Patricia Hanna
Executive Director
Patricia Hanna founded CADS in 2009, just a couple of years after her son Benjamin was born with Down syndrome. CADS started as a support group for about a dozen families and now 7 years later serves over 120 families in nine different counties in middle Tennessee and Kentucky. Patricia recognized that involvement in the community is necessary to design the types of support individuals with Down syndrome require for positive social, academic and vocational outcomes. CADS has taken the initiative to fill an important need in nine counties in Tennessee and Kentucky for innovative and collaborative activities that support all individuals with disabilities.
Patricia completed her education in Morecambe, England. She has also received a Presidential award for her volunteer efforts in 2014. Patricia was also recognized from her employer as Volunteer of the Year in 2013 and praised for her continued service within her community. Patricia is a member of the Montgomery County Health Council as a committee member since 2011 and the Nashville Habitat Women’s Build committee since 2010. Since 2014, Patricia has served on the Northwest High School Science Academy’s Health Council.
Patricia’s passion and drive is to make sure that her son and all individuals with Down syndrome are afforded every opportunity to excel in life and within their community.
Holly McDonald
Secretary
Holly McDonald is a Licensed Mortgage Loan Processor at Franklin American Mortgage Company. Having a special education teacher as a mother and a first cousin with down syndrome, special needs has always been a focus in her family. When her niece Meadow was born with Down Syndrome in 2009, special needs took more of a spotlight. After watching Meadow battle and beat leukemia in 2011-12, she was recruited by her sister and a few other parents to form the Clarksville Association for Down Syndrome. She has been an active board member ever since! Holly is married and has two children.
Emily Medvecky
Treasurer
Emily Medvecky is a Business Loan Officer at Altra Federal Credit Union with over 15 years of financial services experience rooted in business banking. She is knowledgeable of small business lending and commercial real estate lending in her hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee. Emily enthusiastically joined the Board of CADS in 2012, driven by the desire to help provide support and opportunities to individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Her brother, Will, was born with Down syndrome in 1997, at a time when support for early intervention and social awareness was not readily available. In addition to CADS, she has served as an executive board member for the Junior Auxiliary, is a graduate of Leadership Clarksville, and was a mentor with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Emily earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Austin Peay State University and her diploma from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. She resides in Clarksville with her husband and two daughters.
lily wellington
Past Board Chair
Lily Wellington is a proud wife and mother of two girls, Kylie, 17 and Meadow, age 9. She is a CPA and works for A.O.Smith Water Products in Ashland City. She graduated from Austin Peay State University with a degree in Business. She has been on the board of the Clarksville Association for Down syndrome since its inception in 2012 and has served 2 years as president. She is currently a board member of the Cheatham County Kids, an organization supporting families of children with any type of disability or challenge. She is also a member of the Ashland City Civitan Club. Lily is proud to be involved in these organizations that value awareness and education in the community for individuals with special needs. She has volunteered to lead CADS-sponsored programs at the Crow Center and loves working with the children.
Sandra Mayo
Board Member
Sandra Mayo is a mother to her 9 year old son Caden who has Down syndrome. She is a stay-at-home mother. She earned a BA in Psychology from Whittier College in California and has also earned a MAT from APSU. She participated in the transition of CADS from a support group into a non-profit organization and hasserved on the Board of CADS since its inception in 2011. Sandra participated in the VAP (Volunteer Advocacy Program) offered through the Kennedy Center at Vanderbilt and volunteers her advocacy services to CADS families. She provides assistance to families as they navigate through the IEP process (Individual Education Plan) with the public school system. Sandra chose to become involved in CADS to help educate others and build a better future for her son and other individuals with special needs.
Susie yonkers
Board Member
Susie Yonkers joined the CADS board in 2021. Prior to joining the board she served in a volunteer capacity for many years sharing her talents and time at various CADS community events.
Susie believes CADS is unique from other agencies because of the Board’s focus on community. Not just the community of families with loved ones who have Down syndrome, but also the power of bringing families from the Clarksville and surrounding communities together for a shared cause.
Susie is the Community Relations Coordinator at Cumberland Electric, CEMC, and began volunteering for CADS after meeting the Hanna family. Susie knew that helping CADS was a good match with her passion for helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She sees that the education and advocacy provided by CADS has a notable impact in the lives of effected families in Clarksville and surrounding communities.
Paul Lobianco
Past Board Chair
Paul Lobianco is a dedicated board member of CADS and a longtime supporter of the organization’s mission and community events. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Paul was born in 1964 and has proudly called Clarksville home since 2002.
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As a local business owner of Sango Pool and Spa, Paul is well-rooted in the Clarksville community and has regularly involved his business, employees, and family in CADS fundraising efforts and events over the years. His commitment to service and connection to CADS has made a lasting impact on the organization’s reach and visibility.
