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Family-to-Family Health Information Center Stipend Form
The Symposium registration is NOW OPEN!
Virtual: Through Zoom, you’ll have access to five (5) sessions. Please see the agenda for more information. Attendees will also have access to the information from the speakers.
Susan Agrawal, PhD
Susan is a parent, advocate, and writer who began serving as the Director of the Family-to
Family Health (F2F) Information Center in 2024, assisting families of children and young
adults with disabilities and special healthcare needs to navigate the health care and
disability systems in Illinois. She has lived experience through her daughter Karuna, who had multiple disabilities and complex health issues throughout her eleven years of life. Susan is
the founder of MFTD Waiver Families and spent more than a decade advocating for children
in the Medically Fragile Technology Dependent Waiver. In addition, she is an independent
researcher on children’s Medicaid waivers and programs, including the website Kids’ Waivers.
Megan Mutti
Megan is the Executive Director of Family Matters Parent Training Center. She was most
recently a member of the Ligas Family Advocate Team at the Arc of Illinois. Megan is a 2023
graduate of the Illinois Partners in Policymaking Program and a 2020 graduate of the LEND
Program at UIC, where she participated as a Family Fellow. She is the parent to an adult
daughter, Annie, who lives with autism and intellectual disabilities.
Alyssa Nutile
Alyssa is a writer, researcher, and media producer. She serves as the operations
manager for Wild Home Podcasting, the media producer for The Rare Life podcast, and co
founder of Caffeinated Caregivers. Her introduction to the world of caregiving began with her daughter G’s diagnosis in 2019. Alyssa balances family life, career, and the challenges of
parenting two children, one of whom has a disability. Her personal experience navigating her
own disability as well as those of her daughter inform her professional work and advocacy
efforts.
Denice Rhodes
Denice is the CEO and Founder of Caregivers Safe Space, a community dedicated to supporting those who care for others. With over 37 years of caregiving experience, she brings compassion, wisdom, and advocacy to the forefront. Denice is passionate about promoting mental wellness, connection, and self-care for caregivers everywhere.
Steve Scheur
Steve is a Supervisory Attorney in the Public Benefits Practice Group at Legal Aid
Chicago. His practice focuses on access to public benefits, including Medicaid, SNAP, TANF,
AABD Cash, and Social Security. He represents clients in administrative hearings before the
Illinois Department of Human Services and the Social Security Administration.
Erica Stearns
Erica is a researcher passionate about the power of personal narratives in disability advocacy. She is the creator and host of the Atypical Truth podcast and co-founder of Caffeinated Caregivers. As a mother of two children with a rare genetic disorder and having been born with rare birth defects herself, Erica brings a unique dual perspective to her work. Driven by her own personal experiences, she provides peer support to caregivers of children with medical complexities through the University of Illinois Chicago, Division of Specialized Care for Children.