Updated March, 2025

Joel A. Davis, Council Chair 

Joel Davis Is a private attorney who advocates on behalf of nonprofit entities, Native American Tribes and individuals in special education, among other issues, to ensure their legal and governmental needs are heard and addressed.

Joel knows the struggles faced by parents in obtaining services and support for developmentally disabled community members as a parent of a developmentally disabled child currently on one of the DD Waiver programs, and is co-founder of Elevate the Spectrum, Inc., an all-volunteer 501 c3 autism advocacy organization, where he also serves as Vice President.

Joel has served as an expert witness on successful legislation concerning the developmentally disabled in the schools, for state insurance laws amendments, and to ensure developmentally disabled adults are covered for key services beyond school age, among other issues.

Joel holds a juris doctorate degree from the University of New Mexico School of law and Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Katie Stone, Vice Chair

Katie Stone is a full time executive director of nonprofit with a mission to produce weekly public radio programs with and for children and families. Producer of internationally syndicated radio broadcast, managing more than 65 volunteers, including more than 50 children in the production of 52 broadcasts annually with more than half live from public locations. While wearing many hats in her wide ranging responsibilities, Katie says: "The DDC has empowered me to become a stronger advocate for disabled individuals. Through the collaboration of our dedicated leaders and stakeholders, the DDC continues to drive policy and practice changes across various state agencies, resulting in meaningful progress that enhances the lives of disabled New Mexicans of all ages."

Jennifer Sanchez, Secretary- Dedicated neurodivergent parent advocate and Certified Family Peer Support Worker with over a decade of experience supporting New Mexico’s Autism Community. As a Family and Provider Resource Specialist at UNM’s Center for Development & Disability, I help families and providers navigate resources and systems surrounding autism. I serve as Secretary for both Elevate the Spectrum and the NM Developmental Disabilities Council, contributing to policy, education, and health initiatives. I am also a LEND and Partners in Policymaking graduate.

“Our work with DDC is about building a family beyond walls — where community engagement creates a circle of support, and the exchange of information empowers everyone to grow together.”

Gary Housepian 

has been an attorney for more than 47 years. He has devoted those years to providing quality legal services to underserved populations - low-income people and people with disabilities. That experience has embraced various roles - as legal advisor, litigator and manager.  He is the CEO of Disability Rights of New Mexico since April 2018. Prior to coming to New Mexico, he was Executive Director of Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, the largest public interest law firm in Tennessee for 10 years.  He has held positions as General Counsel for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, General Counsel for the Tennessee Department of Human Services, Assistant Attorney General for the State of Tennessee, Managing Attorney of Disability Rights of Tennessee and Staff Attorney with Tennessee Justice Center.  As a lawyer, he served as lead counsel in a class action settlement in Tennessee for persons with intellectual disabilities on waiting list for Medicaid Waiver services and participated in numerous health care class action cases in federal courts.

Selma Nevarez

currently the Disability Specialist for NMSU Doña Ana Head Start. I have over 47 years of experience as an educator and as well as being advocate for individuals with disabilities.  I have been a Special Education teacher, a Director of Special Education for a school District and have held an administrative position for a private childcare facility.  In all my positions I remain dedicated to supporting our students with diverse learning abilities as well as their families. My goal in all positions has been for families and teachers to collaboratively work as a team to achieve more positive learning outcomes for their children. More recently I have been helping families to better understand their child’s IEP and the IEP process, so it meets the educational needs of their child. These families are becoming better advocates for their child. I am also bilingual and can communicate with families in Spanish and English.

My biggest cheerleader continues to be my niece, Alice.  She is a very strong young lady and is always advocating her needs and with the help of her loving family continues to be the amazing woman that our family is very proud of.

I continue to coach my Special Olympic team. Our weekly practices and competitions keep us all connected and healthy.

I enjoy being part of the DDC because of the information that is shared by everyone.  Everyone on this committee has a shared vision on how we all need to work as a team to make the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families better not only daily but in the long term as well.

Mario Lucero

 is the DVR Field Operations Director for the Northeast, North Central, and Southeast regions of New Mexico, based out of the Santa Fe DVR field office. He oversees 25 staff across eight offices and has dedicated his career to advocating for individuals with disabilities in various capacities. Mario's experience includes roles as a job coach and job developer, a day habilitation coordinator for a DD service provider, and a university disability coordinator. Within DVR, he served as the Assistive Technology Coordinator for the NM Technology Assistance Program from 2008 to 2012. He then worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor from  2012 to 2017 before becoming the Program Manager for DVR Area 1—covering Santa Fe and Española—until 2020. Mario holds a B.B.A. in Business Management and a master’s degree in vocational Rehabilitation Counseling. His passion lies in improving the lives of individuals with disabilities through advocacy, guidance, counseling, and leadership. Mario has been married to his wife, Stephanie, for 16 years, and together they have two daughters, Hannah (14) and Savannah (11).

