The Island Autism Board meets as a full-board every other month. On alternating months, the Executive Committee comprised of the Chair, Executive Director, Finance Chair, Programming Chair, and Fundraising Chair meet.
BROOKE AVAKIAN, Chair
I am honored to serve as the Chair of the Island Autism Board, where I have been involved for over 10 years. I hold a degree in Early Childhood Education and bring more than 20 years of experience working with children and families, along with my perspective as a mother and active member of the autism community.
I serve on the Board’s fundraising, finance, and strategic planning subcommittees, supporting initiatives that strengthen programs and resources for local families. I also coordinate with the Great Blizzards of Massachusetts Special Hockey, helping create inclusive opportunities for athletes of all abilities to build confidence, connection, and a sense of belonging. I am deeply passionate about the future of this work and its ability to support and empower so many families on Martha’s Vineyard.
NICOLE CABOT
TRAEGER DIPIETRO
Traeger is an accomplished artist who has a passion for collaboration with autistic kids. His work has exhibited in galleries across the island as well as in Boston and NYC. He brings his unique creative energy to IAG’s programming and fundraising.
ELIZABETH CROMWELL, Finance Chair
DEBORAH DONOVAN
An accomplished educator with a career spanning 50 years, Deborah has seen every side of education, from General Educator, Special Educator, Counselor, Reading Specialist, Out-of-Placement Coordinator, Public School Principal, and most recently Principal of Higashi School. Most importantly, she is the parent of two sons on the spectrum.
JP HITESMAN, Vice Chair
JP has enjoyed a lifelong connection to Martha’s Vineyard. He has supported community inclusion and accessibility since moving back to the island full-time in 2017, including three years in Disability Services at MV Community Services and a 2020-21 Vineyard Vision fellowship centered on employment and person centered planning initiatives. JP continues as co-president of Vineyard Independence Partnership, which focuses on social and recreational opportunities on and off the island.
JP can be also be found in his regular staff role at MV Playhouse and serves as chairman of MV Cultural Council. He holds degrees in theatre and psychology from Hampshire College, California Institute of Integral Studies and Wayne State University.
NICOLE HOLLAND
Nicole started summering on the Vineyard after her first son was born almost 12 years ago. After 6 amazing summers and 2 more children, Nicole and her husband made their dream a reality and moved to Martha’s Vineyard around 6 years ago. With three young children involved in the community, Nicole knows the ins and outs of the island. She loves to share her story and journey on Instagram, which allows her to reach her friends and family near and far.
In addition to being a mother and a Realtor, Nicole has a passion for fundraising for the Martha’s Vineyard community. As the Fundraising Chair for 2022 MVYH board Nicole successfully ran the 33rd annual MVYH Golf Tournament. In 2023, Nicole joined the Island Autism board where she used her fundraising skills by hosting the first ever Island Autism Charity Gala, raising over $70,000. Nicole was also named Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce top 40 under 40 in 2023. Nicole firmly believes that if you can dream it, you can make it happen.
KATE BROOKS LAING
RUSSELL MALONEY
After retiring from a career in finance in New York City in 2004, Russell began a second career in real estate on Martha’s Vineyard and is a respected community leader.
ROB SKINNON
Rob is an accomplished photographer and father of a 9-year old daughter. Based in Connecticut, he has been working for Walt Disney for 19 years and enjoys time on the island.
JANET SYLVIA
Janet was the Financial Administrative Assistant for the Superintendent of the Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools and retired in 2019. She was born on island, grew up in Tisbury and moved to West Tisbury to raise her family. She has a 19 year old granddaughter Alyssa who is on the autism spectrum and is in the Navigator program at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. Alyssa attends the Island Autism’s after-school and summer programs and has been a part of this welcoming community since she was in preschool. It has given her courage to be herself, social skills to make great friendships and many life skills to help her navigate the Vineyard.
FRED VOLKMAR, Programming Chair
Fred R. Volkmar, M.D. is Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Psychology at the Yale University Child Study Center, School of Medicine. A graduate of the University of Illinois where he received in undergraduate degree in psychology in 1972 and of Stanford University where he received his M.D. and a master’s degree in psychology in 1976 Dr. Volkmar was the primary author of the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-IV autism and pervasive developmental disorders section. He is the author of several hundred scientific papers and chapters as well as a number of books including Asperger’s Syndrome (Guilford Press), Health Care for Children on the Autism Spectrum (Woodbine Publishing), the Handbook of Autism (Wiley Publishing), and A Practical Guide to Autism: What Every Parent, Teacher and Family Members Needs to Know (Wiley Publishing) with another three books in varying stages of production. He has served as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and the American Journal of Psychiatry. He currently serves as Editor of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. He has served as co-chairperson of the autism/intellectual disabilities committee of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. In addition to having directed the internationally known autism clinic he also served as director of autism research at Yale before becoming chairperson of the Department. Dr. Volkmar has been the principal investigator of three program project grants including a CPEA (Collaborative Program of Excellent in Autism) grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and a STAART (Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment) Autism Center Grant from the National Institute of Mental Health.
BONNIE WELCH, Fundraising Chair
Fundraising Committee
Bonnie Welch, Chair
Brooke Avakian
Kate DeVane
Kate Brooks Laing
Nicole Holland
Meaghan Nydam (Volunteer)
Chelsea Joiner (Volunteer)
Finance Committee
Elizabeth Cromwell, Chair
Kate DeVane
Brooke Avakian
Janet Sylvia
Bonnie Welch
Strategic Planning Committee
Kevin McGrath, Chair
Brooke Avakian
Fred Volkmar
Deb Donovan
Kate DeVane
Chris White
JP Hitesman
Nicole Cabot