Kimberly Adams

Advisor, Kitsap County

My name is Kimberly Adams; I am an advocate for families and for our community of intellectual and developmental disabilities, IDD. My passion is to help families who have school age children with IEPs. As a mom who once sat at the IEP table feeling lost, alone, and unprepared, it is my goal to empower parents to feel like they are just as much an expert at the table as the other members of the IEP team. In addition to advocating for others, I love to drink coffee [_]?, knit, draw, listen to music, spend time with family, have campfires & make s'mores, and create memories with friends. It is also my greatest pleasure to work with the Kitsap County Chapter of People First of Washington as their Advisor.

If you would like more information about our chapter please email me at:
theaddamsfamily93@gmail.com.  

Tanika Aden

Advisor, Pierce County

Bio to Come

Rhi Barton

Advisor, Lake Roosevelt Chapter

Bio to come.

Cody Cohan

Advisor, Thurston County

My name is Cody Cohan and I serve as Advisor for the Thurston County Chapter of People First of Washington. I received a Bachelors of Science from The Evergreen State College in 2010. I have worked with and for people who also have developmental or intellectual disabilities for over a decade on both the state and local levels. I strongly believe that everyone has an equal right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I am a member of the Shut Them Down Coalition, whose purpose is to close Washington's institutions in an effort to ensure that people are able to live in and engage within their community of choice.

Please contact me if you would like to join the Thurston County Chapter of People First of Washington. I am more than happy to assist with any issues regarding services, supports, resources, housing, and just about anything else that will support people to be more independent, successful, and happy!

I can be reached at:
cody@pfow.org.  

Diane Fester-Macaluso

Advisor, Island County

I worked as an Occupational Therapist Assistant in various capacities for over 30 years. The last twenty of those years I worked in the Oak Harbor School District where I got to work with many wonderful students and their families. I went back to school and got a Master’s degree and then became the Transition Coordinator for the Transition Program (BEST JOB EVER!!!). I retired in 2018 and now am an Advisor to this great People First of Island County!

Alex Koval

Advisor, Clark County

I am a 38-year old self advocate, and work as an office aide at the Developmental Disability program in Clark County. I care deeply about the developmental disability community.

I joined People First in November of 2022 and because I’m relatively new, I am learning a lot about the organization. One of my biggest issues for the IDD community currently, is hoping to make everyone aware that we need to ensure that accessibility concerns are addressed in the process of rebuilding the 106-year old Clark County I-5 bridge. It needs to have good wheelchair access. We need to pay attention to make sure the Oregon and Washington legislatures do their part.

I live alone and like to go to watch hockey, basketball and baseball games in the Vancouver area. When I can’t get to the games in person, I’ll try to catch them televised. I love my family and my girlfriend Becky, and am always up for meeting new people.

Darci Ladwig

Co-Advisor, Spokane County Lilac

I have attended Lilac Chapter meetings over the years as support for my daughter, Zoe. I’m excited to join Katherine as a co-advisor and continue working with this great group of people!

Catie Morton

Advisor, Jefferson County

My name is Catie Morton and I serve as Advisor for the Jefferson County Chapter for People First of Washington. I have been working in Jefferson County as a Case Resource Manager for the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Community Services agency for 13 years.

I was very excited to take on the role of Advisor after years of seeing the impact being a part of People First has had on members in Jefferson County. Our chapter has tripled in size over the last two years and we have increased time in our area volunteering, socializing with community members and spending time at community events informing folks of the good work we do.

I became involved working in the IDD community in 2010 and immediately knew this is what I was meant to do. My only regret is that I didn’t get started earlier in life working with people who inspire me daily and have made me a better person.

In addition to advocating for others, I love to spend time with my three kids and grandchildren. I also enjoy weekend getaways, a good book on the beach and meeting up for a cup of coffee in a pretty spot in Port Townsend. I look forward to continue my work with People First of Washington for many years.

If you would like to contact me for information about the Jefferson County please email me at:
catiemorton@hotmail.com.  

Patty Osier

Advisor, Mason County

My name is Patty Osier, and I am the Mason County Chapter advisor in Shelton, Washington. I worked in the Shelton School District for 27 years, both in Special Education and Learning Assistance Programs. My son, Cameron, has been involved with Thurston County Chapter for about 9 years. Three years ago, he made it his goal to re-introduce a Chapter in Mason County. I decided to become the advisor with a little push from Krista and to help him reach his goal. He and I started to make plans and find friends who would like to join. Our first meeting was planned for the middle of March 2020. Then came Covid! It has been difficult trying to start a group in the vice of a world wide pandemic, but that small group of friends has continued to create their People First Chapter.

Steve Pelton

Advisor, Asotin County

Bio to come.

