marianne@lsautism.org
When my second son, Toby, was born with a bilateral cleft lip & palate, my husband, Erik, and I immediately looked into services and support for him. At the time, we were living in Bowie, MD. Toby had some developmental delays so he started receiving various support services. We decided to move to the Eastern Shore, where Erik was born and raised. This gave me the opportunity to stay at home to focus on the needs of our two sons, Ryan and Toby. Toby was diagnosed with Autism at age 3, and continued to receive additional support services. Both sons attended Wicomico County Schools. I worked as an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter for the Wicomico County Board of Education from 2003-2009. I am a Nationally Certified ASL Interpreter for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Interpretation (BAI) from Gallaudet University.
In 2009, I accepted a position as Staff Interpreter at Gallaudet University, in Washington, D.C. We relocated to Howard County, MD, where I have been a member of the Howard County Autism Society (HCAS), presently the Autism Society of MD-Howard County. We began to receive enhanced educational, social, and mental health services and support provided for Toby. I served on the HCAS Board of Directors for 5-years. In 2020, I retired from Gallaudet University and we relocated back to our home in Salisbury, MD.
In January 2024, I was honored to be appointed as a Member of the MD Center for Developmental Disabilities’ Community Advisory Committee (CAC), at Kennedy Krieger Institute, in Baltimore, MD. In this role, I represent LSAC and the Lower Eastern Shore of MD, specifically for those on the Autism Spectrum, and individuals who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I served on the Autism Acceptance Day Celebration Coalition planning committee, which occurred in Annapolis, MD, on 4/2/24. I also serve as a Parent Representative on the School to Work: Education Employment, and Transition (SWEET) tri-county council on the Lower Eastern Shore of MD.
I have served as the LSAC’s Secretary since 2020. My hope for LSAC is that we continue to grow into a model non-profit organization to be emulated by other organizations with similar goals, who are advocating for the equal rights and acceptance of all individuals who are neurodiverse so they may achieve their dreams and goals in their lives.
