Our Council Members are dedicated and passionate individuals, serving the I/DD Community in the State of Nevada.
Meet the Chair – Max Lowe
Max serves as a person with an I/DD on this Council and resides in Carson City, Nevada. He earned his Masters in Social Work from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2018 and is a recent graduate of the NGCDD Partners in Policymaking program. Max’s passion is advocacy and helping others. He loves food, his friends, family, and dog. He likes spending his free time partaking in arts and crafts, while enjoying life. Max states that life for him is an adventure and where it takes him, is where he will go! He has been a member of this Council since April 2022.
Meet the Vice-Chair – Anna Marie Binder
Anna Marie is a person with I/DD and is a passionate community advocate and dedicated professional based in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she has lived since 1991. As a devoted wife and mother to six children, three of whom have intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), Anna has a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of parenting in today’s world.
With a strong commitment to advocacy, Anna is a prominent voice for autism awareness and a warrior for public education. She actively works to promote understanding and support for families affected by I/DD, striving to create a more inclusive and equitable community for all. Her efforts have made a significant impact on the lives of many families in the Las Vegas area.
In addition to her advocacy work, Anna believes in the importance of education and is dedicated to ensuring that every child has access to quality learning opportunities. She collaborates with local organizations and participates in initiatives aimed at improving educational resources and support for students with diverse needs.
When she’s not advocating for her community, Anna enjoys gardening, crocheting, cooking, and spending quality time with her family. These hobbies provide her with joy and relaxation, allowing her to nurture her creativity and strengthen family bonds. She is always eager to connect with others who share her passion for making a difference. She has been a member of the Council since December 2022.
Council Member – Stacy Alaribe
Stacy serves as a person with an I/DD on this Council. She was born, raised and currently resides in Reno, Nevada. Stacy is a Nigerian American who attended elementary through high school in the public education system in Washoe County. Stacy is also the Chair of the UNR-NCED Community Advisory Committee. Stacy has her Masters in Social Work from the University of Nevada, Reno and is a recent graduate of the NGCDD Partners in Policymaking program. She has been a member of this Council since July 2020.
Council Member – Lisa Bonie
Lisa is the Executive Director of the Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living. She has been a member of this Council since November 2016 and currently lives in Reno, Nevada.
Council Member – Cate Guzy
Bio Coming
Council Member – Taylor Gardner Chaney
Taylor Gardner Chaney is a sister of an adult with Down Syndrome and has been a member of this Council since April 2021. She is a driven, passionate and progressive entrepreneur with multifaceted businesses and one common mission; to support and enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities and make our community a more inclusive place. Inspired by her little sister and the lack of resources and opportunities available, Taylor has dedicated her work to filling these gaps.
Taylor is the Founder and CEO of The Garden Foundation; a non-profit organization and facility, serving
adults with different abilities in Las Vegas.
Taylor has also Founded Tribe Inclusive Learning Platform; a national online platform providing classes
and services for individuals with disabilities, as well as Dig it! Coffee Co., a social enterprise coffee shop
in Las Vegas, providing training and competitive wage job opportunities to those with disabilities and
their peers.
Taylor has been recognized by the National Association of Women Business Owners in Southern Nevada as a ‘Woman of Distinction.’ She also sits on advisory boards for Touro University (OTD). Taylor passionately continues to change the scope for those with disabilities and their families by
empowering people to reach their full potential and creating opportunities for a more inclusive
community.
Council Member – Ellen Frias-Wilcox
Bio Coming
Council Member – Vickie Ives
Vickie is the Deputy Bureau Chief with the Division of Public and Behavioral Health over the Child, Family, and Community Wellness program and has been a member of the Council since February 2017. She has her MA in Anthropology from Arizona State University and has been a State of Nevada Employee for just over 13 years overall. She works closely with the sections within the CFCW Bureau and supervises the Nevada State Immunization Program and the Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Section and is the director for Nevada Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs; Nevada Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting; Nevada Early Hearing Detection and Intervention; and Nevada Rape Prevention and Education programs. She serves as the Nevada Promoting Innovation in State/Territorial Maternal and Child Health Policymaking Learning Community lead, principle investigator for teen pregnancy prevention grants and Nevada Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System efforts, is a member of the Nevada Statewide Executive Committee to Review Child Fatalities and Washoe County Fetal Infant Mortality Review, Nevada Newborn Screening Advisory Board, Medical Home Portal Advisory Board, co- lead on the Nevada Mountain States Regional Genetics Network, Region IX Board member for AMCHP, the national MCH Workforce Development Council, Nevada Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health efforts, and supports the state Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC).
Council Member – Randall Owen
Randall Owen is the Executive Director of the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities and is one of the three DD Network Partners.
