board of directors
Kristen Buonomo, PhD, BCBA
Kristen is an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the Education Department at Carlow University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in positive behavior support, autism spectrum disorders, transition, and augmentative communication. Kristen’s research interests are centered on bringing a culturally responsive approach to addressing interfering behaviors, including functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plans. Over the last 20 years, Kristen has worked with caregivers, public and private schools, and state Departments of Education. She has worked extensively with special education students in a variety of settings and looks forward to the opportunity to work with Evolve Coaching.
Sam Caushaj
Sam is a customer success manager for the Financial Times, based out of New York City. He has worked in a number of client-facing roles for almost a decade. Sam has been a long time advocate for Evolve, and has been a volunteer at numerous Evolve events over the years. He is also a volunteer of Big Brothers, Big Sisters in NYC. During his free time, Sam can be found on stage performing stand up comedy, or at his home watching movies with his cat, Ducky.
Erica Cochran
Erica currently works as the Director of Development for NurturePA. She has over 13 years of experience in the nonprofit sector ranging from direct service to development. Her first experience within the field was working with individuals with physical and/or cognitive disabilities living independently in the community. Her time spent providing support to those individuals left a lasting impression on her and she plans to use her skills to support the mission of Evolve-Coaching. Erica was born and raised in Pittsburgh and enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters.
Steven Fisher
Steven is a professional auditor and accountant who has a strong background in the industry working with nonprofit organizations. This includes understanding their user and financial controls, providing data analysis on budgeting expenditures and revenues for programming, and complying with the accounting standards and codifications applicable for nonprofit organizations. Prior experiences include External Auditor and Nonprofit Tax Accountant at Pittsburgh-based S.R. Snodgrass, P.C. and Learn & Earn Grant Accounting Specialist at Partner4Work Pittsburgh. He firmly believes in Evolve's mission to make Pittsburgh an Autism-Liveable city and to use his auditing expertise to carry on this mission. In his free time, Steven likes to go on long walks, watch trains at the World Famous Horseshoe Curve, and spend time with his bearded dragon named Krystal.
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Daphna Gans, Ph.D.
Daphna Gans is an expert in health policy, health access, health care delivery, quality improvement, and evaluation research. Daphna is an author and public speaker, who serves on a variety of boards and holds a public elected position as a School Board Director at the Upper St. Clair School District. She is a former Associate Research Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine and researcher at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Her research on services for developmentally disabled adults and on modules of care for children with life-limiting health was utilized in instituting health policies in California. As a mother of a young adult who successfully utilizes Evolve coaching services, Daphna is excited to serve on the board and contribute to its mission.
Colin Healey
Colin is a filmmaker, teacher, copywriter, and proud Evolve board member with a special focus on Evolve’s arts education offerings. As a neurodivergent and learning disabled student who struggled in school, he has developed a passion for creating experiential learning alternatives to traditional education at arts programs across the Northeast. The New York Times called his award-winning feature film HOMEMAKERS - filmed in Pittsburgh - a "raggedy ode to the DIY ethos" and the film made Bust Magazine write "Healey nails it!”. He currently lives with his wife and two dogs in a tiny New England hilltown, but relishes any opportunity he gets to come to Pittsburgh and work with Evolve.
Erin McPeak
Erin works for ZOLL LifeVest in New Product Planning and is Secretary of Evolve’s Board. As part of the Evolve Coaching team, she hopes to leverage her business experience to help reach more individuals in the community.
Angella Morgan
Angella is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in fiscal management, donor relations and stewardship, and. Currently serving as the lead Donor Relations & Stewardship Associate at the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School and College of Business Administration, Angella excels in developing, implementing, and supporting programs that enhance an organizations resources, fundraising and audience engagement.
