About Oregon Sibling Leadership Network
Our Organization
Our vision is to establish a community for siblings of individuals with disabilities/support needs where they may grow, understand and thrive. We aim to see a future where there is a network of support for siblings throughout all life stages.
Our Mission
Our mission is to develop and foster supportive communities for siblings of individuals with disabilities/support needs.
Meet the Team
Founded by siblings, for siblings, the Oregon Sibling Leadership Network is dedicated to supporting and empowering the sibling community.
Our volunteers are siblings themselves, so we understand the unique challenges that come with having a sibling with a disability.
Board Member
Nikki Donnelly
Nikki is one of three children, with the youngest sibling being an adult with autism and intellectual disability. Robby has guided her career path in special education and passion for advocacy for people with autism and special needs. She currently serves as an Autism Consultant in Southern Oregon and is pursuing her EDD in Special Education. She was previously a special education teacher and administrator in CA. Her career allows an outlet for her passion to facilitate the availability of quality, inclusive experiences. Watching her brother grow from a non-verbal, self-injurious child to a well-functioning, independent adult inspires her to help other families. Her brother currently lives with her and she manages his care while balancing a professional and personal life. Nikki enjoys snowboarding, hiking and backpacking.
Board member
Shirley Valladares
Shirley Valladares is from the suburbs of Chicago and moved to Oregon in 2021. She is an Assistant Administrator for Special Education at a school district. Having a sister with Down syndrome led to her passion for advocating and has had a large impact on her life and goals.
Her personal experiences and relationship with her younger sister with Down syndrome led to her studying and graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor’s in Special Education and her master’s degree in Special Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. During college, she worked with children with disabilities at special recreation centers and was a caregiver. As a teacher, she has worked as an advocate for parents and families of children with disabilities, especially for those in diverse communities. Shirley is passionate about uplifting diverse communities.
Shirley was previously part of the Supporting Illinois Brothers & Sisters (S.I.B.S) leadership team, the Illinois chapter of the Sibling Leadership Network (SLN), and is currently part of the Oregon Sibling Leadership Network. Through her experiences, she has seen the value of connecting with other siblings of individuals with disabilities. She is excited to support all siblings of those with disabilities through Oregon Sibs.
Board Member
Katherine Edmonds
Katherine is the younger sister to her brother Brian. They grew up together in Atlanta, Georgia. Brian suffered from a traumatic brain injury from a car accident in 1992. That event impacted the whole family, and as a young child Katherine did not have resources about being a sibling of a brother who had high support needs. Her first introduction was reading Kate Strohm's book, Being the Other One. Shortly after reading that book, she found the National Siblings Leadership Network because Oregon did not have a chapter at the time. Katherine is very excited to help get the Oregon chapter up and running. She is looking forwards to helping provide support and community to other sibs!
Katherine and her wife live in Corvallis, Oregon with their spotted dog, Betty Ann. But Katherine's parents and brother still live in Atlanta, where she visits them often. Katherine is an artist and designer, and helps run a community woodshop, Highland Woodshop, in Corvallis.
Board Member
Charlene Chow
Charlene and her sister are two years apart. Her younger sister Angela was diagnosed at the age of 3 with Autism. She is on the lower functioning side of the spectrum but loves to talk about food and her routine with the vocabulary she does have.
Charlene and her sister grew up in California near lots of family and support networks. In 2021, both Angela and Charlene moved away from home and in opposite directions!
While Angela lives in her housing community 2 hours south of where they grew up, Charlene moved 10 hours north!
After moving, Charlene started "The Special Needs Sibling Podcast" to meet other sibs and talk about what life is really like as a sibling to someone with special needs. This has been really helpful for her and her family as they're navigating living in different parts of the West Coast.
