Carolyn Allshouse

Executive Director

Phone: 612-210-5547

Toll-free: 1-866-334-8444, Extension 1

E-mail: Carolyn@familyvoicesofminnesota.org

 

Carolyn Allshouse has been a leader in the patient-and-family-centered care movement since the late 1980’s, she has written several publications for families of children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities about family-centered care and parent/professional collaboration including: “Working with Doctors”, “Speaking Up For Your Child”, and "All About Me" and has managed multiple federal maternal child health grants. 

 

Prior to accepting the position of Family Voices Executive Director Carolyn coordinated the Minnesota Pediatric Medical Home and the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention quality improvement learning collaboratives at the Minnesota Department of Health.  In the 1990s Carolyn coordinated a health advocacy program at PACER Center and coordinated a program focused on health reform for families of children with special health care needs and disabilities at Pathfinders Resources.

 

Carolyn has been a strong advocate for the involvement of families whose children have special health care needs and disabilities in program and policy development, implementation and evaluation.  Carolyn and her husband are the parents of four children; her youngest son was born with multiple complex health care needs.

 

Ceci Shapland

Program Director

Phone: 612-816-7721

Toll-free: 1-866-334-8444, Extension 2

E-mail: Ceci@familyvoicesofminnesota.org

 

Ceci Shapland has worked over twenty years as an advocate for children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities. Her major areas of interest are activism and advocacy for promoting transition to adult health care for youth with special health needs and facilitating skill-building for youth and families. She has spoken statewide and nationally on topics of family centered care and transition in health care.

 

Prior to Ceci’s work with Family Voices of Minnesota, she was the co-director and a consultant on youth and family centered care for the Healthy & Ready to Work National Center for eight years. Ceci is one of the original family members who assisted in the formation of Family Voices, Inc. in the early 1990’s.

Ceci and her husband are the parents of 3 children; their middle son has special health care needs and disabilities. Ceci also has a masters degree in nursing.  Her personal and professional experiences provide her with experience and insights in the organization of the health care system.

Suzanne Renfroe

Assistant Program Coordinator

Toll-Free: 1-866-334-8444, Extension 4

E-mail: Suzanne@familyvoicesofminnesota.org

 

Suzanne Renfroe is the new Family Voices of Minnesota Parent to Parent Assistant Coordinator. Suzanne has been involved in the disability movement since she moved to Minnesota with her 2-year old daughter who was born with multiple medically needs in 1992. Through her quest for making a new home, she sought opportunities to network with other parents of children with developmental disabilities. She was eager to learn everything she could in order to advocate for her daughter.

 
Suzanne has participated on various councils, and training programs for both teachers and residents. She also served as a board member of ARC Hennepin County, participated in the state task force that addressed PCA services for children under 17, and was a member of the state Special Education Advisory Panel.  In 2001, her son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and she became active in mental health issues serving on state workgroups and
committees including being co-chair of the Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative’s parent group.



Holly Collom

Brainerd/Alexandria Parent Support Leader

Toll Free: 1-866-334-8666, extension 7

E-Mail: Holly@familyvoicesofminnesota.org

 

Holly Collom is the Parent Support Leader for the Brainerd/Alexandria area.  She first became involved with children with special health care needs when her son was born prematurely.  She became even more involved when he was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy.  Holly’s main focus lie in making it possible for families of CYSHCN to live where and how the wish through adaptation, parent to parent support, and by advocating.                                                                                                                                               

 

Holly, her husband and their two children live in rural Minnesota on a small cattle ranch about 30 miles from everywere. 

Jodi Furman

Duluth Parent Support Leader

Toll-Free: 1-866-334-8444, Extension 3

E-mail: Jodi@familyvoicesofminnesota.org

 

Jodi Furman has advocated for her children with special health care needs for eight years. Her interests lie specifically in asthma, food allergies and parent to parent support.

 

Prior to accepting the Parent Support Leader position with Family Voices Jodi was a stay-at-home-mom to her three daughters. In the late 1990’s she was an assistant director at a camp for disadvantaged youth from economically stressed communities and in the early 2000’s, she was a middle school science teacher. She is currently a co-chair of a parent advisory committee to her children’s pediatrician’s clinic.

 

Jodi and her husband are parents to three daughters. All three have special health care needs. Her personal experience in advocating for her children provide her with the knowledge and understanding of the need for parent to parent support when navigating the health care system.  

Tisha Sherdan

Parent Support Leader

Toll-Free: 1-866-334-8444, Extension 5

Tisha@familyvoicesofminnesota.org



Tisha Sherdan has a strong passion and commitment to people and has been involved in diversity consulting with an emphasis on people with disabilities, for over 5 years. Since having a child born prematurely, it has been Tisha’s mission to be a cornerstone of parent support/advocacy with other families of children with special health care needs and disabilities. She dedicates her diversity work and family advocacy to this vision.

 

Tisha is currently serving on the Parent Advisory Board for Pediatrics for Hennepin
County Medical Center. She has written a support program for families who experience premature childbirth called “Premature Childbirth-Families Learning to Cope and Building Hope”. Prior to accepting the position of Parent Support Leader, Tisha has worked with the State of Minnesota as a Facilitator and Mentor for college students with disabilities. She currently serves on multiple boards within the community.

Tricia Brisbine

Project Assistant

Toll-free:  1-866-334-8444, Extension 6

E-mail: Tricia@familyvoicesofminnesota.org

 

Tricia Brisbine is the new Family Voices of Minnesota CHIPRA Project Assistant and will be working with and providing support for the Center of Excellence Family Advisory Committee. Tricia is the mother of Charlie, an active 2 year-old with special healthcare needs and disabilities. Prior to her role with Family Voices of Minnesota, Tricia was engaged in academic pursuits and already committed to helping build healthy families through her volunteer commitments and professional affiliations. She has experience working with families with special circumstances and unique individual needs.

 

Tricia has studied Psychology at the University of South Dakota, as well as at the graduate level at the University of Kansas. She graduated June 2011 with a Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychotherapy from Adler Graduate School and is pursuing licensure as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. Tricia is passionate about working with parents/caregivers and their children to strengthen attachments and form healthy bonds.