Meet Our Board of Directors
Jahera Otieno, Chair/President
Principal, PAYO Collaborative
Jahera Otieno is a mission-driven professional with experience working in the public sector, international development, and community health to drive strategic growth and implement effective organizational and program management. Ms. Otieno is entrepreneurial-minded and a strategic and innovative thinker and leader. She is experienced in client and stakeholder management, including working with corporate partners, philanthropic donors, and government with experience in program operations, grant management, and communications and resource development.
David Goldfarb, Treasurer
Director of Financial Security Policy, The Arc of the United States
David Goldfarb is The Arc of the United States Director of Financial Security Policy. Previously, he spent nearly 8 years at the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), where he oversaw NAELA’s advocacy initiatives. His successful advocacy campaigns include passing the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act and extending Medicaid’s spousal impoverishment protections to home and community-based service (HCBS) waivers through September 2023.
He currently co-chairs the Disability and Aging Collaborative and the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) Social Security and Financial Security Task Forces.
David began his public policy career as the Economic Policy Fellow for Senator Bill Nelson of Florida. He holds a J.D. from the Seattle University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Colorado. He was inducted into the National Academy of Social Insurance in 2017.
Chadwick B. Charles
President & CEO, Chad O’L Public Relations & Events LLC, O’L Lifestyles Brands
Throughout his lengthy career, Chadwick has worked in both government and commercial industries and has 30 years of experience with managing clients and project coordination. As a Travel Manager for the Department of Health and Human Services, he was responsible for financial coordination, event planning, fundraising, travel planning, budget planning, and oversight of policies/processes. Currently, Chadwick is the sole founder of Chad O’L Public Relations & Events, LLC, he oversees comprehensive brand and digital marketing strategies that are creative, practical, innovative, and most of all results-driven. Chad O’L leverages a variety of offerings to provide full-service and innovative solutions to create events, programs, and campaigns to help clients stand out in a crowded marketplace. Chadwick is an alumnus of Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, and The George Washington University.
Tara Engel
Senior Associate of Strategic Initiatives, The Johns Hopkins University
Tara Engel is a team-oriented professional with experience in strategic planning, financial analysis and modeling, and administration. She has worked in higher education settings for over 10 years, collaborating with faculty researchers and University leadership to ensure compliance across grant-funded projects and programs, developing innovative solutions to improve resource and project management, and creating complex financial models to facilitate decision-making.
She holds a BA in Finance and Economics, and an MBA from the University of Dayton.
Katherine Boe Heuck
Commercial Operations Manager, Altana AI
Katherine Boe Heuck grew up in Washington DC and is an entrepreneur with experience owning and running businesses in Asia and the US. She is an owner of Manhattan Mandarin, a Chinese education company operating in several cities on the East Coast, as well as Atlas Sourcing Group, a flooring products wholesaler and distributor. While living in China, Ms. Boe Heuck previously consulted for multinational companies, focusing on healthcare, sustainability, and product and brand innovation. Kate has broad experience working with international stakeholders on innovative projects and brings her multicultural work experience and her passion for entrepreneurship to the Quality Trust Board. She holds a BA degree from Washington and Lee University in Virginia and will receive her MBA from MIT Sloan School and Management in 2022.
Ryan King
Self-Advocate, Project ACTION!
Ryan King is a determined, strong self-advocate and is active with Project ACTION!, the District’s self-advocacy coalition. He presents locally and nationally at advocacy conferences. He co-presents with self-advocates and attorneys on a variety of advocacy topics but he is most passionate about supported decision-making (SDM) and people getting to make their own choices and decisions. He wants to make sure others know this can become a reality for them also. Mr. King has been featured in The Washington Post and other national publications on his personal story of having the DC Court over-turn his guardianship in favor of SDM. He has been a Board member with Lifeline Partnership for four years. They support and nurture people with developmental disabilities to grow socially and spiritually. Mr. King has been employed by Safeway Corporation for 21 years. He is a resident of Ward 4 and enjoys cooking, attending sporting events, listening to music and advocating for others.
