LAVERDIA TAYLOR ROACH, PCPID Senior Advisor

Laverdia Taylor Roach manages and directs the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), United States Department of Health and Human Services. The Committee, established and continued by Executive Order, has the responsibility to provide advice and assistance to the President of the United States and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Commissioner of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, on a broad range of topics related to intellectual disabilities.

Having served in the Administrations of eight Presidents, Ms. Roach’s career as a professional public servant spans over 40 years during which she helped author regulations for the Americans with Developmental Disabilities Act, worked as Senior Developmental Disabilities Program Specialist and Acting Director of the University-Affiliated Facilities Branch of the Office of Developmental Disabilities, and served during administration transitions as Acting Executive Director of the Committee.

Mrs. Roach serves as policy advisor to the Commissioner of Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, and the Secretary of HHS in matters relating to the field of intellectual and related disabilities and citizens diagnosed with these disabilities. She is responsible for management, direction, and oversight of the day-to-day operations of the President’s Committee, assuming the leadership role for supervision of staff and administrative functions; and planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating special initiatives, including the preparation of the Committee’s mandated Annual Report to the President. She represents the Committee in constituency group and interagency collaborative activities, on ad hoc committees, and at special meetings in the private and public sector with a stated purpose to improve the quality of life that is experienced by citizens with intellectual disabilities. A seasoned public speaker, she is often sought out by constituency group leaders and civic and community organizations to make presentations addressing key issues that impact the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

Prior to her government experience, Ms. Roach worked as Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at Southern University and A& M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where she taught courses in Speech Pathology, Audiology, General Speech, and Psychology.

Mrs. Roach is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, and holds membership in many national and local professional and civic organizations. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern University and A&M College and a Master of Arts degree from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. She pursued post-graduate studies at Syracuse University and the University of California at Los Angeles, under the tutelage of renowned leaders in the field, including Burton Blatt and George Tarja.

MADJID (MJ) KARIMI, Program Specialist (Policy Analyst)

Madjid “MJ” Karimi provides technical advice, assistance, and guidance in the development of plans and objectives necessary to the fulfillment of PCPID’s mission. He has responsibility for assisting the Committee in the collection of epidemiological and statistical data in areas that impact the daily lives of people with intellectual disabilities, including: health, education, housing, community living, individual family support, and employment and aging. He often works as part of a multidisciplinary team to plan and execute epidemiological surveillance, analytical projects, and behavioral and social health investigations. From April 2007 through August 2009, Mr. Karimi served as the Executive Assistant to the Executive Director of the PCPID. He was responsible for assisting senior staff in analyzing new and proposed regulations and legislative policies to determine impact on agency’s procedures and practices in the context of interoperability. He consulted and maintained liaison with scientists appointed to PCPID, the National Institutes of Health, and private organizations concerned with a broad range of topics related to intellectual and developmental disabilities. MJ also assumed a leadership role in restoring and preparing the historical PCPID Reports to the President for 508 Compliance and Internet accessibility.

Mr. Karimi is currently pursuing a post-graduate degree in Public Health Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the George Washington University, and a doctorate degree in Health Sciences, Global Health, at Trident University. He received his Master of Business Administration in Public Administration and Policy from the University of Phoenix in May 2007; Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Management from the Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, in January 2006; Associate in Science and Associate in Arts degrees in Pre-medicine and Environmental Science and Policy from the Montgomery College in May 2005.

In 2007, Mr. Karimi was a Medical Coordinator and Research Fellow for HIV patients at the Washington Hospital Center in the District of Columbia. From 1999 to 2004, he served as the Research Data Analyst and Quality Control Manager to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Drug Registration and Listing.

Mr. Karimi is certified in Grants Management, Contract Negotiation Procedures and Management, Government Travel Policy and Procedures. He is a member of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), the American Cancer Society, and the International Honor Society of the United States Colleges and Universities.

SHEILA WHITTAKER, Administrative/Budget Officer

Sheila Whittaker started her Federal career in 1979 with the U.S. Department of Labor as an Intern from Mt. Ida Jr. College, Newton Center, Massachusetts , where she received her Associate's Degree in Human Services in May, 1983. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from Southeastern University in 1996 and a Master of Science degree in Public Management from the University of the District of Columbia in 1998.

From 1983 –1987, Ms. Whittaker worked in the Office of General Counsel, Inspector General Office as a Claim Examiner for the Office of Appeals. In 1987, her career began at the Administration for Children and Families where she continues to work today. Ms. Whittaker worked in the Office of Refugee Resettlement from 1987-1989. From 1989–1997 she worked as a Budget Assistant within the Office of Budget and Legislation Affairs, ACF. Ms. Whittaker started her career within PCMR (now PCPID) in 1997 as PCMR's Administrative/Budget Officer.

Ms. Whittaker is responsible for logistical and administrative services for all Presidential appointees to The President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities; and for the provision of technical advice, guidance and support to management in administrative and budget services.

Ms. Whittaker's key responsibilities include the preparation of the annual PCPID budget, and accounting for all costs and expenses incurred by PCPID.

GENEVIEVE SWIFT, Executive Administrative Assistant

Genevieve Swift began working as the Executive Administrative Assistant for the PCPID on August 17, 2009, following the completion of a successful summer internship with the Committee.  She is originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado.  In the winter of 2006, she moved to Provo, Utah to begin undergraduate study at Brigham Young University (BYU).  Ms. Swift has since received her BS in psychology, with a primary interest in social psychology, and a minor in sociology.  During her time as an undergraduate, she had the opportunity to be a teaching assistant in the undergraduate psychology lab and a teaching assistant for an introductory psychology course.  In addition, Genevieve worked as a research assistant, conducting comprehensive research in the area of aggression and pro-social behavior.  She plans to work for a few years before starting a graduate program in social psychology.

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