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WI FACETS, 600 W. Virginia St., Suite 501, Milwaukee, WI 53204
MEET OUR TEAM
WI FACETS Technical Assistance Staff
Project Director
Courtney Salzer is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Family Assistance Center for Education, Training, and Support, Inc. She serves as Co-Director of the OSEP-funded Wisconsin Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) and the Director of the Region C Parent TA Center (RPTAC). Courtney also serves as the Parent Partner on the Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System. Courtney received her Law Degree and Bachelor’s Degree from Marquette University. She earned her Professional Certificate in Non-Profit Management from UW-Milwaukee. Prior to her work with WI FACETS, Courtney was an attorney in private practice, where she did a variety of civil litigation including school and special education law. Courtney is currently an Instructor in the UW-Milwaukee Nonprofit Management Program. Courtney has served on several nonprofit Boards of Directors, including currently as a founding member of the National Center for Parent Leadership, Advocacy, and Community Empowerment (National PLACE). Courtney also serves on the National Advisory Board for the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE). Courtney and her husband are the parents of two busy teenagers.
Multicultural TA Lead
Nelsinia Ramos serves as a Senior TA Specialist for the Region C Parent Technical Assistance Center, a federally funded project assisting 16 parent centers in the Midwest. She also co-directs Wisconsin’s Parent Training and Information Center. Nelsinia is passionate about serving parents of children with disabilities, enjoys hiking and plays pickleball. She received her master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Concordia University Wisconsin.
Electronic Communications Specialist
Melissa Voegeli has been serving as the Program and Electronic Communications Coordinator at WI FACETS for over five years. Under this position, funded by DPI, PTAC and PTI grants, she develops special education products, manages grant project websites, develops and monitors online learning modules, creates and disseminates Bite-Sized PD messages, coordinates with UWM’s Nonprofit Management School of Continuing Education to host a yearly Nonprofit Management Certificate, and provides technical assistance and communication support for all electronic grant activities. Mel received her Bachelor of Science in Health Studies from Mount Mary University in 2015. Although she graduated with a student-designed major of Allied Health with a Psychology emphasis, she has taken additional coursework in American Sign Language, Disability: Society & Person, Health Communication and Health Care Systems. Mel has been in the field since 2015 when she started working as an in-home line-therapist. Before starting at WI FACETS, she was a Licensed Program Coordinator for a local nonprofit.
Logistics Specialist
Chris Stagge is the Event Coordinator for the Region C PTAC. Chris is also the Program Assistant for WI FACETS’ working across all agency grants. Chris has worked for disability related non-profit organizations since 1993, and with WI FACETS since 2008. Chris is the parent of a son with special needs.
TA Specialists from the Region
Lead TA Specialist
Karen Thompson has served as the Executive Director at ASK Resource Center, Inc in Iowa since 2010. She holds a Bachelor degree in Psychology from Nebraska Wesleyan University and has worked in human services and public administration for 29 years. Personally, Karen has experience as a disability advocate in multiple life facets. She grew up as the daughter of a parent with an acquired brain injury, is a person with Dyslexia, and is the mother of two, adult children who are also blessed with abilities to learn differently.
Peer TA Specialist
Jodi Webb is the Executive Director of Pathfinder Services of ND Inc. (PSND) and is the project director of the ND Parent Training and Information Center and the Regional C-2 RSA-PTI which offers TA to 7 states in the Midwest region. Jodi has worked for PSND since 2018 and has over 25 years of experience working in early childhood education. She also delivers TA to new program directors for the Region C Parent Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), assisting parent centers in 16 states in the Midwest. Jodi holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and an associate’s degree in early childhood business management. She is an appointed member of both the Vocational Rehabilitation Governor’s Council, and State IDEA Advisory Panel. She is also a member of the national SAP/SICC workgroup with OSEP and CAPE YOUTH with the Dept of Labor. Jodi is passionate about providing guidance and education to parents, youth and professionals aiding in the delivery of services to children and youth towards academic and lifelong success. She is a mother to two young adults, one of which has diagnosis’ of ADD, Severe Anxiety, Depression and UC.
