Wispact is proud to welcome four outstanding new members to our Board of Directors. Each brings a unique perspective, deep professional experience, and a shared commitment to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities across Wisconsin.
As Wispact continues to advance its mission and strategic priorities—expanding opportunity, strengthening equity and inclusion, and increasing awareness of special needs trusts—these new board members will play an important role in guiding our work forward.
We are excited to introduce Tasia Pinkham, Tammy Koester Parks, Arely Romero, and Dawn Scannell.
Tammy Koester Parks
Bringing decades of experience in trust administration and estate planning, Tammy Koester Parks joins the Wispact Board of Directors with a deep understanding of the needs of families navigating complex decisions.
Tammy brings decades of experience as a trust officer doing trust administration, and guardianship work to Wispact’s mission. She is currently working part-time as Director of Development and Outreach for the Madison Parks Foundation, where she supports efforts to expand community engagement and advance projects that improve Madison’s parks and green spaces, including accessibility initiatives.
Over the course of her career, Tammy worked as an estate planning attorney in Illinois and later as a trust officer in the Madison area. Along the way, she regularly helped families navigate questions involving special needs planning, inheritances, and long-term support for loved ones with disabilities. In those conversations, Wispact often emerged as a trusted resource.
“Knowing that Wispact was there was always just so wonderful,” Tammy said, reflecting on the many times she connected families to Wispact for guidance and support.
That longstanding respect for the organization is part of what inspired her to join the board.
Tammy shared that one of the most important things families can understand about special needs trusts is that they allow their special needs family member to retain assets for ancillary needs. She has seen firsthand the relief families feel when they learn there is a path forward that allows their special needs family member to retain their assets.
Tammy is also energized by the broader impact Wispact has in communities across the state.
“What really excites me is the good that they do,” she said. “And the education and training that they give people.”
She pointed to the reassurance families experience when they receive trusted advice, find answers to complex questions, or access resources that improve quality of life. That impact aligns closely with Wispact’s work and with the Wispact Foundation’s mission to improve the quality of lives of persons with disabilities through partnerships with the disability services community.
As she begins her board service, Tammy says she has already been impressed by the sincerity, dedication, and mission-focus of Wispact’s staff and leadership team. She described the organization as deeply engaged in its work and committed to handling each issue with care.
Beyond her professional background, Tammy brings curiosity and a unique personal story to the board. She grew up in downstate Illinois and studied Russian history and Russian language as an undergraduate before eventually finding her way to law school and a career in estate planning, trust, and probate work.
We are honored to welcome Tammy Koester Parks to the Wispact Board of Directors and grateful for the knowledge, compassion, and perspective she brings. Her experience will help strengthen Wispact’s continued work on behalf of people with disabilities and their families throughout Wisconsin.
Tasia Pinkham
With a strong foundation in education, advocacy, and career development, Tasia Pinkham brings a people-centered approach to her role on the Wispact Board of Directors.
Tasia currently serves as a Vocational Preparation and Internship Specialist at Concordia University. In her role, she helps students explore career pathways, build employability skills, and secure meaningful internships—both on campus and in the community. Her work is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to shape their own life and future.
Tasia was introduced to Wispact through a professional connection and quickly felt aligned with the organization’s mission. After learning more about how Wispact supports individuals through special needs trusts and expanded opportunities, she saw a natural fit with her own philosophy: that individuals with disabilities should have a voice, agency, and meaningful participation in their own lives.
“What stood out to me,” Tasia shared, “is that Wispact isn’t just about managing trusts—it’s about creating opportunities and continuing to ask, ‘how can we do more?’”
Her background includes a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from UW-Whitewater and a master’s in Higher Education Administration from UW-La Crosse. She also brings experience in job coaching, vocational training, and career services, having worked with diverse populations including first-generation students, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. She is currently pursuing an additional master’s degree in counseling—further deepening her ability to support others.
Growing up in rural southwest Wisconsin, Tasia developed an early awareness of inclusion and advocacy. Experiences in school—particularly witnessing others being treated differently—helped shape her commitment to standing up for others and fostering belonging.
“I’ve always believed that everyone deserves meaning in their life,” she said. “Supports and accommodations don’t define a person—they help enable them to live the life they choose.”
Outside of her professional work, Tasia brings that same energy and leadership to the rugby field. She plays with a women’s team in the Oconomowoc area and serves as its president. Rugby, she says, is about community and belonging—a place where everyone can show up as they are.
“Why do we all have to fit in?” she adds. “There’s value in being different.”
Tasia’s perspective aligns strongly with Wispact’s strategic direction—focused on expanding opportunity, deepening community impact, and continuously improving how we serve individuals and families across Wisconsin .
We’re thrilled to have her voice, experience, and passion on the board. Welcome, Tasia!
