Meet The Board

Together with Jessica Patay, the members of our Board of Directors bring an invaluable wealth of knowledge and experience that is shared through their commitment and dedication to all that is We Are Brave Together.

Brian Altounian's background includes business development, finance, operations and administration, and he has applied his skills to a variety of start-ups, Fortune 100 companies, and public and private organizations. He currently provides financial advice to individuals, families and companies, working in the areas of investments and insurance products and services through his Atlas Voyager Wealth Maximization Strategies and is the co-founder/co-host of a weekly podcast supporting the Special Needs community called Just Two Dads.

Altounian holds an MBA from Pepperdine University and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from UCLA. He recently served as Chairman of the Board of Managers of the Hollywood YMCA. He sits on the Board of YIC Unity, an educational program preparing young adults with disabilities for positions in music and entertainment.

A smiling man with dark hair, a beard, and a mustache wearing a dark blazer and a striped shirt, posing against a plain white background.

Brian Altounian

Stephanie Fleck, originally from southern California, though with a short stint in New York, currently lives in Rancho Palos Verdes with her husband, Richard and her two teenage children, one of whom was diagnosed with an intellectual disability at age six.

Stephanie has worked in the refurbished environmental equipment industry for the past 30+ years and, yet, still found time to volunteer for several organizations including five years on Miraleste Intermediate School’s Booster Club Board, one year on their PTSA Board, seven years with Girl Scouts of America, five years as Committee Chair for her local Cub Scouts, two years as secretary of their HOA, and nine years on the Mira Catalina Elementary School PTA Board. Stephanie’s dedication to her community and the education of her children earned her the rare Golden Oak Service Award from the PVPUSD Parent Teacher Association.

When she can, she enjoys cooking, music, dancing and reading. Stephanie is honored and touched to be a part of this wonderful and helpful WABT organization.

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Stephanie Fleck

Cindy Kaplan is a parent and family coach with over 20 years of experience specializing in Conscious Parenting and Spiritual Psychology. She helps individuals and families deepen their relationships with their children, partners, and themselves through compassionate, connection-centered work.

As a parent of a young adult with multiple disabilities, Cindy brings both personal and professional insight to her advocacy. She spent ten years on the board of Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, serving on the executive board and on committees focused on development, social-emotional programming, education, and parent support.

Cindy has partnered with We Are Brave Together as a retreat host and keynote speaker, and believes deeply in the sustaining power of laughter and community for caregivers. She is the author of Freefall: One Mother’s Journey Raising a Child with Special Needs, a contributing writer to Becoming Brave Together, and has published articles on parenting, caregiving, and resilience.

Cindy lives in the Boston area with her husband, their daughter, and two wacky dogs, and has three adult children. Outside of work, she enjoys yoga, pickleball, walking, strength training, knitting, and is learning to play the cello.

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Cindy Kaplan

Anthony Rivello

Anthony Rivello brings We Are Brave Together a combination of Madison Avenue marketing experience with an interpersonal approach that shapes his current career as a Personal Mentor supporting children on the spectrum for autism.

As an advertising executive at New York's leading agencies for over a quarter century, Anthony's career has focused on a range of clients, from not-for-profit and grass roots services to health care and government. His experience in strategic planning, program development, implementation and metrics tracking of direct marketing communications has been the driver for national and local campaigns ranging from patient education and engagement to loyalty and sales performance.

For the past five years, Anthony has taken his unique personal experiences and re-established himself as a provider of personalized mentoring to young people on the spectrum for autism. Through an approach of individualized attention, he channels his direct communications background to provide social and academic support that is designed to empower self-esteem and social competency in a supportive relationship that is non-clinical or pathologized. Anthony lives in New York City with his teenage son and their 20-something year old tortoise, Bob.

Natalie Handy

Natalie Elliott Handy, MSW, is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 25 years of experience in the health and human services sector. She is the CEO of CareForward, an innovative platform launched in 2023 that connects individuals in need with community volunteers and partner organizations, significantly enhancing the quality of life for both caregivers and care recipients.

Natalie is also the Co-Owner of Sisterhood of Care, which produces the global podcast Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver. Inspired by her own caregiving experiences, she co-hosts the podcast alongside her sister JJ Elliott-Hill. When her husband Jason was diagnosed with HPV-related head and neck cancer in 2022, Natalie self-identified as a caregiver for the first time. Together, she and her sisters also provide daily support for their mother, who has lived with Parkinson’s disease for over 22 years. Since 2019, they have been her full-time caregivers, a journey that led to the creation of CareForward in 2023.

In addition, Natalie is the Founder of Handy Innovative Solutions, where she partners with child welfare and behavioral health systems to help build strong, resilient families. Her work centers on supporting at-risk children and families connected to the foster care system, with a specialty in placement navigation for hard-to-place foster youth.

Natalie is a sought-after speaker and trainer on caregiving and mental health. With more than 300K monthly downloads across 54 countries, her podcast shares unfiltered caregiver stories, provides emotional support, and offers educational training for caregivers and professionals at no cost. A strong advocate, she is committed to bridging service gaps and driving systemic change.

Natalie holds a BA in Psychology from Hollins College and an MSW from West Virginia University. Based in Virginia, she lives with her husband, Jason, and their two dogs, Ace and Daisy.

Dr. Corinne Hickson, Ph.D.

Dr. Corinne Hickson is an award-winning licensed clinical psychologist specializing in child, adolescent, and family assessment and treatment. She has extensive expertise in psycho-educational and emotional evaluations, with a focus on learning disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, neurological conditions, and mood and anxiety disorders.

She is the Founder and CEO of Complete Family Services, Inc., a multidisciplinary practice supporting children, adolescents, adults, and families across all stages of development. Dr. Hickson integrates evidence-based assessment, therapy, and consultation to promote emotional wellness, academic success, and healthy family relationships. She is also co-founder of Peanut Pie Press, a creative collaboration producing children’s books that support emotional growth and daily transitions.

Previously, Dr. Hickson co-founded and led the Exceptional Children’s Network, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting twice-exceptional children—those who are gifted while also navigating learning and developmental challenges.

A contributing author to The Handbook of Juvenile Forensic Psychology, Dr. Hickson published her doctoral research on parental influence in divorce and continues to provide forensic consultation, custody evaluation, and child advocacy services. She brings warmth, creativity, and compassion to her work, with a mission to help individuals and families thrive.

Anthony Brown is a seasoned financial executive with extensive experience in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors. He is currently in his fourth year serving as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Wildwood School in Los Angeles, California.

Prior to joining Wildwood, Brown spent 12 years as Vice President of Finance and CFO at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. During his tenure, he collaborated closely with the President/CEO and senior leadership team on the organization's first major expansion - a $62 million capital campaign that expanded the museum, increased revenues, and deepened public education around pressing climate issues.

Brown has also held leadership roles as Director of Finance for the House of Blues Foundation and CFO for CIGNA Behavioral Health Care. Throughout his career, he has valued collaboration and attributes his success to the dedication and focus of his colleagues.

He currently serves on the Finance Committee for the California Association of Museums and as President of the John A. Rowland High School Education Foundation, his high school alma mater.

In his spare time, Brown enjoys yoga, playing guitar, and golf.