Lanthia Miles

- retired from the State of New Mexico Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in 2010 as the Community Outreach Coordinator and was the 1st classified Rehabilitation Technician in the State of New Mexico. After retirement, she decided to put some full-time work into LMG Consulting, a company she began in 2003 to address various issues in the African American community.  Her focus is on helping individuals (disabled and ex-offenders) navigate the employment and social service systems, youth, disability advocacy, employment workshops, event planning and community outreach. She has been actively engaged in the African American community for 35+ years and has worked in collaboration with the community at large to improve life in Albuquerque and the State of New Mexico. 2020 Community activities include, but not limited to:

-Member of Mt. Everest Chapter #3, OES PHA and currently serves as Worthy Matron

-Member of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, where she is active in the Women’s Ministry

- President of the African American Legislative Day Council (AALDC) which provides a bi-annual statewide celebration of the contributions of African Americans in the State of New Mexico at the Legislative session, provides three (3) scholarships for High School Seniors; On February 14, 2025 was honored for 25 years of service on the AALDC, which helped pass legislation for the creation of the Office of African American Affairs (OAAA)

- Member of the Golden Circle, Daughters of Isis and serve on the Grand Chapter of New Mexico as Associate Conductress of the Prince Hall Masonic Family

- Appointed to the Developmental Disability Planning Council by Governor Michelle Grisham Lujan on July 19, 2019 – Present

Lanthia is the proud mother of three (3) children, Chanel, Ahmet and Kimberley Gillespie, Grandmother (aka GG) of fourteen (14) and Great Grandmother of fifteen (15).Over the years, I have learned to be a servant first before leading; seek wisdom from my elders; practice the belief that everyone has an opinion and mine is not the best nor the only one; and to live each day sharing hope, charity and love”.

Working with the DDC means that I can continue working towards providing a better future by working on legislation, advocating and educating the community on the mission and vision of the DDC.

Deanna Cole

- Family Member, master’s degree in education

LEVEL THREE-A INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER K-8 ELEMENTARY

With Endorsement in TESOL

Retired Teacher – taught for 28 years in kindergarten

Son with down syndrome/autism

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can

Change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Laurie Ross-Brennan- CCC/SLP is a Speech & Language Pathologist and owner of Laurie Ross-Brennan & Associates, who has been open since 1984. Her current staff of 25 includes 22 Speech & Language Pathologists who focus on treating all ages of clients with any type of speech and language disorder. Her agency recently celebrated 40 years in business. Laurie received advanced training from Dr. Guy Berard in July 1993 in Auditory Integration Training (AIT). Every year she treats over 200 AIT clients in her Albuquerque clinic. Laurie was the 2012 Employer of the Year, awarded by the New Mexico Professional Businesswomen Association. In keeping with her excellence in business, Laurie was a finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the New Mexico Ethics in Business Award. Laurie routinely speaks at conventions for business owners, healthcare professionals, educators and parents. She presented at the Dr. Berard Tribute Conference for practitioners in London, England. Laurie and her staff’s primary focus is to change the lives of every patient who walks or rolls through her door. She graduated from UNM and raised her 3 children in Albuquerque. Laurie is a fifth generation New Mexican. She hopes to help empower New Mexicans who have disabilities to lead the lives they envision through her work with the Governor’s Developmental Disabilities Council.

Elisheva Levin- graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in Geography - Geology in 1982 and received a certificate in University Honors. She came to the University of New Mexico after graduation and lived in Los Alamos before moving to Albuquerque. At UNM Los Alamos and Albuquerque, she continued to study while raising two children with disabilities. She taught science and special education in Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, and Albuquerque. She received an autism diagnosis as an adult. She earned a Ph.D. in special education at UNM, writing an Ethnographic Case Study on Autism Policy in New Mexico. Dr. Levin is a Senior Research Scientist at the UNM Center for Development and Disability. She uses her disability experience to advocate for people with developmental and other disabilities on the board of the Developmental Disability Council and on the Advisory Council on Quality.

