Our Board

Marilyn A. Chadwick

Communication Specialist

Marilyn Chadwick has her Masters in Speech/Language Pathology from Eastern Michigan University. With a background in speech/language pathology Marilyn Chadwick has worked extensively with families, school districts and service agencies supporting the communication needs of children and adults with severe disabilities. She has provided training on Facilitated Communication across the United States, as well as Canada, Israel, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Europe. As the Assistant Director of the Facilitated Communication Institute (1992-2010), she has contributed to the development of numerous videos and training materials, organized conferences, and helped develop the FCT standards as well as the trainer curriculum. She is currently retired, but continues to teach foundation classes and instruct others to achieve coach and trainer accreditation. She is based out of Syracuse, New York.

Pascal Cheng

Educational & Communication Specialist, Howard Center

Pascal Cheng has a M. Ed. and C.A.S. in Special Education from the University of Vermont and has worked for over 30 years with children and adults with developmental disabilities in school and community settings.

He currently works for the Howard Center in Burlington, Vermont as an educational and communication specialist, providing training and consultation in the areas of augmentative/alternative communication, assistive technology and literacy for children and adults with developmental disabilities. He has specific expertise in facilitated communication, an augmentative/alternative communication method for individuals with limited speech. As part of a national network of Master Trainers in Facilitated Communication, he works as a consultant to schools and agencies and regularly participates as a trainer in local, regional and national workshops and conferences.

Jean Trainor

President and Chief Inclusion Officer Inclusion Connection

Jean, a Cedar Falls, Iowa native, graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with an Accounting Degree and earned her Certified Public Accountant designation. Jean joined Veridian Credit Union in April 1982 as Controller and was promoted to Vice President of Finance in June 1984. Jean became CEO/Chief Inclusion Officer of Veridian Credit Union in 1990 and remained in that position until May of 2015, when she recalibrated to begin working with her son, Nate.

Jean currently serves at Inclusion Connection, a not for profit organization with the goal of promoting inclusive communities that live, learn, work and play together.

Harvey F. Lavoy, III

Director of Communication Training Resource, CDS

Harvey F. Lavoy, III has worked for Community Developmental Services (CDS), a Division of Washington County Mental Health Services in Montpelier, Vermont since 1994. He has a B.S. in Special Education and has worked in the field of Human Services since 1973.

He currently is the Director of Communication Training and Resources at CDS and provides education, training and technical assistance to adults and children with complex communication needs as well as their families, support staff, educational teams, schools and agencies. He has been a member of the Vermont Statewide Communication Task Force since 2000 providing statewide training’s, workshops, and conferences to enable adults in Vermont with developmental disabilities to communicate, make social connections, and participate in community life more fully.

He is a member of a National network of Master Facilitated Communication Trainers. He received a Certificate of Recognition as a Master Trainer in Facilitated Communication in 2006 from the Institute on Communication and Inclusion (ICI), School of Education, Syracuse University. Harvey has worked with the ICI on Introductory, Trainer-the-Trainer, Summer Institutes, and Skill Building trainings over the last several years.

Tracy Thresher

Advocate / Blogger

Read Tracy's Blog

Tracy Thresher is a native Vermonter who lives and works in Vermont. Tracy began using Facilitated Communication in 1990 and was one of the first individuals with autism in Vermont to be introduced to it. He has presented at local, statewide and national workshops and conferences. He has consulted with local schools and also mentors high school students, is a member of the Vermont Autism Advisory & Planning Committee, the Vermont Communication Task Force, the WCMHS Communication Alliance and does freelance work for Green Mountain Self-Advocates and works with the Institute on Communication and Inclusion at Syracuse University as a Master Trainer. Tracy, and his friend Larry, travel promoting their documentary “Wretches Jabberers” in an effort to change the World’s view of disability to one of positivity.

Eleanor Poe was born and raised in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and a bachelor’s in Spanish. She now resides in Long Beach, California where her role as a Communication Specialist has given her opportunities to work in public schools and private practice, as well as conducting trainings and workshops for families and communicators. Eleanor’s primary areas of focus include AAC, self-regulation, promoting autonomy through access to communication, and communication partner skills. She co-founded CAP Communication and Education Solutions in 2021. CAP is an acronym for Competence Always Presumed as our mission and main priority is to presume competence in all that we offer. Eleanor currently provides ongoing training and workshops for communicators, their families and support teams.

Eleanor Poe
Communication Specialist

Susan Nisinzweig is the Coordinator of the Supported Typing Program based out of Abilis in Greenwich/Stamford, CT which initially focused on building a local group of communicators and facilitators in the Tri-State area. As a result of the pandemic, the program expanded by offering online training and support to families, schools and agencies around the country and even the world. As a parent of an adult son with autism who types to communicate, and with a Masters in Social Work/Group Work from Rutgers University, Susan has especially enjoyed leading social groups for typers and support groups for parents. Susan brings her marketing and development experience from a number of positions and projects, and she looks forward to helping Wellspring Guild to spread awareness and expand its work with prospective Coaches and Trainers who can help bring quality support, coaching and training to communicators and their teams, wherever they are.