Our Team
CECILIA CHANG is a co-founder and director of the Foundation. She graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law and has been a member of the California State Bar since 1997. When her son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3, Cecilia advocated fiercely to get intensive ABA service and related therapies to which he responded well. She founded the Foundation to pay it forward and to help others access the services that changed her family’s life. Cecilia brings her knowledge and experience of the laws and procedures to secure necessary services for special needs children from school districts and regional centers. Fluent in Korean, Cecilia is a frequent guest speaker in the Korean-American community on the topics of special education and autism. She can be reached at cecilia@spectrumhope.org
MARY MICHAEL is the mother of an 18-year-old adult with autism. Since her son’s diagnosis at the age of 3, she has been an avid advocate for families with children on the autism spectrum. For the past 15 years, she has been an active Board member of LA FEAT (Los Angeles Families for Effective Autism Treatment). the largest nonprofit organization serving Southern California dedicated to helping families obtain ABA services. Through her work in the community, Mary has attended IEPs and Regional Center meetings where she helped families obtain necessary services for their children. She has also advocated for other special needs children, not just those with autism. Through her interactions, Mary has built a strong working relationship with school district personnel, ABA agencies, and other resources in the community. She also serves as an Executive Board member for the Palos Verdes Juniors organization that provides services and support for abused women and children in the South Bay. She can be reached at mary@spectrumhope.org.
AUDREY LEE is the mother of a 17-year-old son with autism. Shortly after her son’s diagnosis at the age of 2, she brought her son to the waiting room of a respected ABA agency and refused to leave until they committed to taking him on as a new client. She became the President of LA FEST for approximately 7 years and continued to serve on its board of directors thereafter before joining Spectrum of Hope. Having taken on her Regional Center and the LAUSD, Audrey is a fierce advocate for her son and mentors other families so they can do the same. She also serves on the board of directors for the Special Olympics of Southern California. Audrey’s Children founded a national non-profit organization that offers a service called Friend in Me, which pairs neurodiverse kids with student volunteers on a one-on-one basis for free online games and conversations over Zoom every week. She can be reached at audrey@spectrumhope.org.
TOM CHUN’s career journey has encompassed roles as an engineer, a classroom teacher, an administrator, a sales and marketing executive, and an education technology consultant. However, it was his two-year tenure at an education technology (ed_tech) company that profoundly shaped his current mission. This company’s product was rooted in Applied Behavior Analysis and evidence-based practices, specifically designed to address the unique needs of children on the spectrum and the challenges faced by their families within the educational system.
Having personally navigated our special education system, Tom vividly recalls the prevalent “can-do” spirit, a sentiment often advocated but not consistently upheld in practice. He leverages his rich and diverse background to empower parents with actionable knowledge, negotiation skills, and effective communication strategies. His goal is to help them forge alliances and surmount systemic obstacles, ensuring that their children make tangible progress toward further education, meaningful employment, and independent living. Tom can be reached at http://tom@spectrumhope.org.
KATHLEEN LEE, a recent retiree, brings over 30 years of extensive business management experience to the Foundation. She is a passionate advocate for the disability community and currently holds the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO), where she plays a pivotal role in overseeing the financial and accounting aspects of the Foundation. Kathleen can be reached at kathleen@spectrumhope.org