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Paul is the proud father of two sons: Dominic, a University of Tennessee graduate, and Zach, a middle school student in Clarksville. His family-oriented values and strong ties to the local community continue to shape his work and leadership with CADS.
o'neal wiggins
Board Member
O’Neal Wiggins, a Georgia native, has proudly called Clarksville home for 30 years.
After retiring from the United States Army, serving over 23 years, O’Neal worked as a contractor on Fort Campbell, KY. Wiggins was compelled by his elderly father to birth Wiggins Medical Transit, a non-emergency wheelchair & ambulatory service company in the community in 2012. His vision was to serve senior citizens but Wiggins quickly learned there was a larger population of citizens with disabilities who needed the assistance of Wiggins Medical Transit. Wiggins is an advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves yet need medical and occupational therapy.
Wiggins serves on the advisory board for the Clarksville, TN Rehabilitation Center. The TRC is a center, which collaborates with local employers to employ citizens who have disabilities, providing a comprehensive training program and educational services to help them become employable. One of his highest honors is serving on the Clarksville Association for Down Syndrome Board and working with the community to integrate services that uplift those impacted and their families.
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Wiggins holds his Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Management, serves on the Leadership Team at his church, and is an upstanding husband to Kimberly Bond Wiggins. Wiggins is a graduate of Leadership Clarksville and still serves as an active alumni member.
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Wiggins serves behind the scenes to support many causes that help uplift and sustain those in need.
Meet The Board
Committed to the Mission
Ann Brown
Board Member
Ann Brown was born in Charleston, South Carolina and currently resides in Clarksville, Tennessee, just minutes from Fort Campbell, Kentucky. She serves as a Program Coordinator for the Army Community Service Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), where she is dedicated to supporting military families with special needs.
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Ann is a proud U.S. Army veteran, having served six years in the military as a 42A Human Resources Specialist and briefly as an 88M Vehicle Operator. During her service, she achieved the ranks of Corporal and Sergeant (E5) and was stationed at several military installations including Fort Jackson, Fort Riley, Fort Polk, Fort Leavenworth, and Wiesbaden, Germany. Her military experience also includes a 14-month deployment to Iraq—an experience she describes as both challenging and invaluable.
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She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Social Work and Management & Organizational Development, and is currently completing her Master’s in Human Services Counseling. Ann is actively involved in various on-post and community-based committees and is deeply passionate about advocacy and outreach for veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness, and the special needs population.
With professional experience ranging from working in a domestic violence safe house to serving youth in a Level 3 mental health facility, Ann brings compassion, commitment, and a wealth of firsthand knowledge to every role she takes on. Her work continues to reflect a deep dedication to service and support for those who need it most.
Clarksville Fire Chief
Freddie D. Montgomery Jr.
Board Member
Freddie D. Montgomery Jr. was sworn in as Fire Chief of Clarksville Fire Rescue by Mayor Joe Pitts on August 1, 2019. He and his wife, Priscilla have been married for 30 years. They have two sons, Calvin and Cameron, and 3 grandchildren.
Chief Montgomery, a Hopkinsville Kentucky native, Graduated from Christian County High School in 1990 and went on to serve as an infantryman in the U.S. Army’s 9th Infantry Regiment from 1990-93. He joined the Hopkinsville Fire Department in 1994 as a firefighter EMT where he served for 25 years capping off his time at HFD as Fire Chief and EMS Director for the last 5 years of his career. He retired from HFD with a host of accolades including improving the city ISO rating to help lower citizens insurance premiums, a Key to the City, 2015 Employee of the year for the entire state of Kentucky, and a Citation of Achievement from the Kentucky House of Representatives for his work restructuring EMS services to save nearly a half-million dollars in Christian County (Kentucky’s second-largest county).
He also served on several boards: Christian County American Red Cross, Hopkinsville Christian County YMCA, Tennessee River American Red Cross, 2nd VP of the Kentucky Fire Chiefs Association to name a few. He is a graduate of the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Executive Chief Officer 2 program, Leadership Hopkinsville, & Leadership Clarksville.
In the 4 years at Clarksville Fire Rescue, he has restructured the CFR Emergency response, implemented an independent district response concept to ensure adequate resources to all calls. He has worked to improve emergency response, facilities, staffing, equipment, protective gear, training, pay, diversity, and professional appearance. Chief Montgomery has successfully received over 5 million dollars in federal grants to help change CFR’s trajectory, but his proudest accomplishment would be leading the charge to connect CFR to the community as engaged partners and resources at times and events other than emergencies.
Brad Wise
Board Member
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