Dr. Jo Ann Alley

I have been practicing general surgery at LSUHSC-Monroe (Conway) since 1991, where I am currently Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery.  I have an eleven year old son with Asperger’s and became involved with Families Helping Families because of him.

David Burkett

I have been a practicing lawyer for over 30 years and am a Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist.  I am a partner at Brown, Erskine, and Burkett, LLP.  Currently I am a member of the 4th Judicial District Bar Association, the Louisiana Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.  I also serve as the General Counsel for the Ouachita Parish Council on Aging.  

My civic involvements are numerous including the Chairman of the St. Francis Medical Center Institutional Review Board, Director of the Downtown Monroe Lions Club, Past President of the Northeast Louisiana Mental Health Association and the Northeast Louisiana Arthritis Foundation, Past Director of the Salvation Army Advisory Board and the Ronald McDonald House.

My wife and I have two grown children, Ashley and Matthew.  I teach Sunday School and serve as a Lay Director at the Forsythe Avenue Church of Christ.

Pat Clark

Pat Clark is a native of Monroe, LA and has enjoyed living and working in Monroe.  The last thirteen years, she has enjoyed being a housewife.  Her husband, John Clark, is a stock broker/financial consultant.  John has three children and they enjoy time they both spend with the three grandchildren. 

She is a graduate of ULM in Psychology and licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor and also certified in Reality Therapy.   

Her work background includes, working as a Job Placement Counselor and then Job Developer for the Ouachita Parish Police Jury for three years, and later, as a Program Manager and Residential Director at ARCO for twelve years. 

Pat is a charter member of the Pilot Club of the Twin Cities, serve on the Family Promise of Ouachita Board, and enjoy various church activities at First United Methodist Church in Monroe.  Her hope is to share the love, grace, and compassion that God has given to her with those she has the opportunity to work with.

Her interest in Families Helping Families came through a friend's recommendation to assist with a book club.  Pat had never made reading a priority for herself, but have found a real joy in sharing my time reading with the group.  The club has lead to other opportunities to serve through First Friday Get Together, the Ladies Lunch Bunch, and to now serve on the board.

Karl Kaufman

Biographical Information to come!

Henry Bateman

Henry currently works for LATAN.  He completed a bachelor’s degree in Finance/Economics at Northeast Louisiana University.  Henry has 10 years experience in the non-profit field (disability resources/Assistive technology) and has given many presentations on topics such as Assistive Technology in the Classroom and Reduced Interest Loan Programs. He has also written newspaper articles about the Americans with Disabilities Act and Universal Design/Universal Access and developed multi-million dollar programs.  Henry has presented college classroom lectures at the University of Louisiana Monroe on the general subjects of Assistive Technology and the Emotional Impact of Disabilities, and also conducted radio and television interviews on subjects related to Assistive technology.  He has worked untiringly to disseminate important information about services and supports available to people with disabilities in Louisiana.  He currently serves on The Statewide Independent Living Council, Twin Cities Mayor’s Committee for the Disabled, Families Helping Families of Northeast Louisiana Board, and participates in several other disability related councils, committees and boards.

Dr. Anita Sharma

I was born in New Delhi, India.  I grew up with a balanced mix of eastern and western values and education. I obtained a baccalaureate degree in English Literature and, later, decided to follow into my mother’s footsteps to become a social worker. I obtained my first Master’s degree in Social Work in 1986 with a specialization in Medical and Psychiatric social work. While doing a year-long internship during my first year in the Master’s program, I received my first opportunity to work with children diagnosed with developmental disabilities. I was placed in a special school for children with developmental disabilities. It was an eye-opening experience for me. Not only did I gain knowledge in the field, I also learned appropriate values and skills to be able to work with the children and their parents. That experience changed my outlook towards life and also made me determined to get further education and training in the field of developmental disabilities. 

For a few years, I worked as a social worker in the slums of Bombay City in India and then decided to pursue further education in the field of developmental disabilities. I joined my family in the United States and came to Tallahassee, Florida. I obtained my second Master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Social Work from Florida State University. My doctoral dissertation addressed the issue of burnout among respite care workers who provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

I came to Monroe in 1992 as a faculty in the Social Work Department at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. I have been here since then. As a professor of Social Work, I developed a course called “social and emotional aspects of disabilities” that allows me to raise awareness and disseminate information about various types of disabilities. The other areas of my specialization include family violence, gerontology, and clinical social work. 

I am highly involved in my local community as a social worker. As part of my service to my community, I produce and host a radio show called “Spectrum” on KEDM, the local affiliate of NPR. The show focuses on various human services available in the KEDM listening area. I am continuing to grow as a social worker and as an educator.