John Arango- Joined the Peace Corps immediately after graduating from college and 2 years later came to NM to work at the Peace Corps Training Center for Latin America at UNM. He later went back to the Peace Corps as Country Director in Panama and Ecuador. While in Ecuador with their two children, John and his wife Polly adopted a daughter. When they return to NM in 1973, they adopted a son, Nick, who turned out to have a rare genetic condition that could be described as very slow muscular dystrophy. Their son's experience led them to become advocates for children. John wrote the Childhood Plan for the DDPC and later became Chair of the Carey Tingley Hospital Board during its move from T or C to UNM. With other parents, they formed Parents Reaching Out to share information, support each other, and advocate for children. Over the next few years, they and many other parents and colleagues such as Gail Chasey persuaded the state to apply for the Medicaid Waiver; secured funding for what is now the Center for Excellence at UNM; lowered the school age for children with disabilities to age 3; and created the NM Medical Insurance Pool. Advocacy then moved to the national level with the formation of Family Voices in 1993. Polly and parents from every state worked to make family-centered care a reality. Over the next few years, Polly took the lead on the national level while continuing to work with Patty Jennings on NM issues. John’s role was to support Polly while he worked as a management consultant to non-profit organizations (chiefly legal aid programs) and for the American Bar Association. Nick’s condition worsened when he developed a seizure disorder in early adolescence, and he steadily lost the ability to care for himself thereafter. After graduating from high school, he waited a few years before receiving services under the Medicaid waiver. Until his death in 2014, he (and his family) were fortunate to have assistance from his caregiver, Liz Griego. John retired from management consulting but continues to work for several organizations as a volunteer. He is a member (and former chair) of the state Civil Legal Services Commission (that funds legal aid programs in NM), a member of the board of Chatter (that produces chamber music concerts in Albuquerque and Santa Fe) and a longtime member of the board of the NM Medical Insurance Pool. John’s vision is for the Council to be the vehicle through which people with disabilities and their families and supporters can ensure that people with disabilities of all ages receive the assistance they need to live happy and productive lives. We happen to be in a period when there are many opportunities to make gains for the people we love: in early childhood services (early intervention for many children should start earlier than 3); in schools, as a result of the Yazzie decision; and employment; and in planning for the needs of elders with disabilities.

Pat Osbourn- MA, CCC/CED is the Associate Director of the Center for Development & Disability, the Director of the Autism Programs and Program Director of the NM START. Pat has been at the UCEDD since 1990 in various capacities.   She has built several programs at the CDD in response to the expressed needs of advocates and parents.   Working with our partner agency, the DDC, affords me the opportunity to work with like minded, passionate people who work to insure the civil rights of all people including those with disabilities. 

Laurel Deans- self-advocate.  board member of ARC of New Mexico directors at Large.  special Olympics athlete Santa Fe. And I love working with horses and I help my mom at her Montessori School. And I like helping people with disabilities. So, they can have a voice too.

Amelia Ann-Dickey- Multi-Role Disability Advocate & Leader/Appointed Council Member. What my work with DDC means to me is being able to share my story and experience with the disability community.  Also being a disability advocate is 100% my passion as I believe that people with disabilities are the best teachers as we live, sleep, and breath disability 24/7 365. As a person with a disability I want to help advocate for those who aren’t able to advocate.  When the ADA had its 30th anniversary, I also turned 30 years old (I was born November of 1989 and the ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990).

Marylou Poli- is the attorney for the Adult Protective Services division of the New Mexico Aging & Long-Term Services Department. The Aging Department helps adult New Mexicans achieve lifelong independence and healthy aging by providing resources and services to older adults, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers. Ms. Poli aims to support every adult New Mexican in maintaining independence, dignity, and well-being within their communities. The Aging Department’s national award-winning Adult Protective Services (APS) division provides intervention services as needed to help achieve these goals. In her role as their attorney, Ms. Poli provides legal support for APS staff investigating the suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of adults in the state, particularly of those who may be unable to protect themselves. She takes legal action on behalf of APS to address and resolve any abuse, neglect, or exploitation that vulnerable adults are experiencing. Ms. Poli is committed to protecting the safety of adults who are not able to protect themselves and promoting the personal choices and self-determination of all New Mexicans.

Richard Segura- My name is Richard Segura my family consist of my mother Otilia my Father Richard my brother Adrian and Alex, we live in Santa Teresa New Mexico I graduated from Gadsden High School and I attended ENMUR / Special Services in Roswell New Mexico. I'm currently part of the El Paso Heat basketball team, baseball team, Bowling Team , Swimming Team, and play golf once a week Top Golf. Title: Board Member for DDC. Personal Quote: Being a Board member for DDC means a lot to me because I get to express my opinions and learn about the legislature policies regarding people with Intellectual disabilities.  My goal is to reach out to people in my community with special abilities and encourage them to get active and stay informed about our rights.