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Board of Director Opportunities

The LaChris Connection is currently expanding our Board of Directors.

Up till now our Board has served well in a support and advisory capacity. They are becoming more actively involved with TLC's mission and services.

TLC would greatly benefit from additional folks on our board who also have exposure to, an understanding of and willingness to serve the community of families touched by special needs.

Board members with knowledge of non-profits, fundraising and other professional resources would also be invaluable. We’d love for your sphere of influence to be an avenue for stimulating community awareness as well as service and friendships for those we serve.

Your interest in our mission is the basic qualification for board membership. We have two, fairly informal interviews/discussions with prospective board members; the first with our co-EDs, the second with the existing board.

Our “Board Match” posting is listed at Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL) http://cvnl.org/leadership/boardmatch.html which includes further information on our actual meetings and expectations. Potential board members would need to be comfortable with our meetings beginning and/or ending with prayer, typically in the Christian tradition.

Please take a moment to meet our current Board of Directors:

Tom Wise - President/Moderator

Tom is husband to Carol and father of 5 grown children. He enjoys what he considers his “dream job” as a ‘home instruction & program instructor” for Easter Seals Society of Marin. Tom holds a Masters in special ed and is an avid musician. Combining his education and talents he lovingly serves his newborn to 3 year old clients by bringing wisdom and music to their families during these crucial, early intervention years. Tom brings to our board a familiarly with the joys and struggles of families of children with special needs and an affection for all. His past experiences on church and non-profit organization boards and his networking arena are great assets that benefit TLC’s advancement.

Amanda Ayars Nevin - Vice Moderator

Amanda grew up in Fresno, California, in a family of four. Her older sister was mentally and profoundly disabled and upon her death her family opened a foster home for children with developmental disabilities. Amanda spent her childhood and teenage years learning about the needs of their foster children. Like many who have family members or friends with disabilities, Amanda learned how we can and need to serve those who have special abilities and the ways to love and care for all individuals in unique and wonderful ways. Various higher education and employment opportunities, such as youth director, brought Amanda to cities in Washington, Texas and Illinois. Amanda is now settled back in California as the Associate Pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Novato. After moving to Novato, Amanda has sought to serve not only her congregation but the larger community as a whole. After a “chance” meeting with Louise and a random conversation about our similar situations having experienced the joy and heartache of losing a family member; Amanda joined the Board of The LaChris Connection. Amanda recently got married to her husband Jay and together they are finding ways to give back to their community.

Brian Frack - Treasurer

Brian is husband to Sara and father of two delightful, feisty young boys! He is a part time associate pastor of Lucas Valley Community Church (LVCC) and part time ‘stay at home dad’. From its inception TLC has benefited from the support of the pastors and members of LVCC. Brian has taken that support a step further by ‘sitting’ on our board, lending a hand at our monthly and annual events and generously donating his “techy” talents toward our much needed data base tools. In recent years Brian has observed and interacted with TLC’s founding Bruce’s along with other families and individuals who have varying degrees of disabilities. Just as TLC’s mission & messages put forth, both Brian and the people TLC serves are learning and benefiting from these relationships!

Kristie Berryhill - Secretary

Kristie is a day care professional, wife to Gary and mom to four wonderful girls. The Berryhills are also neighbors and long time friends of TLC’s founders, the Bruce Family. Kris became familiar with the dynamics of the Bruce family, with their 2, of 3, children who had cerebral palsy, as she joined them for annual trips to Yosemite, years of birthday parties and being the caregiver for our typical, middle son. All along, she observed the ease of acceptance of the handicapped two, but still guessed it must be difficult dealing with their ‘differences’. Kris became the Grandma of 5, 2 of whom were born with cerebral palsy. She is thrilled at the learned truth that “it’s really no different, you just fall in love with their strengths and quirks, just like any other lovable child”. This great lesson in life has brought Kris to The LaChris Connection so that she, too, might help find resources for meeting those needs presented by kids with special needs so that families have more chances to simply enjoy being family!