About Us

Jessica Leving Siegel founded The Center for Siblings of People with Disabilities in 2019 after receiving an overwhelming response to the publication of her book, Billy’s Sister: Life when your sibling has a disability--a picture book based on her experiences growing up with her brother, Billy, who has autism. Before launching the Center for Siblings, Jessica spent over a decade working in nonprofit marketing and communications. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree with a focus on nonprofit management from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University.

Linda S. Haase, longtime Senior Associate Vice President of Marketing Communications for the Jewish United Fund, has wide-ranging expertise in corporate communications, marketing and public affairs. She played key roles at the Illinois Department of Public Health in establishing the HIV/AIDS Unit and at the American Cancer Society, Illinois Division in effecting smoke-free public spaces, raising awareness of mammography, and championing the rights of people living with cancer.  The recipient of numerous professional awards, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Kalamazoo College and a Master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

Ashley Panlasigui is an MBA Candidate at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University with a focus in finance. She started her career in public accounting and worked in corporate FP&A at various technology and healthcare companies prior to business school. A California native, she holds a B.S. in Business Administration from UC Berkeley, and has previously volunteered as a mentor for iMentor Bay Area.

Christine Lupella has been a writer and project manager for the Jewish United Fund for the last 10 years. Previously, she was a journalist and managing editor for newspapers in Minnesota and Wisconsin, where she received numerous state and several national newspaper awards. She is passionate about helping children explore their experiences through art and literacy. She has taught after school art classes for elementary students, and created a community youth newspaper for which she also served as advisor. She currently tutors a Chicago Public School student through Tutoring Chicago.

A veterinarian and pathologist by training, Sandra recently retired from a 3-decade long career in the pharmaceutical industry. She is now better known as the spirited nomad behind The Old Woman Who Lives in a Van. Having traded her microscope for a Glampervan, she now spends her days exploring all that North America has to offer by road - and writing about it for her community of loyal fans (that is, when she isn't under COVID-related stay-at-home orders).  Sandra is also the mother to seven (now-adult) children through birth and adoption, several with special needs. She spent many years on other non-profit boards, including African Cradle, Inc. and Ethiopia Reads. She is also a volunteer birth doula.  She is proud to now bring her support to siblings.

A marketing communications professional based in Washington, D.C., Deb Weiner has been an ally and advocate for individuals with special needs for as long as she can remember. In her teen years, she volunteered at a camp for individuals with special needs, and professionally, she worked for a special needs organization based in Northbrook, IL, from 2011-2015, as the associate director of donor relations and marketing. Deb continues to be passionate about helping to provide a better quality of life for these individuals, including supporting siblings and family members.

Aimee Halstuk has never let her physical disability get in her way. She was the founder of Just Give Me a Chance, a social playgroup for children with physical disabilities, and has also worked as a kindergarten enrichment coordinator at JCC Chicago and as an activity instructor at the Center for Enriched Living. She loves working with kids and is passionate about helping with the Center for Siblings' children’s programming and development of educational materials.