Our Staff

Lisa Cunningham is an experienced and collaborative leader in the nonprofit sector. She is driven by a strong passion for strategic collaboration, targeted outreach and equitable service provision.  As Executive Director of the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation, Lisa will provide leadership for the growing Foundation as it serves individuals with CHARGE Syndrome, their families and the professionals who support them.

Prior to joining the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation, Lisa worked as Executive Director of the San Antonio Education Partnership and the Bexar County Family Justice Center Foundation. In total, Lisa has a combined 20 years of leadership, business and nonprofit experience.

Lisa holds multiple nonprofit certifications, including the San Antonio Area Foundation’s Values Based Leadership certification, a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Administration and Leadership from the University of Texas at San Antonio, as well as certificates from Our Lady of the Lake University in Nonprofit Leadership, Fundraising, and Grant Writing. She holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she also earned a Graduate Certification in Nonprofit Finance. Lisa serves on several professional councils, including her alma mater’s Alumni Leadership Advisory Council and the United Way’s Early Childhood Issue Council.

She lives on a farm in Kansas with her husband, Ethan, and has two daughters, Maddie and Haley.

You can reach Lisa by email.

Born and raised in Bayamon Puerto Rico, Lourdes has dedicated her life to serve and advocate for families with children with different abilities. Inspired by all the challenges she faced growing up as a sibling to a wonderful person with Cerebral Palsy, Lourdes has always felt a passion to be the voice for this population. She completed her Bachelor’s in Clinic Psychology from the University of Sacred Heart and at the same time she began her working the Center for Personal Development directing wellness and prevention programs for young children.  She then proceeded to complete her Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from Albizu University.

After years of private practice, she moved to Orlando, Florida in 1999 to work as a Mental Health Therapist. She worked with young children and families as a Certified Infant Toddler Developmental Specialist, which lead to the opportunity to work at the Developmental Center for Infants and Children, which runs the Early Intervention Program for Central Florida. This program provides Early Intervention Services for children with developmental delays from birth to 36 months. She had the privilege of working with new parents, who were concerned about their child’s development and need that extra help to help maximize their potential. Her goal has been to empower parents to help incorporate strategies to their daily routines that would help support language, cognitive, motor, adaptive and social emotional development. Lourdes has collaborated side by side with multiple agencies and organizations such as Silent Hope, Hearing Me, Down Syndrome Foundation, Center for Autism Related Disabilities,  United Cerebral Palsy, just to name a few. After 16 years leading this program, she has received many accolades and has been active in local and state Boards as an Advocate for better funding for much needed services. She received the Don Quijote Award for Professional of the Year in 2012 and has been a member of the Florida Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and Toddlers (Governor Appointed position) and Board Member for the Seminole County Early Learning Coalition.

You can reach Lourdes by email.

Ameli Leech has over 15 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector and carries a strong background in communications, fundraising, and database management. After earning her Bachelor of Arts from Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Ameli began her nonprofit career managing a collection of historic artifacts for a sister museum to the Alamo. From there, Ameli’s passion for supporting nonprofit organizations developed and has guided her career path ever since.

Outside of the office, you can find Ameli spending time with her family which includes her husband, two children, four dogs, a cat, and a handful of fish.

Torrie Rathjen has spent her career specializing in Direct Marketing, Social Media, Graphic Design, and Website Maintenance.  She has worked as a volunteer with many non-profit organizations, and local fundraising and community events.

Torrie has a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Delaware.

Torrie has lived in many locations throughout the United States, but has called New Jersey home for the past 20 years.  She and her husband have their hands full with twin 9-year olds and a Miniature Schnauzer.

In her free-time you can find Torrie on the field, as Director of the Metuchen Junior Field Hockey League, coach to her daughter’s field hockey and softball teams, and manager of her son’s soccer team.  She also spends her time organizing the Brainy Borough Book Club and can often be found with her nose in a book.

You can reach Torrie by email.