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Board of Directors

J. Edward Shapland, Ph.D., Board President

Dr. Shapland has served in senior management roles in several start-up medical device companies.  He brings a great deal of experience in business management, finance and new business development.  He is the parent of three children.  His middle son has special health care needs and disabilities.  Ed has been an advocate for children with disabilities and special health care needs for over 25 years.  

Dr. Shapland obtained a doctorate from the University of Missouri in cardiovascular physiology.

David Griffin, MD, Treasurer

Dr. Griffin earned his undergraduate degree Magna Cum Laude from Harvard University and completed his residency in pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. In addition to serving as one of HealthPartners associate medical directors, Dr. Griffin practices pediatric medicine at the HealthPartners Woodbury Clinic. He has an interest in policies affecting children with special needs and underserved populations. David and his wife Margie Hogan (also a pediatrician) have 4 grown children living on 4 different continents.

W. Brooks Donald, MD MPH, Vice President

W. Brooks Donald, MD MPH, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama and his medical degree from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He completed his residency in pediatrics at the University of Minnesota and earned his masters in public health in maternal and child health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Dr. Donald has practiced general pediatrics and developmental behavioral pediatrics for HealthPartners over the last 35 years, primarily at the Riverside Clinic in Minneapolis, while continuing advocacy for under-served populations through various state committees and nonprofit boards. Having recently retired from clinical care, he now continues with residency teaching responsibilities at the University of Minnesota, and volunteers for several nonprofit organizations within Twin Cities.

Dr. Donald has maintained a longstanding interest in caring for children with developmental and emotional disorders as well as children with special health care needs and their families.

Brooks and his wife Karen Mackenzie have 2 grown children and 4 energetic grandchildren living both in the Twin Cities and Portland, Oregon.

Marjorie Hogan, Director

Dr. Hogan is a pediatrician in the heart of the city at Hennepin County Medical Center and is board-certified in general pediatrics and adolescent medicine.

Her special interests include child maltreatment, the impact of media on children and teens, pediatric medical education, and caring for children and adolescents with special health care needs.

Margie and her husband David Griffin (also a pediatrician) have 4 grown children living on 4 different continents.

John Hurley, Director

John has a BA in Political Science and Masters in Hospital and Health Care Administration (MHA) and is retired from the Minnesota Department of Health. During his tenure with the department, he spent almost 20 years with the state’s Title V (Maternal and Child Health Services) program, and in his last ten years as its Title V-CYSHCN (Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs) Director.

In addition to serving on the FV Board, he maintains contacts with colleagues at the national level, as well as those with state-wide organizations and agencies.

He and his wife Sandra live in Shoreview. Their two adult children live in Minneapolis; one working in public health in an academic setting and one working in the advertising industry.

Ceci Shapland, Secretary

Ceci has worked over twenty years as an advocate for children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities. Her major areas of interest are activism and advocacy for promoting transition to adult health care for youth with special health needs and facilitating skill-building for youth and families. She has spoken statewide and nationally on topics of family centered care and transition in health care.

Prior to Ceci’s work with Family Voices of Minnesota, she was the co-director and a consultant on youth and family centered care for the Healthy & Ready to Work National Center for eight years. Ceci is one of the original family members who assisted in the formation of Family Voices, Inc. in the early 1990’s.

Ceci and her husband are the parents of 3 children; their middle son has special health care needs and disabilities. Ceci also has a masters degree in nursing. Her personal and professional experiences provide her with experience and insights in the organization of the health care system.

Karen Brill, Director

Karen Brill is the Vice President of Quality and Safety at Gillette Childrens Specialty healthcare in St. Paul. She has a passion for ensuring exceptional care for children and adults with disabilities. Karen is responsible for providing executive leadership for ensuring safe, timely, effective , efficient and equitable care and services are delivered.

In her 30+ years as a registered nurse, Karen has had a variety of roles and leadership positions across multiple healthcare organizations. Recently Karen transitioned to her current role as a senior leader of quality and safety. Karen is active in the pediatric quality and safety community. She’s an active member of multiple regional, statewide, and national quality improvement collaboratives dedicated to improving quality, safety, accessibility, and delivery of care to the community.

Karen provides guidance and inspirational leadership in the development and implementation of a strong quality and safety program that engages with staff, patients, and families to foster innovation and ensure the highest quality and safest care is provided to those Gillette serves.

Spencer Merchant, Director

Spencer is a Sr. Product Director with United Healthcare leading a team focused on development for UHC’s pediatric and adults with complex and special health care needs, specifically supporting families to navigate the insurance and health care system. The Pediatric Special Needs Initiative has provided 1:1 UHC support to over 175,000 families and the adult program is available to over 1.5 million members. Spencer received his MBA from the University of Minnesota – in the Medical Institute Leadership Institute.

Spencer is also the dad of two children, one of whom has special health care needs, and brings his personal and professional experience to volunteering not only with Family Voices of Minnesota Board but is also a member of the Wayzata Public Schools Special Needs Advisory Council and the Working Parents United Council.

Sarah St. Louis, Director

Sarah is a Project Manager of Architecture for Life Time and has been in various roles in the architectural profession for over 20 years.  She is currently working on certification to become a certified ADA Coordinator.

Sarah is also the mother of two children with disabilities that are becoming powerful and fierce self-advocates in their own right.  Her children have propelled Sarah to be a vocal advocate for the disability community both personally and professionally.

Sarah is an Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) MN. She has presented several AIA conference programs on ableism and accessibility.

Sarah is a Partners in Policymaking graduate, Disability Rights Advocate and Family Voices of MN trained support parent. She is active in numerous MN community organizations and leads corporate groups on disability awareness.

Sarah is passionate about advocating for legislation that benefits individuals with disabilities and their families. She often testifies at legislative hearings and otherwise gives input to local, state and national leaders and candidates.