Meet Our Newest ASCV Board Members:
I’m honored to introduce our Fall 2020 class of new ASCV Board members. They each come with a diverse background of skills and experience, but they are all joined by a common passion for supporting individuals with autism.
Cheryl Curbeam’s son, Will, is an individual with autism, diagnosed at age four. Cheryl shares that the (ASCV) “has been an integral part of my and Evan’s parent journey ever since.” Cheryl is a 2008 graduate of the Partners in Policymaking Program and is a strong advocate for individuals with autism being fully included in all activities through every age and every stage of their life. Cheryl is the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer for Corteva Agriscience. Prior to her career at Corteva, Cheryl had progressive leadership roles at DuPont including assignments in operations, sales, and marketing, and compliance.
Jason Gray currently lives in Fredericksburg, VA with his wife Lisa and his sons Duncan and Graeme who are both on the autism spectrum. Jason shares, “since being introduced to the autism community by way of my oldest son’s diagnosis in 2016, I have worked to build a better understanding of autism and its challenges and have been an active parent advocate and educator ever since.” Jason is a current Master of Social Work Candidate at VCU. After completing the M.S.W. degree he plans on becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and will continue working to better the lives of individuals with autism and be an informed voice for families and the greater Richmond community. Jason shares, “the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way, support evidence-based programming, and aid in the continued success of the organization is an honor.”
Brandon Kennedy is a Senior Consultant with Deloitte Consulting. Brandon’s passion and commitment to improving the lives of those on the autism spectrum can be attributed to his dear friends’ son, Luke, who is 8 years old and on the spectrum. For the past several years, Brandon has been a strong champion and supporter for the ASCV participating in the first annual gala, annual 5K, and other fundraising and community activities. Brandon is “enthusiastic about helping [the ASCV] advance its strategic vision and objectives.”
Sean Link is the Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking at BB&T Bank. Sean’s “drive to help the ASCV has been strengthened over the past 6 months as I have seen friends with autistic children struggle to find appropriate services during the pandemic.” Sean looks forward to bringing “a wealth of Board experience that could help fine tune our contribution to the ASCV, as well as a vast network of commercial and corporate relationships that I have built over my professional career.”
Joe Martin has been in the pharmaceutical / biotech industry for the last 10 years in a variety of capacities. Joe’s interest in the ASCV roots from personal experience, as his son William was diagnosed with ASD at age 2. Joe shares: “It has been a whirlwind experience, and we are very lucky to have a great support system and resources in place. It is fantastic to see how the ASCV can support families as they go through every step of this journey. Attending the Gala last year really opened my eyes to what this organization is all about, and I’m excited to see what else we can do in the years to come.”
Jennifer Warren is the Manager of Retirement Plans for Altria Client Services LLC, and a member of the leadership team for Rise, Altria’s ERG Network for Employees and Families with Disabilities. Jennifer’s son Ayden has autism. Jennifer shares, “every time I make a new connection with someone or agency that ASCV has partnered with, I realize how much support is available and that we are not alone in our journey. I see my involvement with the ASCV as a way that I can ensure that I am doing all I can to bring about a brighter future for my son and all other children with special needs.”
Please join me in welcoming our 2020 Board Class! I am inspired by their enthusiasm to join the ASCV Board. As we continue to expand our strong volunteer leadership, we look forward to further growth opportunities for the ASCV and the impact we can make for our local autism community.
We hope everyone enjoys this last month of Fall! Please be sure to save the date and plan to join us for our virtual year-end celebration, A Toast to the Autism Community, on December 5th!