columbia's Department on Disability Services; and Robert Kennedy, a member of Project ACTION!, an advocate, and a person with the lived experience of developmental disability. Other Advisory Council videos are of Ian Paregol, Executive Director of the District of Columbia Coalition of Disability Service Providers, and Alison Whyte, Director of Developmental Disabilities Council and a family member.

Each member gives us an overview of the work that they do, why they are interested and what it means to them to be a member of the GAC.

The GUCEDD faculty and staff thank our members for their contributions and for sharing their experiences with others. The video series can be found on the GUCEDD website.

Image description: A screenshot of a portion of Georgetown University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council webpage with small round pictures on the left side, displaying a headshot of each member with their name. A brief description of themselves is to the right of the headshot. The members shown are: Wilma Elen, member of the advisory council, parent of a child with a disability; Rebecca Salon, member of the advisory council, DC Department of Disability Services, in the state office of policy, planning, and innovation, also serves as an advisor for Project ACTION!; Robert Kennedy, member of the advisory council, he serves on many boards in DC, including the Hospital for Sick Children, he also had a founding role in Project ACTION!; and, Ian Paregol, executive director of DC Coalition for Disability Service Providers and former executive director of community services for Autistic Adults and Children, offers a multidisciplinary perspective as a member of the First Place AZ advisory board, his 25-year professional career is the culmination of his diverse background in law, human services management and education administration.