Team

Robert M. Miller
Executive Director

has been the executive director of the National Fragile X Foundation since 1999. He has over 40 years experience as a teacher and administrator in the fields of early intervention, special education, mental health and nonprofit/human service administration. His work has included programs for children from abuse and neglect backgrounds as well as work in economically disadvantaged areas as part of the Federal Head Start program. Robert was also instrumental in forming a national network of Fragile X clinics and the formation of a national collaboration formed to improve the lives of all adults with intellectual disabilities. In addition to his activities at the national level, Robert has worked with a number of groups and organizations throughout the world regarding the establishment of international parent support networks and clinics for Fragile X.

Linda Sorensen, MS
Associate Director has been a staff member of the NFXF since 2004 and currently serves as associate director. She has over fifteen years of experience in non-profit programs, development, board and volunteer development and operations management. She is a contributing editor to the Foundation Quarterly journal. She loves the company of family and friends and enjoys entertaining, hiking and reading great books.

Jeffrey Cohen
Director of Government Affairs & Advocacy

Sharon Kidd, MPH, PhD
FXCRC National Coordinator obtained both her Master of Public Health in epidemiology/biostatistics and her PhD in epidemiology from UC Berkeley. Sharon is a perinatal and pediatric epidemiologist studying the patterns of health problems during pregnancy and childhood. She completed her dissertation in May 2010 on sleep and cortisol in preschool-aged children with autism compared to typically developing children. She has authored and co-authored numerous publications, taught epidemiology courses, and reviews manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals. She has been working at the NFXF since November 2011 and is grateful to be able to continue working on promising research on children and young adults with developmental disabilities. Her major project is to coordinate the data collection efforts of the FXCRC clinics nationwide. She enjoys travel, cable TV, and the triumphs and tragedies of her daughter’s middle school exploits.

Phil Campbell
Program & Administrative Assistant has been program and administrative assistant since 2005. He has previously worked in publishing and continues to write about music and the fine arts for a Northern California newspaper. The challenges offered by the always growing National Fragile X Foundation are a great source of personal and professional satisfaction.

David Salomon
Communications Coordinator joined the National Fragile X Foundation in October 2007. He assists in logistical planning for the Fragile X Clinical and Research Consortium, assists with the foundation’s social media activities, and implements communications on the website, e-newsletters and other announcements. David is a graduate in Asian American Studies at UC Davis, and has completed his studies in computer network technology. He loves comic books.

Meghan McMurray
Development Coordinator has worked as a Development Coordinator for the National Fragile X Foundation since 2010. She began a working in insurance before pursuing a career in the non-profit industry. Prior to joining the foundation she was a volunteer at Seattle Children’s Hospital and worked as a grantwriter intern at Starlight Children’s Foundation. Meghan graduated from the University of Washington with degrees in English and Spanish. She enjoys running, hiking, and traveling and is very happy to be back in her native California.

Jayne Dixon Weber
Coordinator of Support Services has been the coordinator of support services for the National Fragile X Foundation since 2007. She has two children—one an adult son with fragile X syndrome, the other a typical daughter studying to be an occupational therapist. In addition to assisting on the NFXF’s “Adolescent & Adult Project,” Jayne authored the book Transitioning ‘Special’ Children into Elementary School and is the editor for the book, Children with Fragile X Syndrome.

Teddy Palmer
Database Specialist has worked at the National Fragile X Foundation since 2003. Her previous experience includes small business bookkeeping and membership accounting for Kaiser Permanente. She feels extremely fortunate to be part of the Fragile X community, using her kindheartedness, imaginative thinking and technical skills to help the foundation achieve its mission.

Liane J. Abrams, MS, CGC
Genetic Specialist is a board-certified genetic counselor. She obtained her MS in genetic counseling in 1985 at UC Berkeley, and is a diplomate of the American Board of Medical Genetics. Liane’s interest in Fragile X dates to 1986, when she first began assessing children for the condition at the California State Department of Developmental Disabilities. She founded the Northern California Fragile X Association in 1988. From 1997-2002, she founded and co-directed the Northern California Fragile X Clinic at Children’s Hospital, Oakland, which at the time was the only FX clinic in California. In 1998 she was awarded the NFXF’s Jarret Cole Award for clinical excellence in Fragile X. In addition to co-authoring numerous publications on Fragile X-associated Disorders, Liane has provided many hours of education to medical residents, case managers, genetics professionals and families.

Holly Roos
LINKS Program Assistant has been the LINKS program assistant for the National Fragile X Foundation since 2010. She has two children, a son and a daughter, with fragile X syndrome. In 2006 she founded The Central Illinois Fragile X Resource Group to bring families together and raise awareness in the region. She currently acts as co-leader of the group. Holly has been a speaker at several conferences, including the NFXF’s international conferences, on topics such as “Working with Your School,” “Media Relations,” “Fundraising,” and “How to Talk to Your Child’s Classmates About Fragile X.” The last of these was made into a podcast for the NFXF.

Sam Jacob
Assistant Shipping Clerk has been working as the Assistant Shipping Clerk at the NFXF
since 2005. When not helping fill orders and prepare mailings, Sam enjoys baseball, rock ‘n’ roll and spending time with his family.

Andrew Hidas
Writer and Editor and his firm, Bridge Communications & Consulting, has been producing much of the communications materials for the NFXF since 2004. He serves as editor of the Foundation Quarterly journal, produces the Annual Fund, Awareness Day and other direct mail materials, and also oversees production of special topics and FXCRC brochures. Andrew had an early career as a special education teacher before becoming a newspaper and magazine editor, then spent a decade as communications director with an ad agency. He founded his firm in 2000.

Eric Welin
Web Developer joined the National Fragile X Foundation’s team in early 2011 to overhaul the website, fragilex.org. He has over 10 years of experience in web development. He now serves as the foundation’s web developer and oversees the social media content. He has one son with fragile X syndrome. In 2010 he, along with his wife Melissa, formed the Fragile X LINKS Group of Eastern Massachusetts to help connect families in the region.

Donna Hendren
Accountant