Ohio Coalition for Children with Disabilities

Brickner, Sandy
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Sandy has been a consultant for the North Central Office since 2000. Sandy provides information, training and support to parents in her area. She is also coordinator and lead trainer for the "It's My Turn" transition training provided for students ages 14-21. Sandy holds a degree in Early Childhood Education. She previously served as a parent mentor. Sandy and her husband have five sons; two sons have been identified with learning disabilities and one is challenged with A.D.H.D. Sandy serves Erie, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca counties.

Bryant, Robin
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Information Specialist for the Southwest office of O.C.E.C.D. since 1990 and a consultant prior to that time. Robin also provided consultative services to families as a former employee of the Southwest Special Education Regional Resource Center for ten years from 1979-1989. Robin has a love for early childhood education and has taught pre-school and kindergarten in the public school system. Robin has a special interest in special education law and provides training in all aspects of the IDEA and Ohio special education law. Robin has a hearing impairment and is the mother of a son and a daughter with learning disabilities. She provides information, training and support for parents in Butler, Greene, Hamilton, Preble and Warren counties.

Caceres, Marbella
Multicultural Specialist/Trainer

Marbella Cáceres is from San Pedro Sula, Honduras. She started with OCECD in March 2006. Her responsibilities include assisting the Statewide Training Coordinator with translating English to Spanish and the development of trainings that address the cultural needs in the state of Ohio. She will also serve the Hispanic/Latino families regarding information and individual assistance on IDEIA. Marbella will work as a Multicultural Specialist and Trainer for OCECD using the knowledge and skills developed from her extensive travel throughout the U.S. and Central America. Marbella's travels and first hand experiences have led her to help educate and raise awareness of cultural diversity within different communities. She was previously employed for 4 years as an Instructor in the field of public service in Marion. Prior to coming to America she worked as Executive Secretary for Amy Industries in Honduras. Marbella resides in Delaware with her husband and their two daughters.

Dennison, Kim
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Information Specialist for the Ohio River Valley office of the Ohio Coalition since July, 2005. 11 years experience as Parent Mentor for Gallia County Local School District in Southeastern Ohio. Married to husband Mike; daughter Katy is 18 years old. Katy was born deaf and received a Cochlear Implant at the age of 3 ½ yrs of age. Serves Gallia, Lawrence and Scioto counties.

Dombroskas, Valorie
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Valorie joined the staff at O.C.E.C.D. in June 2002. Prior to that she was a parent mentor serving families in five school districts for the Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center. She is also the former director of the Special Education Parent Advocacy Network when she also worked with O.C.E.C.D. for several years. Valorie is the parent of a son with a learning disability. She provides information, training and support to parents in Athens, Fairfield, Hocking, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, Vinton and Washington counties.

Houston, Jean
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Provides Educational support and training for families and community in Clermont, Adams, Brown, Highland and Clinton Counties. Jean has an adult child with multiple disabilities who was eligible for school in the early seventies, however, was refused services for three years prior to the 94-142 Special Education Law. Jean moved her family to an area offering some support and has continues to seek services as this group, now adults must still blaze trails to obtain supports, especially in the mental health field. Her passion for the rights of children have kept her in various advocacy roles for over 30 years, including 17 years with the Head Start Program. Jean is married to Greg, and is the adoptive grandparent of two boys. The oldest, with learning disabilities, has required special education support and has graduated from High School.

Jones, Nancy
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Parent advocate /trainer for Southern office since 2004. She provides advocacy in Adams, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Fayette, Highland, and trainings in Adams, Brown, and Clermont Counties. For four years prior to joining O.C.E.C.D., she provided advocacy services for parents as a volunteer. Nancy's interest is in children with behavioral challenges and in empowering parents to advocate for their child. Nancy has been married for 25 years and has 2 children. Her son has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and needed specialized supports in school.