Our chapter meetings are hybrid, offered both in-person in Everett and on Zoom. If you're interested in learning more about the Snohomish County chapter or would like to attend a meeting, please contact me at: kylie@arcsno.org.  
or you can call me at: (425) 258-2459, extension 121.  

Trish Respalie

Advisor, Snohomish County

Hi. I’m Trish. I am a disabled single mom of two kids, 1 boy and 1 girl. My oldest, a daughter, was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder at the age of 2 with suspicion of Autism Spectrum Disorder, to be further evaluated after some time in the birth to 3 program. At 4 she was officially diagnosed with ASD. By then I had just had my son. Because he developed language early and areas he showed signs in weren’t enough on their own for a diagnosis it took longer for him to get his ASD diagnosis. He did have significant sensory issues so, like his sister, he received a Sensory Processing Disorder diagnosis, as well as a Mixed Developmental Disorder diagnosis as a young toddler. By mid-elementary school his social/emotional skills were far enough behind, as well as his ADHD symptoms, that he finally got his ASD and ADHD diagnoses.

Through their evaluations, diagnoses, therapies, etc, I learned a lot about them, their diagnoses, and even myself. Between filling out all the questionnaires for them and a home therapist we had, at one point I discovered that besides my ADHD and anxiety, I am likely on the spectrum myself (which would explain SO much of my childhood—and beyond!) I have been very involved in advocating for my kids and making sure they got all of the services and therapies that they need. It has been a full time+ job, especially with 2 of them by myself.

They are teenagers now, and with the help of early intervention, my daughter is much higher functioning, and my son is a bit more independent. For me, with finally having the time while they were at school and with the help of The Independent Living Center and COVID funds, I was finally able to learn how to drive and got my driver’s license at 39 years old a couple years ago. This was crucial to my son’s sensory needs and my own physical limitations with chronic illnesses, genetics, and previous injuries. Over the last year it finally became safe for both of my kids (my daughter has been able to safely be without supervision for several years, and capable of helping supervise her brother for a couple years) to be unsupervised for a while.

All of this combined made it possible for me to try to work part time again. A job opened up at The Arc of Snohomish County at practically the perfect time, and it sounded perfect for me. I’ve spent years advocating for my kids and myself and finding resources and such, as well as helping friends, family (and others in the community that came to me for help because they knew my story) to find and get connected with resources and advocate for themselves and/or their children. So, at the end of September 2024 I became the new Self-Advocacy Engagement Coordinator at The Arc of Snohomish County and within a couple of days of that, the People First of Snohomish County Advisor as well. I love my job and this position because I love helping people, but specifically, I really love helping people see their own full potential and ability to help themselves and others along the way. I also love art (creating and enjoying), all kinds of music, creating and designing things, decorating (people, items, houses-anything really), learning new things, movies, TV shows, writing, photography, and exploring when I can. My favorite color is sparkly and food Italian… though mostly I have a hard time picking a favorite anything because I like so many things a LOT! So, that is my backstory on how I got here and do what I do and a little about me in general.

Our chapter meetings are hybrid, offered both in-person in Everett and on Zoom. If you're interested in learning more about the Snohomish County chapter or would like to attend a meeting, please contact me at: kylie@arcsno.org.  
or you can call me at: (425) 258-2459, extension 121.  

Katherine Titus

Co-Advisor, Spokane County Lilac

Greetings! I have had the great opportunity to be involved with People First for a number of years. First, in delivering the “Reaching My Own Greatness” curriculum with Resa Hayes, and then as a member/advisor of the Spokane County Lilac Chapter. I am passionate about equity, social justice, cats, jazz, and college football. I love having the good fortune to travel now and again, see new landscapes, and enjoy what any given location has to offer. I deeply appreciate my People First family.

Paula and Mike Wind

Advisors, Lewis County

Good day!! We are Mike and Paula Wind. We have served as Advisors for the Lewis County Chapter together for 12 years. Paula is a parent of a young adult with down syndrome, and started working in the field for a developmental program, and Parent to Parent, and then went on to be Parent Coalition coordinator until 2010. Mike has been involved since 2011 after marrying into the world of developmental disabilities. We take great pleasure in seeing people being independent and working together. Mike enjoys leading fundraising activities that promote independence and public awareness for people with disabilities to be a visible part of the community. We have both worked for public and private non-profit organizations for the past 30 years.

As advisors we have taken part in Reaching your Own Greatness, Mixed Voices, Student First and many other training opportunities to support people with special needs in many parts of their lives. People with special needs pride themselves on community service and we enjoy helping them with that.

We are just getting back into physical meetings since 2020 and building membership. This has been the best volunteer opportunity that we have taken part of and look forward to the next 10 years.

If you need more information, please contact us at: paulawind14@gmail.com.