Previous Board Members
Branwen Cale, M.A.
Director (2024-2025)
Neurodiversity Support for Children, Inc. (NSC)
As an experienced nonprofit leader with a passion for helping others, I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to NSC. I obtained my undergraduate degree in Government and International Relations and my graduate degree in International Administration. Professionally, my career has focused on the development of mission-driven non-profit organizations. With a specific eye towards international program development and strategic communications, I have scaled resources through stakeholder engagement, and refined business operation processes, in order to integrate data-driven SROI into the overall strategic planning of organizations. I focus on relationship-based strategies that engage donors, staff, and volunteer leaders as true partners in the work they support. I have experience managing major gift and foundation relations, directing annual funds, executing fundraising and public events, and training administrative, development, and communications staff at all levels.
Personally, I am the mother of two neurodiverse children. Through my own trials and tribulations, I have developed a passion for neurodiversity, gifted education, and disability advocacy. This passion has been fueled by my own struggles to overcome financial barriers, system-level inequities, and frequent misperceptions about the many strengths (and challenges) that come with a neurodivergent family. I am so thankful for the opportunity to merge my professional expertise with my personal journey, to assist families in obtaining the support they need for their children. The mission of NSC is very near and dear to my heart.
Anne Donovan, M.Ed., BCBA, LABA, CCTP
Clerk & Director (2024-2025)
Neurodiversity Support for Children, Inc. (NSC)
As a dedicated advocate for equity and inclusivity in education, I bring a wealth of experience and passion to the mission of our organization. I have spent my 20-year career serving underserved communities and championing the rights of all learners. In my role as an educational consultant, I have collaborated with numerous public school districts to enhance their special education programs and services. I have also had the privilege of serving on the boards of nonprofits and state advocacy organizations that support families of neurodiverse students. Additionally, as an Adjunct Faculty member at a local university, I have the opportunity to share my expertise in special education with future teachers.
As a mother of two neurodiverse teens, I understand firsthand the challenges and joys of navigating the journey of parenting neurodiverse children. My personal experiences drive my passion for helping other families connect with local community resources and support networks. I firmly believe in the power of community and collaboration, and I am committed to fostering a culture of support and inclusivity within NSC.
Krista Gordon
Director (2024-2025)
Neurodiversity Support for Children, Inc. (NSC)
As a mom of two neurodiverse children, who has had to lean on and utilize supports we could afford and not afford but made the sacrifice anyway, the mission of this organization sits very close to my heart. The amount of information a parent of a neurodiverse child needs to learn and adapt to can be extremely overwhelming and without support it would be even harder.
I am lucky enough to have been able to establish multiple career paths in my life, one working in the corporate world as Executive Assistants, Project Coordinators, and Project Managers as well as a long career as a dance teacher, and now a Founder & Educator of a business focusing on empowering and educating children and parents on ways to utilize movement, mindfulness, sensory profiles and brain organization to utilize for regulation, coregulation and connection. As a mom of kiddos who process the world in their own unique way, I researched, learned and studied so many topics it brought me to recognize just how much families have to shift and change. I feel honored to be a part of this organization and to help kiddos and families receive the assistance they need.
Lisa Mesicek, MBA
Director (2024-2025)
Neurodiversity Support for Children, Inc. (NSC)
From an early age, I have always been fascinated by, and devoted to, understanding human behavior. I've worked as a summer camp counselor, studied Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology in college, and obtained my business degree with a focus on Organizational Behavior. Currently, I leverage my interests and talents within the business world as an Executive Coach and Chief Operating Officer within the Wealth Management industry. I have built my career on growing individuals, teams, and organizations, with the belief that people are at the heart of it all.
Now, as mom to twin girls, I have been further immersed into understanding human behavior through the eyes of my children. I have experienced the anguish and joy of being a parent, dedicated to supporting my children through their own journeys. Although my family has been fortunate enough to obtain access to mental health services, my heart breaks for other families who cannot access quality mental and behavioral health care. I am humbled and honored to leverage my experience as a professional and a dedicated parent, and join such an amazing board of parents focused on such an important mission.