Board of Directors - Washington Autism Alliance & Advocacy

WAAA’s Board of Directors is responsible for supporting our mission, purposes, goals, policies, and programs while knowing our strengths and needs.

Larry Blasko

Board Chair

Larry Blasko is Chief Revenue Officer at Apptio where he led sales through its growth from venture-backed startup to successful IPO and then acquisition several years later. He is a parent of a child on the autism spectrum.

Aparna Prasad

Vice Chair

Aparna is a business leader with over 15 years of experience running multi-billion-dollar categories and launching breakthrough innovations in the consumer retail/restaurant space.
She is currently the director of product innovation at Starbucks, leading equipment innovation and automation programs to build the store of the future.
Aparna is on the advisory board for Aiim Partners, a venture fund focused on sustainability investments. She is a strong advocate for children with disabilities.

Valerie Kelly

Secretary

Valerie Kelly a wholesale account executive, small business owner, retail buyer and manager, left her
career to pursue her long-held interests of advocacy work for families of children with autism and volunteer work for her community and beyond.

Keith Foe

Treasurer / CFO

Keith Foe, CFA®, CFP®, CPA, CLU®, ChFC®, is a Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. The Network's mission is to develop enduring relationships with clients by providing expert guidance for a lifetime of financial security. Keith teaches a course on Not for Profit account at Seattle U.

Advisory Board Members

Raphael Bernier, PhD, LP

Raphael Bernier is Associate Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences; Clinical Director, Seattle Children’s Autism Center; Associate Director, Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington. He works on national standards of care for the medical assessment and treatment of ASD.

Cindy Blasko

Cindy Blasko is a nurse specializing in training stakeholder groups to overcome communications barriers with individuals on the autism spectrum, informed by her personal experience as a parent to her son on the spectrum. Her husband Larry serves on the WAAA board.

Charles A Cowan, MD

Charles A Cowan is Emeritus Clinical Professor, Dept of Pediatrics UW School of Medicine Clinical Director, Seattle Children’s Autism Center Pediatrician, Neurodevelopmental Program.

Gina Green, PhD, BCBA-D

Gina Green is Executive Director, Association of Professional Behavior Analyst, has authored numerous publications on the behavioral treatment of individuals with disabilities and the experimental analysis of behavior.

Min Kim

Min Kim is a Senior Vice President, Wells Fargo Advisors, and an uncle of a child with autism.

Eric V. Larsson, PhD, LP, BCBA-D

Eric V. Larsson is Executive Director of Clinical Services at the Lovaas Institute Midwest. He runs intensive early intervention for families of children who suffer from severe behavior disorders, including autism.

Julie Osterling, PhD

Julie Osterling is a licensed clinical psychologist, a member of the client advisory board and the parent of two children on the autism spectrum.

Dan Roach

Dan Roach is the Pierce County Council member who previously served five consecutive terms in the House of Representatives, representing the 31st legislative district.

Ilene S. Schwartz, PhD

Ilene S. Schwartz is a Professor and Director of the Haring Center for Research and Training in Education at the University of Washington. A board-certified behavior analyst, she researches inclusive education and sustainability of educational interventions.

Wendy Stone, PhD

Wendy Stone Professor of Psychology Director of the READi Lab at the University of Washington where she researches early identification and early intervention for children with ASD.

Pam Kil

Pam Kil is an accomplished attorney specializing in commercial and transactional contracts and agreements as well as a parent of a young adult son on the autism spectrum.