Peer TA Specialist
Jennifer Diaz is the Assistant Director of Team Development at IN*SOURCE, Indiana’s Resource Center for Families with Special Needs. She is the parent of two children, one of which has a severe medical condition. Jennifer has a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and holds a current license as a Clinical Professional Counselor. Jennifer has a passion for leadership with a focus on continuous personal and professional development. She has spent 18 years supporting individuals and families with special needs. Jennifer has been a member of statewide and local committees representing IN*SOURCE and families of individuals with disabilities in the areas of secondary transition, employment, mental health, and early childhood.
Peer TA Specialist
Kanika Littleton is the Director of Michigan Alliance for Families (MAF), a Michigan Department of Education IDEA grant-funded initiative and Project Director of the OSEP-funded Parent Training and Information Center, Michigan Alliance-PTI (MAPTI). Ms. Littleton joined MAF/MAPTI in 2014 and has held several positions including Regional Parent Mentor (RPM) and Statewide RPM Supervisor. She assumed leadership of MAF/MAPTI in June 2019.
Ms. Littleton earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Sociology from Wayne State University (WSU) in Detroit, MI. Additionally, she completed coursework toward a doctoral degree in the Sociology of Health and Illness. Currently, she is pursuing a graduate certificate in Leading and Managing Teams at Michigan State University (MSU).
Ms. Littleton participates in various state and federal committees devoted to improving educational and post-secondary outcomes for children and young adults with disabilities, including serving seven years on the Michigan Department of Education Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC). While on SEAC, she held leadership roles on both the Executive and Membership Committees. Moreover, Ms. Littleton is a graduate of Leaders in Policy Advocacy (LIPA); a statewide initiative previously funded by the Michigan Developmental Disability Council and administered through The Arc Michigan.
Ms. Littleton is the mother of three, including a young adult with Autism. In addition to her professional responsibilities, she belongs to several parent groups dedicated to supporting parents in becoming stronger advocates and helping them to foster self-advocacy skills in their children and young adults with disabilities.
Peer TA Specialist
Joe La Belle is the Director of Programs Impact at Family Network on Disabilities. In his role, he oversees four federally funded programs across Florida. Joe also works with two OSEP-funded Technical Assistance centers as a technology & social media consultant, helping to strengthen OSEP-funded programs for students with Disabilities. Joe is a nationally recognized speaker and coach who uses his lived experience with ADHD and learning disabilities to advocate for change.
Project Consultants
Contracted TA Consultant
Jan is the Director of Serak Consulting Services, LLC, where she contracts with nonprofit organizations to provide Board training, interim management, and other services. Prior to her retirement, she was co-founder and CEO, leading WI FACETS for over 25 years. She co-directed WI’s Parent Training & Information Center and the Region 4 Parent TA Center. She currently is a Consultant for the Region C Parent TA Center, where she has been excited to provide Board training and other services for PTIs and CPRCs in the Region. She was a founder and the Parent Partner of the WI Special Education Mediation System. Jan was a founder of the National Center for Parent Leadership, Advocacy, and Community Empowerment (National PLACE). She has served on many Boards, including for the Autism Society of America; Autism Society of WI, Autism Society of SE WI, and the Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE). She served on the WI State Superintendent’s Council on Exceptional Education, WI Governor’s Read to Lead Task Force, Quality Education Coalition of WI, OSEP State Advisory Panel, and the National IDEA Partnership Creating Agreement Training Team. She received her B.S. in Dietetics from the University of WI-Madison and her M.A. in Educational Psychology and Dispute Resolution from Marquette University. She is the parent of two adult sons, one of whom has autism.
Contracted TA Consultant
Glenda Hicks owns and operates a consulting practice focused on building governance, leadership, and operational capacity for organizations. With over 35 years of professional experience serving the not-for-profit sector, and almost 25 years in her firm, Glenda has supported clients and former employers with board governance, board development, strategic planning, operations, accounting, taxation, leadership development, human resource management, and more.
Incorporating both customized services and evidenced based tools, the firm’s work is Inspired by Possibilities and Driven by Results. Our mission is to combine best practices with innovation and leadership development to fuel an organization’s success toward becoming its best. Working with board members, senior management teams, and staff, Glenda provides assessment, training, consulting, and coaching services. In addition to her independent work, Glenda enjoys collaborating with expert colleagues to help organizations overcome challenges, build stronger teams, and develop future leaders through Design Thinking Innovations, and advisory work.
