Stipends and Grants
Established in 1950 to Support the I/DD Community
The Arc of Washington Trust Fund was established in 1950 to provide funds for research into intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).
In keeping with our Vision, the Arc of Washington Trust Fund invests in the careers of students interested in working with, and benefiting the lives of, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (Student Stipends).
We also support interdisciplinary training programs for graduate and professional level practitioners who will be providing services and advocacy for the I/DD community (Program Grants). And we continue to support early research focused on identifying issues affecting the I/DD community and projects to benefit that community (Research Grants).
We further envision these communities prepared to accommodate, recognize, and appreciate the unique contributions of individuals with disabilities.
Board of Administrative Trustees
Setting Strategic Direction
Appointed and Elected
Supporting Research, Training, and Education
The Arc of Washington Trust Fund is administered by a Board of Administrative Trustees, of which some members are appointed by the Board of The Arc of Washington State and others are elected by the Trust Fund Board from throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Board of trustees
Thomas Schulte — President
Eugene Aisenberg – Vice President
James Russell – Treasurer
Lance Evans – Secretary
Sean Hyde – Board Member
Sina Shah-Hosseini – Board Member
Paula Stepankowsky – Board Member
Laurie Thompson – Board Member
Sally Coomer – Board Member
President
Thomas Schulte and his wife, Martha, have been advocates for the intellectually and developmentally disabled since the birth of their severely challenged son, Nathan, in North Carolina in 1981. In 1988 they were named Parent/Volunteers of the year by The Arc of North Carolina.
Dr. Schulte is retired from a 30 year career as a senior executive developing medical devices, particularly in the infectious disease diagnostics area. He holds a B.A. in Biochemistry from the Univ. of Wisconsin, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Univ. Colorado Medical Center, and was a post-doctoral fellow in Pathology at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Dr. Schulte is currently serving as President of The Arc of Washington Trust Fund.
Vice President
Dr. Gino Aisenberg is an Associate Professor at the University of Washington School of Social Work where he has made significant contributions for the past sixteen years.
For the past five years, he has provided leadership as Associate Dean for Diversity and Student Affairs in the Graduate School. Dr. Aisenberg is also the founder and co-Director of the Latino Center for Health, an interdisciplinary research center promoting the health and well-being of Latinx communities. He is a proud father of a daughter who has Down’s Syndrome.
Treasurer
Jim Russell and wife Kasey are the proud parents of a 25 year son who has Down Syndrome and a 23 year old daughter who graduated this year from the University of Washington.
Jim grew up in Seattle, graduated from the University of Washington and served in the US Navy specializing in aviation electronics. He owned a local CPA firm for thirty years. Jim’s past volunteer work included fundraising for the United Way as a Loaned Executive and Board service for Child Strive, a non-profit providing early intervention services.
Presently, Jim is the head swim coach for a local Special Olympics Swim Team and Treasurer for the Arc of Washington Trust Fund.
Secretary
Lance Evans and his wife, Kathy, have been advocates for the intellectually and developmentally disabled since the birth of their severely challenged son, Bradley, in Florida in 1983. Unfortunately, their special angel passed away in October 2017 after 34 years with them.
Dr. Evans is retired from a 38-year career as an electrical engineer and executive manager developing avionics products, of particular note the air-to-air collision avoidance system, TCAS. He holds a B.S., M.S. and D.E. in Electrical Engineering from Tulane University in New Orleans
Board Member
Paula Stepankowsky and her husband, Andre, have been advocates for children and adults with disabilities since 1998, when their son, Nicholai, was diagnosed with autism.
Paula is a native of Spokane, Wash., where she earned a BA in English Literature from Fort Wright College. She then earned an MA in Journalism from the University of Missouri before moving to Longview, Wash., where she was a reporter for The Daily News. She then became Pacific Northwest reporter for The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones NewsWires.
She earned an MA in Teaching from the University of Portland and taught Language Arts at St. Rose School in Longview, before retiring in 2023.
As a volunteer, Paula has worked with many organizations. She has been on the board of LifeWorks of Cowlitz County since 2014 and spent 10 years as Vice President of the Autism Society of Cowlitz County. She is the Cowlitz County representative on the ARC of Washington board and is a volunteer for Special Olympics and Child Advocates of Cowlitz County. She is also on the board of Trustees of the Longview Public Library.
Board Member
Laurie Thompson, PhD is an Associate Professor at Washington State University in the department of Speech and Hearing Sciences in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine She completed her graduate work at Florida State University and her postdoctoral training in the Pediatric and Developmental Neuroscience Branch of the National Institutes of Health. Laurie is a speech-language pathologist by training and has over 15 years of specialized clinical and research experience working with children at risk for developmental disabilities.
Laurie is a founding Co-Director of the Autism and Neurodevelopmental Program of Excellence in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University. This program aims to support individuals and families with autism spectrum disorder and neurodevelopmental disorders through quality clinical care, innovative research, community outreach, and clinical education. Laurie is servicing as a board member for The ARC of Washington Trust Fund. Amy Meredith is a Clinical Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at Washington State University in Spokane for the department of Speech and Hearing Sciences in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.
Board Member
Sean Hyde is an attorney at Jones & Ibrahim, PLLC where he proudly serves people with disabilities and their families. He gladly carries on Larry A. Jones’ legacy both as a member of this board and as an attorney for Larry’s firm.
Before law school, Sean graduated from the University of Idaho where he received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and History. He then received his law degree from the University of Washington School of Law.
In addition to this board, Sean enjoys volunteering as a certified mediator and to coach/judge for local Speech and Debate teams.
Board Member
Sina Shah-Hosseini, MD, is a board-certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and a faculty member of the University of Washington School of Medicine since 2020. He is the Director of Career Advising in Psychiatry and supervises residents and fellows in their adult and child psychiatry training.
Dr. Shah completed his fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center and Tufts Children’s Hospital in Boston. At Seattle Children’s, he sees children with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders on an outpatient basis at the Autism Center, and also works as an inpatient attending psychiatrist on the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Unit. He has academic and research interests in autism spectrum disorder treatments, neurodevelopmental and genetic disorders, catatonia, bullying, and trauma-informed care.
Board Member
Sally and her husband Tom are the proud parents of 7 grown children. Their third child Becky suffered a brain injury at birth resulting in profound developmental and physical disabilities. Life with Becky is what prompted Sally’s passion to serve and work in the disability field.
From 2004 to 2018, she owned and operated her own business, Special Care Agency, a Medicaid contracted company offering a wide range of services to hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Sally is also the founder of Bridge of Promise, a non-profit organization that has provided youth and community volunteer run summer camps and continues to offer year-round educational and recreational community-based programs for adults with I/DD.
Since the sale of Special Care in 2018, Sally has provided consulting services to hundreds of clients and their families by helping them to access, navigate and understand the social service system in order to facilitate more personalized long-term care planning.
Sally continues to be a strong advocate, both in the community and at the legislative level working to improve service systems and be a voice for I/DD individuals and their families.