Board of Directors
Klaasjan was born and raised in The Netherlands, where he obtained degrees in civil engineering and general management. He currently is an independent management consultant helping manufacturing companies to structure and improve their operating model and IT landscape. After having lived in Australia and the UK the family is back in The Netherlands since 2020, together with partner Brechtje and their 3 sons Julius, Teun and Douwe and of course their Australian Labradoodle Shenton. At the age of 9 Teun was diagnosed with HADDS in 2022, which was a trigger for Klaasjan to get to know more about HADDS and raise awareness around HADDS to the benefit of more people.
Klaasjan Beentjes
Board Member
Email
Camilla was born and raised in Recife, a Brazilian city surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and rivers, known as “Brazilian Venice”, due to its beautiful bridges. Camilla has a degree in Nursing and completed her residency in obstetrics. In 2014 she did an internship in the USA (CA/TX), where she lived for 1 year and a half, sponsored by the Brazilian Government. Nowadays, she works as a professor at post-graduation courses, as a lactation consultant and also as a nurse midwife at Recife's Telehealth Department. Camilla got married with Manoel in 2019 and gave birth to Lia in 2020 - their only daughter. After Lia was diagnosed with HADDS, Camilla started an Instagram profile, where she creates and shares content about the Syndrome to raise awareness about it in Brazil.
Lauren Lynch is a Louisiana native who currently lives on the “Space Coast” of Central Florida. She has over 20 years of experience as an occupational therapist, working in a variety of clinical settings with clients of all ages and abilities. She holds undergraduate degrees in both psychology and occupational therapy from Louisiana State University. Lauren became involved with the HADDS community when her niece, Collette, was diagnosed, and she is delighted to have this opportunity to contribute to the HADDS Foundation. Lauren and her husband Matt are the proud parents of three teenagers, Anna Kate, Noah and Charlotte.
Lauren L. Lynch, OTR/L
Secretary
Email
Lindsay Marshall was born and raised in Canada and currently resides just outside of Edmonton, Alberta. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree as well as a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Alberta. Lindsay brings a passion for marketing and has over 15 years of experience with previous work in the non-profit, retail and financial services industries. In addition to her professional aspirations, Lindsay is an advocate for disability rights, inclusion, and children’s health and wellness. Lindsay and her husband Everett have two daughters, Amaya (who lives with HADDS) and Skylar.
Lindsay Marshall, MBA
Board Member
Email
Ivette Matias-Sepersaude was raised in New York and currently resides in Florida. After several years as a licensed insurance agent and claims adjuster, Ivette decided on a significant career change in the healthcare field. Her son Kai (diagnosed with HADDS) was the driving force behind her passion for helping other children with disabilities. She currently specializes in Pediatric Physical Therapy through the medium of Animal Assisted Therapy. Due to a desire to further her impact on the special needs population, she became a Credentialed Clinical Instructor. In this role, she helps to prepare and develop students interested in pursuing a pediatric specialty. Ivette and her husband Shane have four children, Jax, Kai, Scarlett, and Joshua.
Ivette Matias-Sepersaude, PTA
President
Email
Mallory Schindler is originally from North Carolina, spent the majority of her adult life in Washington, DC and now calls San Antonio, TX home. She has a undergraduate degree in Education and a Masters in Healthcare Administration. Mallory has spent her career working for national healthcare associations and for private and public universities in Higher Education. When she isn’t supporting the Foundation, Mallory works as an executive in the EdTech space, specializing in compliance and clinical placement for graduate medical and allied health programs. Mallory and her husband David have two children, Grant (living with HADDS) and Grace.
Mallory Schindler, MHA
Co-Founder & Board Member
Email
Dave Schindler hails from the San Francisco Bay Area and North Carolina where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Wake Forest University. Lt Colonel (Dr.) Schindler is a general dentist in the U.S. Air Force. He currently serves in San Antonio, TX where he practices and conducts research for the Air Force Dental Service. Since completing a Dental Public Health residency at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, he also serves as an Assistant Professor at Uniformed Services University Postgraduate Dental College, where he teaches, does dental epidemiology research and provides policy guidance to ensure dental readiness. Dave and his wife Mallory have been blessed with two children, Grant (living with HADDS) and Grace.
Melissa Slick was born and raised in California. She had the privilege of growing up on a walnut orchard in beautiful Northern, CA. Melissa is a cancer survivor and has a strong passion for life and helping others. She has a BS in Exercise Physiology and an MS in Exercise Science. Melissa has experience working with the medically compromised population, helping them achieve lifelong health and wellness through diet and exercise. She is currently working at a local gym in membership and is enjoying raising her family on their Almond orchard in Chico, CA. Melissa and her husband, Joel have two daughters, Maisie and Evie (living with HADDS).
Melissa Slick, MSES
Vice President
Email
Born and raised in Brazil, Fernanda went to Fashion School, specializing in Business. Worked in Marketing for Fashion Brands, supporting branding strategies, fashion shows, catalogs, and design. A few years later, started providing branding and public relationship consulting for large food and personal care brands. In 2016, moved to the US. After Lucas was born (living with HADDS), she discovered a new world and a different perspective of life. Today, she uses social media to share her experiences and help families, especially in Brazil, demystifying the struggle of a child with disability. Fernanda and her husband Ramiro live in the Boston area with their two kids, Isabela and Lucas, and also their first baby: a beagle called Noah.
Fernanda Touso
Board Member
Email
2020-2022 Board of Directors
Mark LeMaire, Ashley LeMaire, Melissa Slick, T'Mia Raynor, Ivette Sepersaude, Mallory Schindler, Dave Schindler
Foundation Liaisons
Julie was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Growing up in a large family, she had early interactions with extended family members with Neuro-developmental differences, as well as those with adult-onset disabilities. This inspired Julie to pursue a Bachelors of Occupational Science and Masters of Occupational Therapy from Saint Louis University. Julie has a passion for promoting equity, inclusion, and is passionate about disability rights. Julie has worked primarily as an OT with adults with neurological impairments. Julie enjoys crafting, travel, and spending her time with family and friends. Julie and her husband, Jonathan, have two amazing children, Isaac and Rosie. Since her daughter’s diagnosis, Julie has become a passionate advocate for rare disease. She is an admin in the 10q26 Facebook community, sharing information from the Chao Lab and HADDS Foundation to the community. Julie is continuing to help 10q26 families know and understand they are recognized as a EBF3-related diagnosis through her role as 10q-Related Liaison.