MEET OUR TEAM
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Paula George
Executive Director Paula relocated to Northwest Arkansas from Southern Alabama in 2005. She and her husband Joseph have 2 boys, Kaleb and Tyler. Her son, Kaleb, was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 3. Paula started with AIM as a parent looking for support and help with learning about Autism. She served as a volunteer and Board Member until 2017 when she accepted a full time role with AIM as their Executive Director. She is also the Co-Founder of the annual AIM Walk. Paula is passionate about helping others, especially parents of children with special needs. Paula enjoys spending time with her family and friends, doing DIY projects with her husband and attending church. Vanessa Boomer
President Vanessa is a native of Arkansas and graduated from the UofA with a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology, Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders as well as an endorsement for English as a Second Language. Current, Vanessa is the Special Services Lead Facilitator at Bentonville High School and a Speech Language Pathologist at No Limits Pediatric Therapies in Bentonville. She and her husband, Barry, have three children, Miles and twins Warren and Grant. Vanessa started intensive therapy with her son, Grant, at the age of 18 months and he was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4. Vanessa has been a longtime volunteer at the annual AIM Walk and she joined the AIM Board of Directors in 2019. In her spare time, she loves to “Call The Hogs” and travel with her family. |
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Alan Rutledge
Vice President Alan joined the Autism Involves Me Board of Directors in 2016.He and his wife, Traci, have 2 children, a daughter Kylie and a son Riley. Riley was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 years old. Alan is passionate about finding new ways to best support the development needs of kids with autism so they can meet 'their full potential. He desires to help AIM continue its mission of awareness and education within the community. Alan has worked for Walmart for over 7 years and currently works as a Sr Manager of Demand Planning. Alan enjoys spending time with his family and enjoying Razorback athletics. |
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Shanise Weatherman
Board Member Shanise joined the Autism Involves Me Board of Directors in 2018. She has been married to her husband, Jeff, since 2000. Shanise and Jeff have 3 children, Jaxson, Sydnei, and Kristian. Shanise’s son, Jaxson, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4. She is passionate about autism awareness and serving others in her community. Shanise has worked for Tyson Foods since 2006 and is currently a Pricing Manager in the Foodservice division. She loves to travel, spend time with her family, and watch her favorite team, the Pittsburg Steelers, play football. |
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Sheila Munn
Board Member Sheila graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS degree in Education. She has taught for 21 years in Special Education; 19 of those 21 years have been serving the children of Bentonville Schools. From teaching in the Autism Classroom to coordinating and providing instruction in Adaptive Physical Education, Sheila has given her heart to kids from all walks of life. She currently serves as the 1:6 teacher at Mary Mae Jones Elementary. Sheila has a heart and passion for helping kids with different abilities reach their potential socially, emotionally, and academically. A huge advocate for creating a more inclusive community in Northwest Arkansas, She works tirelessly to bring inclusive events to our area. Sheila has a daughter, Sawyer, who is the light of her life and keeps her on her toes. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, camping, hiking, hanging out at the pool and going to the beach with her family. |
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Cassie Ross
Board Member Cassie joined the Autism Involves Me Board of Directors in 2022. She is currently the Sr. Customer Marketing Manager for Henkel Consumer Brands, covering both Henkel's extensive laundry portfolio and beauty brands. Cassie has over 15 years experience in the CPG industry calling on Walmart and Sam's Club. Prior to Henkel, she worked for Kellogg's and Merck Consumer Care. Cassie earned her degree at the University of Arkansas and currently resides in Rogers, AR with her husband and their two sons Parker and Henry. She also loves to volunteer with a number of organizations in Northwest Arkansas as well as advocate for the Autism Community. Cassie serves on both the Autism Involves Me board of directors as well as the Sunshine School and Developmental Center where her son Henry attended prior to starting kindergarten. |
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Jenni Burford
Board Member Jenni is originally from Cape Girardeau, MO. She attended Southeast Missouri State where she graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and met her husband, Scott. She and Scott have 3 boys- Benjamin, Jacob, and Matthew. Matthew was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder and Autism at the age of 3. Matthew is now 22 and attends Barnabas Prep in Branson, MO. Jenni started her teaching career in MO where she taught for 3 years before moving to San Antonio, TX to teach for a year. She and Scott relocated to NWA and Jenni began teaching in the Bentonville School District in 1992, she retired from Mary Mae Jones Elementary in 2020. Jenni knew once she retired, she wanted to put her time to use helping other parents navigate their way through their own autism journey. Her passion for helping others and serving her community lead her to AIM where she joined the Board of Directors in July of 2022. In her free time Jenni enjoys crafting, cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals, and calling the Hogs. |
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Mary Claire Tuinstra
Board Member Mary Claire is a Northern California native, who moved to NWA in 2014 after graduating from St. Augustine for Health Science, with a masters in Occupational Therapy. Since moving to NW Arkansas Mary Claire has been practicing Pediatric Occupational Therapy and currently is an OT at No Limits Pediatric Therapies in Bentonville. She loves working with children with all disabilities and ability levels, and has extensive experience working with children with autism, ADHD and behavioral concerns. Her personal connection to the autism community began early, as she has a younger brother who is on the autism spectrum. She and her partner Jennifer live in Rogers with their two dogs. |
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Riana Thomas
Event Coordinator Riana grew up in Carroll County, AR. After moving to Chicago and starting a family, she, along with her husband, Matthew, and their 2 daughters returned to NWA in 2012. Their youngest daughter, Sarah, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. In searching for information and local resources Riana found Autism Involves Me and attended her first AIM Walk in 2016. When asked why she is involved with AIM she replied with, "Once I attended the first AIM Walk, I was hooked. There was a sense of community and there were people I could connect with on a whole new level. The got it, they understood the struggles, and need to find resources and help families like mine.I teamed up with AIM as a Parent Volunteer and threw myself into helping in any way I could. I wanted to help families and let them know they are not alone! I volunteer all my time as this is a cause that is near and dear to mine and my families hearts." Riana is also the founder or our beloved Puzzle Pig. |
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Sherrin Tucker
Donations Coordinator Sherrin is a Special Education teacher at Bentonville West High School. She has been teaching for 20th years with the 2022-2023 school year being her 10th year with Bentonville Public Schools. Sherrin's son, Hunter, is on the autism spectrum and attended BWHS. "I started participating in the AIM Walk in 2017 when BWHS first opened and we created our first AIM Walk as a school. I continue to rally the troops here at BWHS each year to support this phenomenal organization." |
We are grateful for the investment of our supporters as we strive to provide a
more inclusive community for families who are impacted by autism.
more inclusive community for families who are impacted by autism.