President

David A. Rotholz, Ph.D. is the Associate Director of the Center for Disability Resources (UCEDD) and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. His professional goals center on high quality, evidence-based supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through services, training and research. His major South Carolina efforts are currently devoted to statewide system change in positive behavior support and directing a collaborative grant to evaluate the reliability and validity of the quality assurance and improvement system used by South Carolina’s MR/DD system.

Dr. Rotholz’s 25+ years of experience in the profession provide the basis for his current work. These experiences include work as a direct support professional in the late 1970s as live-in group home staff and as a classroom teacher for children with autism (using discrete trial methodology before it became “mainstream”); consultant to school-based special education programs; clinical direction of a nationally respected treatment program for children with autism; teaching, research, and service provision in university settings; and development and implementation of training curricula for practitioners who support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Dr. Rotholz’s recent responsibilities include research policy advisor to a state MR/DD agency and trainer to community services staff, school psychologists, and special educators across the country in the areas of positive behavior supports and effective teaching methods for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He has also been an active leader with the AAIDD Psychology Division, AAIDD Board of Directors and state chapters of the AAIDD and the Arc. David received his Ph.D. in 1985 from the University of Kansas and has been an active member of AAIDD since 1992. He became a fellow of AAIDD in 2002 and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2005.

President-Elect

Steve Eidelman has led change in a variety of settings for people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. In 1974 Steve was a graduate student in Social Work Administration at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. He accepted a yearlong field placement at the then John F. Kennedy Institute for Handicapped Children, the first University Affiliated Facility. That experience changed his life. One year turned to five, and under the watchful eye of the many excellent faculties in two-dozen professional disciplines he became “hooked” on the field of services and supports to people with developmental disabilities and their families.

As the Executive Director of The Arc of the United States, the nation’s largest organization concerned with people with mental etardation and related developmental disabilities and their families. Steve has been helping The Arc to focus itself for the 21st Century, and has helped The Arc relocate its national headquarters from Arlington, TX to the Washington, DC area. Steve is especially proud of the joint efforts this year between The Arc and AAIDD. For the second time, the two associations conducted a highly successful joint Governmental Affairs seminar in April, with record setting attendance. AAUAP joined in as an additional sponsor, presenting one voice for The Arc’s constituents from multiple perspectives. In addition AAIDD adopted The Arc’s 2000, 2001 and 2002 legislative goals, helping to assure that those we both serve have the benefit of our combined expertise, passion and commitment. Now, in collaboration with UCP, The Arc has expanded the endorsing organizations for the goals as well as jointly operating the Public Policy Collaboration, sharing resources and staff on the common legislative goals. He is working on issues ranging from supporting consumers and families through provision of information and tools to assist them in obtaining the services and support they choose, to governance and standards for The Arc and all the chapters of The Arc.

Beginning September, 2005 Steve became the first Robert Edelsohn Chair and Professor in the Field of Services for Adults with Developmental Disabilities, in the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy at the University of Delaware. He is a professor in the College of Human Services and Public Policy, and a Senior Fellow at the Center for Disability Studies at the University of Delaware. One of the things he is the most excited about is being able to develop leadership training programs for people who manage in the government and not-for-profit sectors supporting people with disabilities.

Secretary- Treasurer

Jim Gardner has served as President and CEO of CQL (Council on Quality and Leadership) since 1989. During this time CQL has demonstrated international leadership in the definition, measurement, and improvement of quality of life for people with disabilities. He is particularly interested in issues surrounding quality of life, increasing social capital for all members of the community, and fostering the role of support organizations as bridges to the community for people with disabilities and their families.

He previously served as Vice President for Community Services at the John F. Kennedy Institute at Johns Hopkins University and then Director of the Education Center at the Sheppard Pratt Mental Health System. He began his career in human services in Massachusetts as a unit director at the Walter E. Fernald State School and then served as the first Executive Director of the Greater Lawrence Educational Collaborative.

