New Executive Director!

The Trisomy 18 Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Kris Shaughnessy as the new Executive Director.  Kris will replace Victoria Miller who is retiring effective February 1st, 2020. 


Outgoing Executive Director,
Victoria Miller

Victoria Miller founded the Trisomy 18 Foundation in 2003, after the death of her son, Isaac.  Isaac was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 after his birth in 2001 and he lived eleven days.

Back then, there was very little information available about Trisomy 18. Virtually no support existed for families and research on the disorder was not a priority to the medical community.  Victoria set out to change this, and in the seventeen years she spent as the leader of the Foundation, she effectively mobilized an international network of affected families and created a robust online community. She also established an extensive web-based knowledge portal providing needed information and support services to the thousands of families impacted by a prenatal or postnatal diagnosis of Trisomy 18.  Victoria was instrumental in advancing research and greatly improved how health professionals respond to newly-diagnosed parents.

Victoria and her husband Don are preparing for their well-deserved retirement and she wanted to resign at this time to help the Foundation transition to a new generation of leadership.  She and Don will continue to remain fully committed to supporting the Trisomy 18 Foundation during the transition and beyond.

Incoming Executive Director,
Kris Shaughnessy

Kris Shaughnessy started volunteering for the Trisomy 18 Foundation after her daughter Abigail was born and passed away in 2003. Kris soon became the Manager of Community Affairs and has been the primary contact person for the Foundation for over fourteen years.

Kris received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan- Flint and her master’s degree from Marygrove College. 

Kris has plans to continue to grow the Foundation to include more services for living children and expand resources for parents and health professionals.

She will carry on where Victoria left off, encouraging, guiding, and funding additional research to advance knowledge of the syndrome and improve treatment options for all affected children.  

Kris lives in Flushing, Michigan, with her husband Matt and their four daughters. She is honored to continue with Victoria’s vision and lead the Trisomy 18 Foundation into the new century.  


 

Please join us in wishing Victoria Miller all the best and welcoming Kris Shaughnessy in her new role.

Email Victoria Miller

Email Kris Shaughnessy


Our New Mailing Address Is:
PO Box 320
Flushing MI 48433