Lisa Matthews
Chief Grants Officer, NCoC
Lisa Matthews has more than 15 years of experience navigating the disability system to better understand her role as a sibling to support her brother and other individuals with disabilities and their families. Lisa Matthews currently serves as the DC Chapter Representative on the Sibling Leadership Network (SLN) Board of Directors. She is the former Chair of the DC Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC Council) and its State Plan Implementation Committee. Her goal is to educate, elevate and empower others to identify and solve problems that will bring perspective and positive change in their lives. Lisa’s personal passion is aligned with her professional experience in bringing about change across communities. She is currently a Chief Grants Officer with a non-profit organization where she is a strategic, collaborative, and self-motivated leader who supports advancing full participation and civic engagement across the nation.
Mariana Roig
Co-founder and VP of Strategy for ROIG Communications
Mariana Roig is a visionary leader with over 15 years of experience in the field of communications. Mariana holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland and a master’s degree from The Georgetown University in Communications and Public Relations. Her work and expertise developing multilingual marketing and public relations initiatives have ensured high-impact results in various fields. Mariana is known for her creative talent to plan, lead, and implement communications strategies of regional, national and global scope. She has positioned her company as a leading cross-cultural strategic communications agency based in DC, in only six years.
Jackie Spainhour
President, Historic Congressional Cemetery
Jackie Spainhour is a writer, fundraiser, nonprofit professional, and mom of kids with disabilities living on Capitol Hill. She is an alum of Old Dominion University and Louisiana State University, where she received graduate degrees in History and Nonprofit Administration, respectively. In addition to the Quality Trust, she serves as the Treasurer on the Board of the Victorian Society in America and is an active member of the Junior League of Washington.
She has published three books in the history and museum studies spheres and spent over a decade in museums prior to becoming the President of Historic Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. In her spare time, she uses her voice as an advocate for the creation of a more inclusive world for people living with autism and other disabilities in honor of her sons Declan (8) and Ethan (3).
Walter Suskind
Director, Finsbury Glover Hering
Walter Suskind is a skilled public relations and communications professional. He has provided public affairs and communications strategies for corporations, academic institutions and government agencies. He designs and implements complex multi-platform public awareness campaigns. Mr. Suskind is the Founder of SibStrong, an organization designed to support siblings of people with Autism and other disabilities.
Sherry Teycer
HR Professional, Giant Food
Sherry Teycer is a dedicated HR professional at Giant Food, leveraging her expertise to promote inclusivity and diversity within the organization. As a passionate advocate for both her profession and her community, she actively serves as a communication chair for Giant’s Business Resource Group (BRG) Thrive for People of Color, spearheading initiatives aimed at empowering underrepresented voices.
A proud alum of the University of Maryland Global Campus, Sherry holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Management, grounding her strong foundation of knowledge and skills. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a commitment to education and mentorship, working tirelessly to empower people leaders across the organization to cultivate inclusive work environments where every individual feels valued and respected.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Sherry is deeply invested in advocacy work , particularly for individuals with invisible disabilities. Inspired by her daughter, Lorena, who bravely navigates autism, Sherry utilizes her platform and voice to champion awareness and support for this community. Through her advocacy efforts, she strives to create a more compassionate and understanding society for individuals like Lorena.
Donna Thornton
Self-Advocate, Project ACTION!
Ms. Thornton and her husband have received many awards and were recognized as “Washingtonians of the Year” in 1997. The Thornton’s were the subjects of a made-for-TV movie entitled, “Profoundly Normal,” and appeared on 60 Minutes, sharing their story as one of the first couples with developmental disabilities to be married. Ms. Thornton is a strong self-advocate and member of Project ACTION!, the District’s self-advocacy group. She advocates at DC City Council hearings, trains disability professionals, and mentors new self-advocates. Ms. Thornton retired from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after a 28-year, public servant career. Ms. Thornton believes that people with disabilities should be able to work if they want. Ms. Thornton is a former resident of Forest Haven, the District’s institution for people with developmental disabilities. She has been married for 34 years to Ricardo Thornton. They have a son, Ricky, Jr., and they are proud grandparents.
Keith Wright
Self-Advocate
Keith Wright is a strong self-advocate and is active in his community. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Mitchell College where he majored in Business Administration and minored in Graphic Design. Mr. Wright is industrious, determined and is eager to apply his graphic design skills to local nonprofits and businesses. Mr. Wright works part-time at Twisted Pretzel in the District. Mr. Wright is a member of Project ACTION! and is getting more involved in advocacy work and training. He presents at local and national advocacy conferences with Project ACTION! members.
