Come join us for lunch at the Mendakota Country Club and hear the latest updates on school advocacy, transitions to adulthood, guardianship, and financial considerations when raising a special needs child. Connect with other parents, learn from experts, and leave feeling inspired and confident in your parenting journey. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to invest in yourself and your family! Emmy award-winning comedian and radio host, Sheletta Brundidge, will EMCEE the discussion, adding her own anecdotes from her journey as the mother of three kids with autism. Sheletta has risen in stature as an influencer, social media phenomenon, and activist for people with autism and entrepreneurs.

Panelists Include:

Tonia Teasley, Executive Director of the PACER Center Tonia is a mission-driven executive who has a passion for inspiring others to accomplish more than they dreamed possible and the ability to turn obstacles into opportunities. She is currently using that passion and ability as Executive Director of PACER Center, a non-profit organization that helps children with disabilities and their families find the path to the education, services and technology they need to lead purposeful lives. She also writes a blog at UntangletheKnot.org, telling stories of the complexities of accessing services for children with disabilities.

Megan Kelly, Attorney, Northwoods Law Group. Megan Kelly is an attorney and shareholder at Northwoods Law Group in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. She specializes in estate planning, special needs and long term care planning, and guardianship and conservatorship administration.

Jeff Manderfeld, Continuum Capital. Jeff has over 20 years of experience doing financial planning for families, including those with special needs. He is an advocate for children and serves on a board with MHealth Fairview’s Masonic Children’s hospital.

Shannon Stauff, CADRE. Cadre partners with employers and organizations to deliver on-demand resources and create private and public spaces filled with vetted individuals who understand universal human challenges like caregiving, grief, substance use, and navigating life with autism. Shannon is the proud mother of two sons, Sully, 17 and Wyatt, 15, and together they navigate a life full of acronyms including ASD, ADHD, GAD, and CPTSD. Shannon believes in the power of sharing her story to help others feel less alone .