Executive Board

Board of Directors / Chapter Minutes

President
Name: Lisa   Gerontes-Bowe
Bio: Lisa Gerontes-Bowe is an autism consultant with the Special Education Association of Peoria County, Peoria, IL. She has a Masters in Special Education, has taught 14 years as a teacher of Early Childhood Special Education and ten years in adult education. She is a nationally certified teacher in Early Childhood through Young Adult Special Education and is completing her behavior analyst certification. Lisa was the co-founder of the local support group, which became part of the Peoria Regional Chapter for ASA and is one of 25 Women in Leadership for the Central Illinois Area. Lisa works with colleagues to implement new and innovative ways to teach individuals with autism, is a parent of a 15-year old son with Asperger’s Syndrome and an 11 year old daughter. Lisa is actively involved in community projects that increase awareness about services and the needs of individuals with autism. In her spare moments, Lisa enjoys out-fishing her husband, crafting, and surfing the internet.
Co-Vice
Name: Ed & Susan  Duran
Bio: Ed & Susan Duran are from the Peoria area and they have a son with Autism.
Secretary
Name: Kristi  Blumenshine
Treasurer
Name: Donna  Cady
Bio: My name is Donna Cady. My husband and I were blessed with our son who is 11 and has high functioning autism. He is in the 6th grade at Lindbergh Middle School. I have worked as the church accountant for Northminster Presbyterian Church for 4 years and prior to that 26 years in government accounting. We have always lived in the Peoria area and have been married 12 years. I am very excited about becoming more involved in the Peoria Chapter of the ASA and hope to meet a lot of new families.
Outgoing President
Name: Diane  Parrish
Bio: My name is Diane Parrish. My husband, Robert, and I have been married for 27 years, we have 5 children. Our only son who is nine has autism. I am a registered nurse. My husband and I, with the help of many, formed the local chapter of the Autism Society of America to promote awareness and to provide support and information for all those families, individuals and educators that are affected by Autism.