PRISMS - 2024 Smith-Magenis Syndrome Research Symposium Abstract Submission

Eric Rogers
Member at Large

Eric and his wife Jessica live in Mount Juliet, TN with their son Wyatt (9) who has SMS, and daughter Adelyn (5). Eric attended Cumberland University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.

He has worked as an Internal Auditor for over 8 years and has auditing experience with banks, small non-profits, schools, and other financial services firms. He has been with Deloitte for 7 years, starting with their Internal Controls Group before transitioning to Internal Audit. In his position, he conducts various finance and operational audits for the firm.

Eric’s involvement with PRISMS includes attending conferences and assisting with sessions at the conference. Eric says he wanted to be involved with the PRISMS Board to have the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than just a parent of a SMSer. Being a part of the board will allow him to give back to the SMS families and provide an outlet for them to learn, connect, and find a safe place among friends. Eric loves to run, cycle, and compete in triathlons in his free time. He also enjoys spending time with his family by the pool and grilling.

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Ana Witherspoon
WA

My name is Ana Witherspoon, and I live in Spokane Valley, Washington. I have a younger brother who is diagnosed with SMS. He was born in 2004 and was diagnosed when he was 4 years old. I want to represent PRISMS because I want to get more involved with the SMS community and do my best to be a resource.

Growing up with a brother with SMS changed my life in the most unexpected ways, and I want to help families in whatever stage they’re in with their child with SMS. It can be powerful and relieving to connect with someone else who shares a similar experience to you. For me, I really only had my family to share that experience and I felt a bit isolated from others who didn’t really know my brother or what it was like to live with a sibling with SMS. I hope that I can help and guide families to the right resources as they learn more about their child and SMS. PRISMS is a great place for families to gain resources and connect with those in the SMS community!

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Roxana Dragan
Romania

My name is Roxana Dragan and I live together with my family in Romania/ Constanta city (Eastern Europe). We are parents for two amazing girls, Riana -14 and Iulia-23. Our eldest is an aviation engineer. We found out during the summer of 2023 that our youngest daughter, Riana has Smith-Magenis syndrome. She is 14 years old and she always was a bit different than other kids at her age.

After receiving the genetic analysis result, we finally were able to understand and put together all the symptoms. As Regional Representative of PRISMS, in Romania, I’ll answer every question that parents or families have, I will support you and be next to you every time you need. Together we can move mountains and we can help our children to deal with their genetic heritage.

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Allison Stephanouk
Education Committee

Allison began her work with PRISMS in 2017 when she joined the Conference Planning Committee and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2019. During her time with PRISMS, she has served on the Conference Planning Committee, the Education Committee and as a Regional Representative for the state of Georgia. Allison also designed and produced PRISMS first webinar program, with the goal of sharing critical information about Smith-Magenis Syndrome, in an easily accessible format.

Allison is a Web Developer for Michael Mackenzie Communications. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University and a Masters of Science in Computer Information Systems from Georgia State University.

Allison lives in Roswell, GA, with her husband Alex. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, playing tennis and water sports. Her youngest daughter, Natalie, was diagnosed with SMS shortly after birth.

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Michelle Larscheid
Executive Director

Michelle Larscheid has been with PRISMS for four years, most recently serving as Events and Community Engagement Manager. Michelle has been involved in all aspects of PRISMS’ programming, ensuring they support the organization’s mission, vision, and values. If you attended the 2022 conference in Dallas, you likely witnessed Michelle’s great energy and enthusiasm as she expertly led the conference team in putting on an exceptional event.

Michelle has a B.S. in Journalism and Mass Communications from Iowa State University. She has spent three decades working in public relations, marketing, sales promotion, and event planning in diverse industries including financial services, publishing, and entertainment. Before joining PRISMS, Michelle co-created and operated a successful event rental business for nine years.

“I have always had a passion for helping others. Working with the SMS community has given me a deep appreciation for the families we serve and has ignited a passion for creating awareness for Smith-Magenis syndrome. I look forward to even more engagement with the PRISMS community in this role.”

Michelle is a native of Minnesota and recently moved to Raleigh, NC, where she lives with her family. Her hobbies include traveling, golfing, watching live music, walking her dog, and spending time with her family and friends.

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Sinan Omer Turnacioglu, MD