Mission StatementGabriel Alliance champions Neurodiversity in the workplace. We identify and align the exceptional strengths and skills of prospective employees—who are on the Autism Spectrum, or have Asperger Syndrome or other neurological differences—with businesses seeking innovative talent to help them solve challenges in new ways. Our mission is to remove the barrier of uncertainty, and to empower, educate and prepare both the employee and company for a seamless transition and lasting partnership.
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FOUNDER
Ileana StarwoodA Personal Story
The parent of two charismatic boys—one of whom was diagnosed with Autism just before the age of two—Ileana is a transparent and unapologetically passionate advocate for the inclusion, support and acceptance of people who are neurologically different.
Ileana’s journey began when attempting to find the right educational environment for each of her children and was suddenly catapulted into a world that offers little in terms of neurodiversity acceptance for her autistic son in neither educational nor social settings. She faced disheartening challenges and found minimal support while in search for an inclusive environment that could nurture her son’s gifts and talents and challenge him academically, while providing the necessary educational and environmental adjustments needed to optimize his personal learning experience. Her unrelenting fight for neurodiversity in the educational setting eventually yielded the support and acceptance that allows each of her sons to thrive in supportive, nurturing environments that meet each of their individual needs. Ileana wondered however, “If this has been so difficult for my son as a child, what will happen when I’m no longer here? Who will help his fight for his right to be included, accepted and valued as a different type of thinker in this world?” She realized that she was merely one of millions who struggle to prevent their neurologically different loved ones from never being rightfully challenged to reach their full potential or given the opportunity to share their unique skills and gifts with society. She was inspired to become a champion for neurodiversity in the workplace when her quest for deeper knowledge led to the heartbreaking revelation that many autistic adults struggle to live productive, independent lives due to lack of support and acceptance in the workplace and greater community. Ignorance and lack of information leads to systemic and unfair treatment and prejudice. Ileana has blended her unique leadership abilities and expertise in the areas of business, healthcare and technology with her passion to serve as a voice for Autistic individuals seeking employment opportunities equal to their valuable talents and unique abilities. Her gift for educating others and helping to transform perceptions and stereotypes, combined with her professional talent of fostering cultural shifts in organizations, serve as the foundation for the Gabriel Alliance mission. Her singular aim is to help Autistic adults foster thriving partnerships with companies that value and accept different kinds of minds – knowing that one day, her son will live in a more accepting and supportive world because of her efforts and those of other neurodiversity advocates. |
Professional BackgroundIleana Starwood is a passionate champion for neurodiversity in the workplace. Those passions, combined with her top-tier communication and team-building skills, are the foundation of Gabriel Alliance.
Prior to launching Gabriel Alliance, Ileana held leadership positions with the world’s preeminent provider of recovery audit services; a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical distributor and health care information technology company; and worked for a top-ranked U.S. health care system. More recently, Ileana led the outsourcing operations and information technology program for an industry-leading benefits and human resources advisory firm.
Ileana is a catalyst for organizational transformation. She has an exceptional ability to identify operational gaps—and then fill those gaps with enhanced structures and processes to elevate an organization’s operations to a standard of excellence.
She believes in building teams where every member plays a crucial role, drawing upon their unique talents to ensure a meaningful contribution and job satisfaction. An adept communicator, Ileana excels at managing client relationships and partnering with stakeholders at all levels within an organization—from the corporate suite to the cubicle farm.
She is also no stranger to adversity when it comes to achieving career objectives. As a Hispanic female and senior leader in the Information Technologies sector (a field which is male dominated), Ileana broke through barriers as a direct result of her determination and commitment to excellence in everything she does.
Ileana earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management with a concentration in Health Information from International College in Naples, FL. She also holds an Executive Certificate in Leadership and Management from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, and has completed a core Leadership Development Program at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in Greensboro, N.C. Ileana’s specific areas of expertise include:
+ Activating Corporate Initiatives
+ Workforce planning and developing high performance teams + Skills training and onboarding programs + Client support and professional services + Process improvement and automation + Quality assurance and regulatory compliance Ileana believes that difference matters. She recognizes that like children, adults who are wired differently deserve acceptance and the opportunity to contribute their talents in a professional capacity. She believes business goals and expectations can be met by any individual, even those perceived to think, act, or behave outside of stereotypical norms, when given the right guidance and support. Specifically, the support and guidance offered by Gabriel Alliance.
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ADVISORY BOARD
Ashley is passionate about assisting neurodivergent individuals in building and maintaining healthy relationships in an increasingly complex world.