Randall Owen joined the College of Education & Human Development as the Director of the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities (NCED) and Associate Professor in Special Education. Randall has 15 years of experience conducting research on and with people with disabilities to better understand the impact of policies on their lived experiences. Primarily he has explored healthcare and employment policies across the United States and in Australia and the United Kingdom. Randall has been the Principal Investigator on many grants, including from the federal government, state departments and agencies, and local organizations. He is a mixed-methods researcher, with extensive experience conducting interviews and survey research. Among his areas of interest are disability studies, human rights, inclusion, diversity, leadership, accessibility, family support, and civic engagement.
Originally from West Michigan, Randall completed undergraduate work at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. He earned a Ph.D. in Disability Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and joined the faculty of their Department of Disability and Human Development and served as the Associate Director of the Institute on Disability and Human Development, the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities for Illinois. For the last year, Randall has conducted research with the University of California, San Francisco.
Council Member – Gabriel Tejada
Gabe is a person with an I/DD and resides in Reno, Nevada and is a student at the University of Nevada, Reno. He has been a member of the Council since December 2021.
Council Member – Brynlin Thornley
Brynlin is a person with an I/DD and resides in Mesquite, Nevada. She is a recent graduate of the NGCDD Partners in Policymaking program and has been a member of the Council since January 2021. She previously served on the Rare Disease Council for Nevada.
Brynlin is a well rounded public speaker known for speaking about various disability related topics and advocating in her community. She recently helped advocate for a new gym for her local high school and was instrumental in getting accessibility buttons put in at the local recreation center. She graduated high school with honors and got a proclamation signed by the City Council that declared March 29 Developmental Disabilities Day for Mesquite, Nevada.
As a child, Brynlin was on the show Good Dog on Nickelodeon that had a segment about her life with her then service dog, Metro. Metro was a partner for many years serving Brynlin and being a part of the many seminars she taught at local schools.
On her personal time, she enjoys reading, writing, watching tv, and spending time with her family outdoors. Her all time favorite pastime is trying new food. She also greatly enjoys going to self-advocacy conferences and meeting new people.
Council Member – Vivian Turner
Vivian is a Rehabilitation Supervisor with the Bureau of Vocational Rehab within the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation. Vivian has been a member of the Council since July 2018. Vivian is originally from Michigan and has been a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada since 2008. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology and Master of Arts Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Michigan State University. Vivian has over 30 years of experience working with Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities in various capacities and has worked as a Rehabilitation Counselor for 27 years.
Council Member – Kathleen Kingston
Kathleen is a family member of a person with an I/DD and resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has been a member of the Council since 2016. Kathleen Kingston is a native Nevadan who graduated in 1989 from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She currently has over 26 years of success working for Clark County Public Works as a civil engineer on roadways and flood control projects.
Kathleen is the mother of a wonderful young adult son, Jack, who has a developmental disability due to tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and autism; thus Kathleen is a volunteer for several organizations so that she can advocate for her son as well as others with developmental disabilities.
In 2007, Kathleen established and became the first chairperson of the TSC Alliance of Nevada, which is a volunteer group that works closely with the national TSC Alliance to support the mission of “finding a cure for TSC while improving the lives of those affected.” In this role, Kathleen helps in supporting Nevada families, increasing awareness, raising revenue and meeting with Nevada Representatives and Senators to advocate for continued medical research funding. Kathleen has chaired six “Step Forward to Cure TSC fundraising walkathons (2007, 2008, 2016-2019). She has coordinated conference calls with experts for the TSC community as well as the autism community.
As a 2015 graduate of the Nevada Partners in Policymaking Class, Kathleen became an appointed volunteer member of the Nevada Government Council for Developmental Disabilities and served two terms from 2015 through 2021. She has been reappointed to begin serving her third term in 2023.
Kathleen became a board member for Families for Effective Autism Treatment in 2020 and is currently serving as secretary for this local nonprofit, which serves our Southern Nevada community.
Kathleen’s participation in Toastmasters helps her bring awareness of TSC to our community, support families, and increase her advocacy skills for her son and for others who have disabilities.
Kathleen feels incredibly fortunate that she enjoys playing the bass guitar for her church’s worship team, almost every Sunday.
Council Member – Christine Riggi
Christine Riggi is a stay-at-home mother of four children. Her middle eldest daughter was born with Down syndrome in 2012. This was the launch of Christine’s journey of trying to educate herself and then other parents to be the best advocates possible for their loved ones. The ultimate goal is to then teach their loved ones to become empowered self-advocates. She has been a member of this Council since January 2022.
Christine was a federal employee for fifteen years. She has served on the board of the Down Syndrome Network of Northern Nevada and the JUSTin Hope Foundation. Christine Graduated from Partners in Policy and NVLend. She served on the Interagency Coordinating Council of Nevada. Through these opportunities, she has had the privilege of learning and understanding the inner workings of multiple systems in the State of Nevada; navigating resources and challenges one may encounter. She is excited to start the journey again by helping others while gaining knowledge and understanding serving on the DD Council.