Ginny Nemchick
Ginny Nemchick (she/they) is Co-Managing Director of Work in Progress Consulting, an equity-focused consulting firm supporting foundations, nonprofits, and impact-focused organizations to align their values with their policies, work processes and systems. A neurodivergent adult themself, Ginny is thrilled to be working with Evolve to improve pathways and supports for autistic and other neurodiverse adults and to create a more accessible Pittsburgh for everyone. In their free time, you can find Ginny somewhere in the mix of books, arts, dogs, coffee, and community.
Paula Pasquinelli
Paula is the owner of TruBlue Home Service Ally of North Pittsburgh, a handyman services business specializing in senior home modifications as well as helping busy adults across the Pittsburgh region. After working in the nonprofit space serving our low income, elderly population, she became passionate about helping individuals age safely in their homes. Her prior experience included working in the healthcare technology space. Paula was born and raised in Pittsburgh, having strong beliefs in community engagement and inclusivity. She is anxious to use her business skills to contribute to the mission of Evolve Coaching.
Matt Pierce
Matt is a Principal Civil Engineer for SWCA Environmental Consultants in Pittsburgh. He holds his professional engineering license in 18 states and primarily works on energy projects throughout the country. As part of the Evolve Coaching team, Matt hopes to assist Evolve with their future construction development and support for Evolve's mission. Matt enjoys watching sports, playing golf, and spending time with his family.
Libby Powers
Libby Powers has been a disability rights activist and disability rights advocate for more than 30 years. She graduated from Duquesne University with a Master of Science in Leadership and Professional Advancement in 2018. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Communication, Media, and Technology with a minor in Marketing from La Roche University in 2013. Libby has worked and volunteered within the Pittsburgh area nonprofit sector for the past 30 years serving multiple healthcare and cross-disability organizations such as the Highmark Caring Place, The Woodlands Foundation, Spina Bifida Association of America, Open Up Pittsburgh, Creative Citizens Inc. Her latest role was working as a product coordinator for a durable medical equipment company.
In 2016, she was a contributing author of “A Teen’s Guide for Medical Transition”, developed and published by two undergraduate students from the School of Innovation and Design at Carnegie Mellon University through a community partnership with ACHIEVA and the Wordout Grant Program through the Clinical Translational Science Institute at the University of Pittsburgh. She is also a co-author of the “Systematic Review: Automated vehicles and services for people with disabilities published in the Journal of Neuroscience Letters in July of 2021.
In 2005, Libby received the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting Local Communities and was also named a Community Champion by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and the Multiplying Good Organization. Through her work and community involvement, she hopes to assist in the development and advancement of more equitable and accessible healthcare systems, assistive and rehabilitation technologies, and other related services for those in marginalized populations including those living with disabilities.
Allia Pugh-Mathis
Allia is a recent graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a degree in Communications and Media Production with a minor in Theatre. She is passionate about storytelling and creative expression. In her free time, Allia enjoys reading fiction novels, which inspire her creativity and love for compelling narratives.
Gerri Sperling
Gerri is a lawyer with the Pittsburgh law firm of Strassburger McKenna Gutnick and Gefsky. She brings over 40 years of legal experience to her diverse practice areas, including health law, adoptions, guardianships, reproductive law and employment law. She has significant experience representing both grassroots and larger nonprofit organizations and has served on several nonprofit boards. As a parent of a neurodivergent young adult who was one of Evolve’s
early clients, Gerri is passionate about Evolve’s mission. In her free time, Gerri enjoys reading, studying French and German on Duolingo, yoga, cooking and following the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Justin Williams, Board President
Justin works in Quality Assurance for Bayer US LLC and serves as the Board President for Evolve-Coaching. He has worked for many years to push Pittsburgh to be a more inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible place to live for all individuals. He firmly believes in Evolve-Coaching’s mission and is dedicated to helping the organization meet their goals and aspirations. In his free time, Justin enjoys spending time with his family, watching and participating in sports, and cooking.
Patricia Wright
Patricia’s commitment to ensuring all individuals with autism have access to effective services and supports has guided her work for more than 30 years, from her earliest responsibilities as a special
educator, to state and national-level program management.