Joan Brunner 

 

Joan Brunner first became interested in working with people with disabilities while volunteering

in High School. She began her advocacy career in 1983 during the evolution of Individuals with

Disabilities Educational Act and reformation of American with Disabilities Act. It wasn’t until her

nephew was born in 1985 that she realized how “real” and personal it could be. In the year

2000, Joan had the unique experience of successfully advocating to change Medicaid policy for

her nephew with autism to secure residential funding. This opened the doors for countless

other Virginian children with similar challenges. Joan has also been a primary caregiver to her

sister who has a brain injury since 2013. She has made it her life’s mission to support people

with disabilities and their families, her personal and professional experiences have often been

interwoven through the years.

Throughout her career of supporting families, Joan has taken

advantage of countless opportunities to expand her knowledge and strengthen skills by

completing programs such as Partners in Policymaking through the VA Board for People with

Disabilities and training to become a Critical Decision Points trainer for the Virginia Department

of Education. Joan is committed to being educated about and providing trauma sensitive

services to the families she serves. She also has extensive training on special education services

and helping families understand their rights, which includes being The Center for Appropriate

Dispute Resolution in Special Education trained in Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act,

Individualized Educational Program Facilitation for Virginia Department of Education. Currently,

Joan is a Regional Network Coordinator for the Family to Family Network of Virginia, which operates through the Virginia Commonwealth University at the Partnership for People with

Disabilities.