He earned a Ph.D. in American Studies from Indiana University and received a Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., post-doctoral fellowship in Medical ethics from the Harvard Medical School. He later received a MA degree in administrative sciences from Johns Hopkins University. This academic training provided background and resources for a reframing of human services that began with his participation and experience in a series of Program Analysis of Service Systems training workshops.

He has taught graduate courses in organization development, organizational theory and design, and leadership at the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University and authored over 50 publications in disability services, quality of life, and measurement and evaluation. He has participated in conferences, presented research findings, and promoted a vision of a “world of dignity, opportunity and community inclusion for all people” throughout North America, Europe, and New Zealand, Australia and Taiwan.

Jim Gardner has been a member of AAIDD since 1978. He has served at state, regional, and national level or the organization. He was named an AAIDD Fellow in 2000 and received the Leadership Award in 2004.

Hank Bersani is currently Chair of the Division of Special Education at Western Oregon University, and he also holds a clinical appointment at Oregon Health and Sciences University Department of Preventive Medicine. He has been a member of AAIDD since 1976.

Bersani was a recipient of the Mary Switzer Distinguished Research Fellowship of the Nation Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation awarded him their Fellowship for Public Policy in Mental Retardation. He spent his fellowship year in Washington DC working with Senator Chafee and the US Senate Finance Committee on Medicaid Reform The Arc of the US also awarded him the Franklin Smith Distinguished National Service Award.

He has also been an invited speaker to conferences in Ireland, Sweden, New Zealand, and Canada

He has edited several books on contemporary issues in the field, including:

New Voices: Self-Advocacy by People with Disabilities (co edited with Gunnar Dybwad);
Speaking up and Spelling it Out: Personal essays on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (co-edited with Melanie Fried-Oken),
Responding to the Challenge: Current Trends and international issues in Developmental Disabilities. Essays in honor of Gunnar Dybwad.
Quality Assurance for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (co-edited with Valerie J. Bradley)

Sharon Gomez is the Quality Enhancement Officer for Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries, Inc.; a faith-based, not-for-profit, multi-state agency providing supports to people with developmental disabilities. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Louisiana State University. She previously served as the Director of Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries, Inc. Southwest Louisiana Community Services Division from its inception. She also served as a Program Supervisor for Evergreen as well as a Court Monitor for the District Court of Louisiana in the matter of Gary W. et al vs. the State of Louisiana. Sharon was instrumental in introducing the concept of Person Centered Planning to Evergreen and has traveled extensively in the United States teaching people the value of this philosophy as well as the tool.

She joined the staff of The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) in 2002 as a Quality Enhancement Specialist. Through her work with CQL, Sharon has worked extensively with organizations throughout the United States and most recently in Ireland in developing person centered approaches to service delivery. CQL is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to being the leader for excellence in the definition, measurement and evaluation of personal and community quality of life for people with disabilities and people with mental illness. She has authored a chapter in the AAIDD Publication entitled Contemporary Issues in Administration: Leadership and Organizational Excellence; the chapter is entitled “Factors Defining An Excellent Community Provider” and co-authored a second chapter in the same publication entitled “The Partnership of Person Centered Planning and Outcomes Measurement.” She also co-authored an article that appeared in the March, 2003 issue of Exceptional Parent Magazine entitled, “One Organization’s Multi-Dimensional Approach to Quality Enhancement. She has held numerous positions in the American Association on Mental Retardation including President of the Louisiana Chapter, President of the Region V Chapter, President of the Community Services Division of the National Chapter, and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Chapter on two separate occasions. She became a Fellow in AAIDD in 2000. In 2003, she was selected as one of 34 individuals who have made the most significant contributions to enhancing quality of life for individuals with mental retardation across the 20TH century in a five state area (Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri.)