Compassion and open acceptance of others has been part of Ashley’s life since early childhood. Her family fostered more than 80 children while she was growing up. Led by her mother’s example, she learned that everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect – no matter how different they may be from you. As a Clinical Therapist Intern for From the Heart Counseling, Ashley assists a diverse client base in addressing the challenges commonly associated with Autism, ADHD, depression, anxiety and other diagnoses. She facilitates social development for individuals as a way of enhancing communication with the goal of creating and maintaining meaningful personal and professional relationships. As a Youth Care Worker with Childserv, a non-profit organization that offers a wide range of services for children from foster care and early childhood education, Ashley learned the value of helping underserved people and providing support and education necessary for improving life skills. Ashley’s passion specifically for supporting neurodiversity arose over time as she witnessed the daily developmental and social challenges endured by several close relatives who are affected by neurological differences. Her professional calling was validated when she became a Social Work Intern with Camelot Education, where she was responsible for creating and monitoring Individual Education Programs (IEPs) for at-risk students and those with autistic and exceptional needs. Ashley holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, with a minor in Psychology, from Northern Illinois University and is working towards her Masters of Social Work with an Advanced Clinical Specialization from Aurora University. Ashley Claiborne-Starwood
Cynthia is a seasoned compliance professional in the banking and financial industries, with deep experience in both the government and private sector. She is an active member of the Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Achievement (HOLA) and dedicated volunteer mentor.
Her career expertise spans banking law, auditing, risk management, regulatory compliance, and Anti-Money Laundering (AML)/Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) compliance for global, large, and midsize financial services institutions. Over the last 13 years, she has held senior leadership positions including Senior Director of AML Advisory at Capital One Bank NA. Prior to that, she led the Financial Crimes Compliance Advisory division at GE Capital Americas and served as the BSA Officer for their Latin America division. Cynthia currently works at the federal level as a National Bank Examiner with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The OCC is an independent bureau within the United States Department of the Treasury that charters, regulates, and supervises all national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches of foreign banks within the United States. In addition to her extensive knowledge of banking and risk management practices, Cynthia is a subject matter expert in consumer compliance regulations. While at GE Capital, Cynthia was a mentor through the Women’s Network and Hispanic forum, mentoring junior staff in professional development. She also taught financial literacy through the Junior Achievement Program. At the OCC, Cynthia mentors ambitious examiners who are interested in her specialty areas. She facilitates a shadowing program and offers guidance for career development. Cynthia earned her MBA in International Business and her BS in Business Management from St. John’s University. She is also a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS). She resides just outside of New York City with her husband and four children. Cynthia Mejia |
Amy Hicks, founder of IGH marketing consulting, also serves as the head of marketing for a direct to consumer (D2C) line of business at Assurant, Inc. In this role, she is responsible for global brand oversite, customer journey management, and all marketing programs. Prior to this, she has led strategic initiatives for various clients through the Digital Marketing Center of Excellence at Assurant as well as multiple domestic and global marketing programs for another D2C line of business operating in the US, the UK
and Brazil.
Prior to working at Assurant, she was the head of marketing for Park N’ Fly, a national off-site airport parking company. She has also held various roles on the marketing team at The Home Depot and worked with numerous clients for event marketing agencies. Amy’s greatest strength is her drive to achieve successful results in her programs. Amy thrives on challenges, particularly those that allow her to take a developing strategy from an ambiguous swirl of ideas and transform it into a tangible, executable initiative. She has extensive experience in digital marketing & communications, and a track record for successfully managing highly complex business endeavors. She holds a BBA in Finance and both an MBA and a master’s degree in Marketing. Amy is an accomplished executive marketing professional with over sixteen years of experience successfully leading all aspects of integrated marketing communication plans, including customer relationship management, advertising, public relations, reputation management, national and global sales initiatives, customer service operations, and product development. Amy is also a dedicated community volunteer, lending her time and talents to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, Rally for the Cure - Cure for Childhood Cancer, and North Point Community Church. Amy Hicks |
Wanda is an accomplished executive, thought leader and skilled innovator. During her successful tenure with McKesson Corporation, she served many leadership roles, including Executive Director of STAR/RCS Operations and Revenue Cycle Support, Vice President of Revenue Cycle Operations and Service, and Executive Director of Channel Management.
After experiencing the death of a loved one, she was struck by the lack of person-centered care in the modern healthcare system. Armed with unparalleled professional talent and meaningful personal experience, Wanda now heads two non-profit organizations – AECELIGY and The Penny Movement – that enable her to passionately pursue her vision of building what she defines as a “circle of care network.” Her vision for this system is to break down what is typically deemed “healthcare” and replace it with person-centered “health with care”. AECELIGY offers healthcare system advisory services, training resources, communication systems support, and strategic planning. The Penny Movement works across the care delivery system to provide access and referral assistance to the elderly, disabled, uninsured, and underserved. Wanda’s business skills and deeply held passion for equal access for all individuals help keep our compass pointed true-north toward achieving our mission of mainstreaming neurodiversity in the workplace. Wanda Hudson-Nunn |