Linkhorn, Pat
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Pat Linkhorn is a parent advocate/trainer for the East Central office. She served as a Parent Mentor since 1994 for Guernsey, Monroe, and Noble counties. Prior to that, she was a Family Information Network Consultant for the Ohio Department of Health for three years. Pat and her husband, Gary, have two children with disabilities. Her eldest daughter, Kim, has Autism, and Krystal is blind due to prematurity. Pat has a special interest in low-incidence disabilities and animals as therapy. The Linkhorns maintain "therapy" llamas, which they take to schools and nursing homes. Her office serves Guernsey, Noble, Monroe, Belmont, and Muskingum counties.

Lyke, Karen
Parent Advocate/Trainer

As Information Specialist for the Northern office, Karen provides information, training and support to parents in her area. She has been assisting families in securing appropriate educational services for children with disabilities for 15 years. Karen's background includes training in all aspects of special education law. She has two children; one child has multiple disabilities. Karen serves Huron, Lorain, Summit, and Medina counties.

Mandernach, Nancy
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Nancy joined the Ohio Coalition Team in 2004 as Information Specialist for the Mid-Ohio office. Her son lost his sight at the age of 14, and she then found herself in harmony with many parents of children with disabilities, thus inspiring her to help parents prepare for dealing with the educational maze. Nancy has been advocating for children with disabilities for over 8 years, five years serving as Parent Mentor. She currently serves Morrow and Richland counties, and provides trainings in Knox and Licking counties.

Miller, Colleen
Statewide Training Coordinator/Trainer

Colleen Miller has been with O.C.E.C.D. since 1997 and has served as an Information Specialist in five north central counties and as Statewide Early Childhood Coordinator. Prior to being employed with O.C.E.C.D., she was Administrator of a Preschool/Day Care in Northern Ohio, Chairman of the Huron County Child Abuse and Neglect Board, and taught parenting classes for the Huron County Health Department. She currently serves as Statewide Training Coordinator, where she develops training materials, conducts trainings to parents and professionals and supports the 15 advocate/ trainers at O.C.E.C.D. Her background and experience is in the field of Child Development and she is currently pursuing a degree as a paralegal. She is married, has three children and five grandchildren.

Rutt, Barb
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Barb has been the OCECD Information Specialist for the Cleveland Office since April 2002. She provides information, training and support for parents in the Cuyahoga County. Prior to joining OCECD, Barb was a Parent Mentor for Cleveland Municipal Schools from 1996-2002. She is currently taking course in the chemical dependency/mental health field in order to broaden her knowledge of children and adolescents with mental illness. Barb has three children; the youngest is a teenager challenged with learning disabilities.

Ryle, Jeanith
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Jeanith has been an Information Specialist for OCECD since 1998. She provides information, training and support to parents regarding their rights in the special education process and helps them advocate for their children. She and her husband have four children; the eldest daughter has Angelman Syndrome, mental retardation, cerebral palsy and is Bi-polar and non-verbal. Their youngest son has Dyslexia and learning disabilities. Jeanith serves Adams Brown, Clinton, Crawford, Defiance, Fayette, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Highland, Knox, Licking, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Paulding, Pickaway, Putnam, Richland, Union, Williams, wood and Wyandot counties.

Toalston, Kelley
Parent Advocate/Trainer

Kelley is an Information Specialist for the Canton office of OCECD. Kelley was a Preschool teacher for the past 6 years prior to the Coalition. A Help Me Grow Family Support Coordinator is also part of Kelley's background in working with families and children. Kelley loves early childhood education and loves presenting our Parent trainings that we offer. Kelley feels it is very rewarding to be able to offer assistance to the families that are going through the special education process in the school system. Kelley is the mother of 2 children a daughter with ADD and a son with Autism. She provides information, training, and support for parents in Ashland, Stark, Tuscarawas,Wayne, Holmes, Muskingham, and Coshocton counties.

White, Tina
Parent Advocate/Trainer

As Information Specialist for the Northeast office since March 2002, Tina provides information, training and support to parents in her area. Prior to her work with the Coalition, she provided family support for the Help Me Grow system in Mahoning County for 8 years. Tina has a special interest in Early Intervention/Early Childhood. Tina and her husband have four children; her daughter has global delays and Satus Epilepsy. Tina serves Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Jefferson and Mahoning counties.

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