Arely Romero
Rooted in lived experience and community advocacy, Arely Romero offers a powerful and personal perspective to the Wispact Board of Directors.
Wispact is proud to welcome Arely Romero to our Board of Directors—a passionate advocate, community connector, and emerging leader dedicated to supporting families and individuals with disabilities across Wisconsin.
Arely brings a deeply personal and community-centered perspective to her work. She currently serves in multiple roles, including Peer Case Manager at Centro Hispano of Dane County, Family Navigator with Padres e Hijos en Acción, and Director of a respite center supporting families in need. Across each of these roles, one theme remains constant: helping people access the resources they need to live fuller, more supported lives.
Her path into this work wasn’t traditional. Arely began her career in accounting and data entry before a back injury changed her trajectory. During her recovery, she began volunteering—an experience that quickly grew into a new calling. “I’ve always been the type of person that likes to help other people,” she shared. “This just felt more fitting for me.”
That lived experience—both navigating her own temporary disability and growing up alongside her brother, who is autistic—shaped her perspective in powerful ways. It also fuels her commitment to advocacy. “I don’t like injustice,” Arely said. “If I see someone struggling because of something that doesn’t make sense, I try to push for change.”
Originally from El Paso, Texas, Arely moved to Madison with her family as a teenager in search of better resources and opportunities for her brother. That decision—and the contrast in access to services—continues to inform her work today, especially in supporting underserved and culturally diverse communities.
Arely joins Wispact at an important moment, as the organization advances its strategic priorities —including expanding outreach to diverse communities, strengthening equity and inclusion, and increasing awareness of tools like special needs trusts that can help individuals preserve benefits while improving quality of life. Her experience as a family navigator and community advocate will be especially valuable as Wispact continues to build trust and connections across Wisconsin.
Outside of her professional roles, Arely is always learning—recently completing her peer support certification and currently studying to become a notary public. And when she finds a rare moment of free time, she enjoys creative expression through makeup artistry, using her face as a canvas to experiment with color and design.
Please join us in welcoming Arely Romero to the Wispact Board of Directors. Her voice, lived experience, and commitment to equity will help guide Wispact as we continue working toward a future where all individuals with disabilities have access to the resources and opportunities they deserve.
Dawn Scannell
With extensive leadership experience across Wisconsin’s disability services network, Dawn Scannell strengthens Wispact’s mission through both strategic and community-driven insight.
Wispact is pleased to welcome Dawn Scannell to our Board of Directors. Dawn serves as the Executive Director of The Arc Fond du Lac and The Arc Wisconsin, where she works to support and advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families across the state. In her role, she helps strengthen local services while also serving as a statewide resource for Arc chapters throughout Wisconsin.
Dawn brings a unique blend of nonprofit leadership, financial expertise, and community engagement to Wispact. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Lakeland University and began her career working at an accounting firm. During that time, The Arc Fond du Lac was one of her clients. When the organization needed a finance director, Dawn made the transition from public accounting into nonprofit leadership—a move that would shape the next phase of her career.
After serving as Finance Director of The Arc Fond du Lac, in 2021 Dawn stepped into the role of Executive Director. In 2026, she expanded her leadership responsibilities when she was asked to also serve as Executive Director of The Arc Wisconsin, supporting Arc chapters statewide.
Dawn’s connection to Wispact grew through her work with the disability community. The Arc Fond du Lac has received Wispact Foundation grants, and Dawn also became familiar with Wispact through individuals served by The Arc who were exploring special needs trusts. Those experiences helped her see firsthand how Wispact supports people with disabilities and their families.
“I’ve been really intrigued by all the work that Wispact does,” Dawn said. “Just learning how many people they serve and how they help individuals live fuller lives has been inspiring.”
She believes organizations like Wispact play an essential role in helping families plan for the future. Special needs trusts allow individuals with disabilities to receive financial support—such as an inheritance or settlement—while protecting eligibility for important public benefits. “With Wispact, families know there is a safe place for those funds,” Dawn explained. “It allows individuals to use that support for things that improve their lives, whether it’s equipment, medical care, or future housing needs.”
Dawn also shared that she has been impressed with Wispact’s leadership and governance, “They’re very transparent, and you can tell they care deeply about the people they serve,” she added.
Outside of her professional work, Dawn is deeply involved in her community and has spent many years volunteering with service organizations, including Kiwanis and Rotary. She and her husband also share an unexpected hobby: running a small beef cattle farm, which they manage alongside their many community commitments.
We are honored to welcome Dawn Scannell to the Wispact Board of Directors ,her leadership in Wisconsin’s disability community will help strengthen Wispact’s ongoing mission to support individuals with disabilities and their families throughout the state.
Looking Ahead
We are honored to welcome these four leaders to the Wispact Board of Directors. Their collective experience and dedication will help guide Wispact as we continue to expand our reach, deepen our impact, and serve individuals and families across Wisconsin.