Member-at-Large

Canadian Member-at-Large

Diane Morin, Ph.D. has worked for the past 18 years as a clinical psychologist in the area of developmental disabilities. She is on the faculty of the Department of Psychology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. She was a founding member of the Quebec Chapter of AAIDD and serves currently on its board as Vice-President/Treasurer. Dr. Morin’s clinical and research interests are primarily in the area of mental health problems, severe behavior problems as well as parental stress associated with these factors. She has co-authored two French language textbooks in the area of mental retardation as well as coordinated the French translation of the AAIDD 2002 System (Luckasson et al., 2002).

Member-at-Large

Mark H. Yeager earned his Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi in Educational Leadership and has been in service to persons with developmental disabilities for over two decades. His career path began with a summer job as a recreation direct care professional at Ellisville State School. He has taught in the Mississippi public schools, at both the elementary and high school levels. Dr. Yeager served at Boswell Regional Center as the Director of Grants and Community Services where he developed community based programs for adults with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities.

During most of his professional career, Dr. Yeager has had a strong interest in the field of autism spectrum disorders. He has presented numerous topics on autism at the State, National and International levels. As a lecturer, consultant and speaker on autism, Yeager provides ongoing support to families in need of services. Because of his vision and leadership in the field, Yeager was recognized for his contributions to Mississippians with autism by being presented the TEAAM (Together Enhancing Autism Awareness in Mississippi) Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. Yeager holds many certifications and licensed as an educator, therapist and administrator. He has held many AAIDD offices on the State, Regional and National level as well as served on numerous committees. He is the recipient of the Paul D. Cotton Award, Mississippi AAIDD’s highest leadership award and the Larry D. Scott Award for leadership excellence by the Southeast AAIDD Region. He is also an AAIDD Fellow.
Presently Dr. Yeager is employed by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health as a program administrator. He has four children, one girl, Tiffani and three boys Garrett, Mason and Drew.

Member-at-Large

Michael Wehmeyer, PhD, is Professor of Special Education; Director, Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities; and Associate Director, Beach Center on Disability at the University of Kansas. Dr. Wehmeyer is engaged in teacher personnel preparation in the area of severe, multiple disabilities and directs multiple federally funded projects conducting research and model development in the education of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He is the author of more than 180 articles or book chapters and has authored, co-authored or co-edited 19 books on disability and education related issues, including issues pertaining to self-determination, transition, universal design for learning and access to the general curriculum for students with significant disabilities, and technology use by people with cognitive disabilities. He is past president of the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition and is Editor-in-Chief for the journal Remedial and Special Education. In 1999 Dr. Wehmeyer was the inaugural recipient of the Distinguished Early Career Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division for Research. In May, 2003 he was awarded the American Association on Mental Retardation’s National Education award. Dr. Wehmeyer holds undergraduate and Masters degrees in special education from the University of Tulsa and a Masters degree in experimental psychology from the University of Sussex in Brighton, England, where he was a Rotary International Fellow. He earned his Ph.D. in Human Development and Communication Sciences from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Presidential Advisor

Executive Director

Doreen Croser became interested in developmental disabilities many years ago when her younger brother John was diagnosed with multiple disabilities including mental retardation. Since that time, she has served in many professional and volunteer capacities in addition to remaining actively involved in John’s life.

For the last 14 years, Doreen has been serving as the first woman Executive Director of the American Association on Mental Retardation. Joining the Association as a college student and remaining deeply committed to AAIDD, Doreen works with many national, regional and local AAIDD leaders in support of our critical mission. AAIDD is dedicated to improving the quality of individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families by promoting progressive policies, sound research, effective practices and universal human rights in the United States and throughout the world.

Previous positions held by Ms. Croser include Assistant Director in the Developmental Disabilities Administration of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; Associate Director of WRI, Inc., a human services consulting firm in New York City; Director of Region II Developmental Disabilities Training & Technical Resource Center; Director of Developmental Disabilities Services, City of Portsmouth, Virginia; Sheltered Workshop Director, Summer Camp Director, and Special Educator.

She serves on a variety of boards and is a member of many National and State committees including the Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council in Maryland.