Sarah Mensah, Co-Chairperson
Sarah is the Chief Operating Officer for Portland Trail Blazers. She has an eight-year-old son with ASD. Sarah is the Vice Chair of the Portland Schools Foundation, she serves on the board of directors of the Urban League of Portland, and she has helped establish a Portland chapter of the National Association of Black Sports Professionals.
Robert Fessler, Co-Chairperson
Mr. Fessler has over 35 years of project controls and construction management experience on engineering and construction projects around the world with CH2M HILL. He is currently the director of project controls for NuScale Power. He is the father of 3 grown children and has a grandson diagnosed on the spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome. He is the chairman of fundraising activities for Northwest Autism Foundation.
Wayne Hamersly
Wayne is retired from a successful career in the securities industry spanning over three decades. He was one of the three founders of NWAF and he has served on the board of directors since the organization’s inception. Wayne has also served on many municipal and educational boards in the community.
John DeHoney
In addition to serving as a Board Member of NWAF, John has served as Autism Forum’s Executive Director since its inception. Previously, he served as the President and Executive Director of the Autism Treatment Network. Prior to entering the non-profit world, John had a successful career as a real estate investment manager; he also worked in the public sector in California.
David Humphrey
David is the owner of Kirkman Laboratories, a vitamin and supplement company which was a pioneer in serving the autism community, located in Lake Oswego. He serves on the boards of Autism Forum and the Autism Research Institute, and is a former board member of the Autism Society of America. David is a co-founder of the Autism Treatment Network, and the President of the Autism Coalition for Treatment.
Dave Kelley
Dave is a senior manager at Nike. He and his wife, Betsy, have a six-year-old son with ASD. Dave serves on the board of directors of the Autism Society of Oregon. Dave and his wife started the Autism Ball, an annual charity event to help benefit children with ASD.
Brad Parrott
Brad is owner and managing partner of Veritas Private Advisors, a private and confidential business advisory firm, located in Lake Oswego. He has a teenage son with ASD and is a very active advocate for his son’s treatment and education. Brad chairs NWAF’s finance sub-committee.
Michelle Pardew, Ph.D.
Michelle is a professor of Special Education as Western Oregon University. She teaches classes preparing teachers to work with children with ASD. She serves on various local and state-wide educational committees that work to improve education for children with ASD, and she was recently appointed by Oregon’s Governor to serve on the Oregon Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Michelle has a brother with ASD who is in his 50s and she has seen how changes and breakthroughs have changed the lives of those affecting with ASD.
Arnie Franks
Arnie is the co-owner of Caruso Produce. Him and his wife, Susan, have a autistic grandson. His daughter, Tricia Hasbrook, started the Victory Academy a very successful school for Autistic Children in Willsonville. Tricia’s son, Arnie’s Grandon, attends Victory Academy. Arnie is a large supporter of Victory Academy and serves on the board of directors.
Matthew Riley, MD
Dr. Riley is a provider at the NW Pediatric Gastroenterology Clinic in Portland Oregon. He also runs the Pediatric GI clinic for children with autism spectrum disorders at the Providence Neurodevelopmental Center. He sees children with ASD from birth to 18 years old to help with GI problems.
Past Board Members:
- Michele Raddish, M.D.
- Gleason Eakin
- Richard Fade
- Lynn Hamersly
- Stephen Nicholson, Ph.D.
- Mary Lynn O’Brien, M.D.
- E. Gene Stubbs, M.D.
- Don Wilson
- Merilee Young
- Joanne Hazel
Joe Taylor
Executive Director
Liz Russell
Assistant to the Director, Office Manager
