Biography:

Jan’s passion is children. She has been working in the field of family support and education since the 1980s.

Jan was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and moved to Monterrey, Mexico at age 10, when her parents decided their two daughters needed a more diverse world view. She is without a doubt grateful her parents took that leap decades ago. She returned to the states after high school and received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Missouri, Kansas City four years later. Since then, Jan has worked as a preschool teacher and directed programs for children in Kansas City, Seattle, and Kodiak (Alaska). Since moving to Albuquerque in 2001, Jan has substitute taught all ages and has developed and led science programs for families at the Museum of Natural History and Science. Most recently she spent six years at the Family Development Program at UNM, facilitating workshops for parents and early childhood educators throughout the state, developing publications for families and professionals working with young children, and creating and implementing an educational support program for at-risk new moms. In addition to her position at PRO, Jan currently teaches Early Childhood Multicultural Education courses part time in Spanish at CNM.

Jan has a stepdaughter, a daughter, and two sons. She enjoys creating memories with her kids through food, game nights (usually with extended family), and other traditions. She expects they’ll remain very close, even as the kids continue to grow up and make their way in the world.

Jan knows she’s extremely fortunate to be working at PRO, where making a difference in the lives of families happens every day.

Biography:

Erin Weisner is a wife and a proud mother of six children: Kristopher, Sean, Mathew, Joshua, Zachary, and Desiree. Erin has been with Parents Reaching Out since 2003. For seven years she worked in the DreamCatchers program, running the Parent to Parent program. This program matches families with a new diagnosis with seasoned families, for support. Parent to Parent is near to Erin’s heart as she has had a journey of her own through her daughter, Desiree, who is diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Since 2010, Erin has devoted most of her time to the Families as Faculty program, inspiring families to tell their stories to students at the university level, thereby increasing awareness of the impact professionals have on the lives of children with special needs.

In Erin’s personal life she founded Fight SMA SW Desiree’s Buddies in 2003, a non-profit organization, in New Mexico. Its mission is to accelerate the search for a treatment and cure for SMA, the number-one inherited cause of infant death. The organization pursues this objective by raising awareness and funding for SMA research. Fight SMA has worked to bring higher levels of awareness and understanding of SMA.

Erin also coordinates our major fundraiser, Swing to be a PRO, our annual Golf Tournament.