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| The Five Project, Inc. Board of Directors
The Five Project's Board of Directors, along with its advisory board and volunteers, are committed to working together to promote and provide more effective support and intervention services for individuals with autism, and other developmental disabilities. |
Dr. Helen McCabe, Co-Founder and Board President
Helen is the co-Founder of The Five Project. She first became interested in autism in China in 1992, while she was a student at the Johns Hopkins University - Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies in Nanjing, China. The experience meeting Zhang Ge, a young girl with autism in Nanjing, prompted Helen to study special education, and she received her Ph.D. in Special Education and International and Comparative Education Policy from Indiana University in 2004. Other education includes a B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, both in East Asian Studies, and a graduate certificate in Chinese studies from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. In addition to her work with FIVE, Helen is currently an Associate Professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY. Prior to founding The Five Project, Helen had already begun providing teaching and parent training in cities in eastern China. She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, so her trainings and lectures are provided entirely in Chinese, without need for any translation. Helen’s trainings are based on best practices in special education, while also being grounded in a deep understanding of Chinese society and culture. She has also conducted many research studies about autism in China, and published over 20 articles, including several in Chinese. Her work has been cited by both Chinese and English-speaking scholars, and, given her 19 years of experience in this field, she receives frequent requests from scholars, students, and practitioners who seek to learn more about autism in China.
Karen McCabe, Co-Founder, Executive Director and Board Secretary
Karen is the co-Founder of The Five Project. Her connection with China began in 1989 when she began studying Chinese, and later earned a B.A. in Chinese and Spanish (Hamilton College) and an M.A. in Chinese (Indiana University). She became interested in education for special populations through her 13 years of work in the field of adult education for recent immigrants in Massachusetts, including adults from China, Colombia, Haiti, and many other countries. During that time, she worked as a teacher, advisor, and administrator at local non-profit organizations. Karen has an Ed.M. in International Education Policy from Harvard University. She is currently employed at WIEGO, an international network focusing on improving the conditions for informal workers. Given her professional background in non-profit management and administration, Karen provides most of the administrative and logistical management of The Five Project. With her background in Chinese and education, she has also volunteered frequently for FIVE in China, including serving as a translator for training events, and organizing and participating in many support group activities. In addition to speaking Chinese, Karen also speaks Spanish and is learning Haitian Creole and French.
Dr. Susan Klein, Board Treasurer
Susan studied piano and psychology while an undergraduate student at the University of Rochester and the Eastman School of Music. Thoughts turned to a career as a professional accompanist, but a passion for parents of children with disabilities, which arose out of summer camp experiences while still in college, redirected her to pursue a teaching career in special education. Susan taught special education in the public schools of Brookline, Massachusetts, before completing her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois. She was recruited to the special education department at Indiana University in 1969, and retired as a professor emerita in 2004. Her research and teaching interests focused on families of persons with disabilities with a special emphasis on young children. She worked with Indiana policy makers and college faculty throughout Indiana to create training programs for teachers and medical personnel that addressed family needs.
Susan continues to remain active in the profession doing research, teaching an occasional doctoral seminar in special education at Indiana University, serving on doctoral dissertation committees, and mentoring newly-minted Ph.D. persons and classroom teachers. Susan is married to Robert Agranoff, professor emeritus of Public Administration at Indiana University, and together they travel to visit their children and grandchildren, and to provide consultative services to educational and public service agencies throughout the world.
Peter Angelos
Peter Angelos has been a board member since FIVE was founded and he was also one of FIVE’s first volunteers. He is employed as a Site Director for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health where he oversees a mental health service network. His experience includes program development for children and adults with a variety of mental health needs. Additionally Peter brings experience with budgeting, contract and quality management, and service monitoring. He has also worked as a private practitioner providing individual counseling services. With his background in Mental Health Social Work, Peter brings knowledge and enthusiasm for helping families to successfully teach and help their children. Peter has a B.S. in Psychology and Business Management from Providence College and an M.S.W. from Salem State University. His education, combined with 30 years of experience in the field of mental health, makes him a valuable asset to The Five Project. As a volunteer he has traveled to China and met with individuals with major mental health issues and their family members, providing guidance and information. In China he has also given lectures to parents and teachers at autism programs on topics related to family support and coping.
Michelle Badhwar
Michelle brings a wealth of much-needed knowledge and experience to The Five Project. After graduating from Hamilton College with a BA in Linguistics, Michelle spent a year in Beijing, China on a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. She also spent three years at the Johns Hopkins University - Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies in Nanjing, China where she worked and then received a certificate in the year-long graduate program in China Studies, conducted in Mandarin Chinese. Her background and experience include these years of study in and about China as well as coordinating and fundraising experience for other nonprofits related to China. Because Michelle is fluent, both in Mandarin Chinese language and in the Chinese culture, she is able to help FIVE with background research, provide translations and provide culturally relevant feedback and guidance. Because of her experience with nonprofits, Michelle assists with coordinating the work and strategic planning of the organization. In addition to her fluency in Chinese, she also speaks Spanish.
Dr. Eric Barnes
Eric is a founding board member who serves as both an advisor and a volunteer. As a philosophy professor with an interest in biomedical ethics, he has written about autism and family issues. With previous experience in developing a small not-for-profit debate program, he has provided important administrative guidance since FIVE was initiated. He also gives his time as a volunteer for FIVE training and support group events when he is in China, including serving as photographer, videographer, and peer mentor at events for young adults in FIVE’s support group. Eric has a B.A. from Hampshire College, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
Robert Delaney
Robert is working toward a masters degree in communications at Toronto's Ryerson University after a 15-year career as a journalist. Most of his adult life was spent in China, where he became friends with Zhang Ge, the young woman with autism who inspired the founding of The Five Project, and her family. Robert spent a year at the Johns Hopkins University - Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies in Nanjing, China, Zhang Ge’s home city. As a journalist, he had several postings in Asia, including a three-year stint as Bloomberg’s Beijing bureau chief, before moving back to North America. His area of research at Ryerson is focused on communication across Western and Chinese professional environments. He has conducted outreach efforts for The Five Project specifically to the Chinese-Canadian community (Click here to listen to a radio interview with Helen and Rob about FIVE). Robert provides essential support and guidance to FIVE given his extensive background living in China and his fluency in Mandarin Chinese.
Suzanne Speciale
Suzanne brings knowledge, experience, and interest in international education for people of all ages. She has worked in non-profits and community based organizations for 15 years. At the start of her career, she was a VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) in Austin, TX where she coordinated an after school tutoring program for "at-risk" youth in Austin, TX.
She spent four years supporting adults who had mental health issues and developmental disabilities in their search for employment and in supporting them on the job. In addition, she has lived and volunteered abroad, serving in a number of capacities. She also provides valuable service to The Five Project's fundraising efforts, coordinating and planning events. She has a Master's degree in Adult Education and a certificate as a Special Learning Needs Resource Specialist. Suzanne has coordinated a variety of ESOL (English) programs for adults, including a program that primarily served Chinese, Vietnamese and Cambodian students. Currently Suzanne works as an Educational Specialist at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in the Adult and Community Learning Services Office.
