Board of Directors - 2025
Francene Engel, PhD.
Dr. Engel is a Political Scientist and has taught courses in American constitutional law and civil rights at University of Maryland, Baylor University, University of Michigan, and University of Southern California. She frequently lectures on constitutional law and history for the James Madison Legacy Project at Montpelier, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Maryland Council for Civic and History Education, and the Center for Civic Education. She also has worked as a consultant on civic education and assessment for Maryland State Department of Education, Educational Testing Services, and American Institutes for Research. Dr. Engel sees striking similarities between the neurodiversity movement and other civil rights movements in American history. She is passionate about working for the civil rights of autistic individuals and is excited to serve on the Board to bring “equal rights to the fine arts” to all members of the community. In addition to serving as the Board Chair, she is the Chair of the Musical Autist Troupe Program.
Ann-Marie Koger, MA
Ann-Marie is an early childhood educator, and serves as the Board liaison for the Empowerment Jam Committee and The Musical Autist Board Secretary. She has held a number of positions in education from managing a licensed preschool daycare to curriculum development for ASD adults, and created a variety of support and activity groups for ASD children/teens and their families. Additionally, she coordinates the sacristans at her church and fills various administrative roles for her son’s music company as he completes his degree at the Berklee School of Music Online. Ann-Marie has a Masters degree in Comparative Culture from Sophia University, Tokyo, and a Bachelors degree in International Relations from The University of Pennsylvania. She lives with her family in Portsmouth, Virginia.
Jordon Cochran
Jordon is a recently retired Air Force officer and has traveled or deployed to over 34 countries in his 25-year military career. He is a communications, computer, and cybersecurity operations leader by trade and has worked for Northrop Grumman Corporation since 2020. He and his wife, Kathy, have two wonderful children, one of which was diagnosed on the autism spectrum at age 2. Jordon and Kathy are active in advocacy and care for children on the autism
Amy Weishaar, M.A.
A highly skilled and creative music educator, Amy Weishaar (M.A.) specializes in neurodiversity, disability, and inclusion. Her career is devoted to helping educational professionals work towards equity: diversifying and training personnel and boards, cultivating and mentoring educators for success and community leadership, and designing and enhancing safe and vibrant educational spaces for all children. Weishaar works extensively in specialized independent and nonpublic schools, as well as public schools, serving students in 1st-12th grade and at the university level. She teaches at Baltimore Lab School (formerly a division of The Lab School of Washington), The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, and The Loyola University of Maryland in conjunction with the American Kodály Institute. She serves on the board of The Musical Autist, a non-profit that creates inclusive spaces for musical expression, storytelling, advocacy, and mentorship.
Weishaar’s various experiences as a teacher, nonprofit administrator, and director, along with her passion for research-informed education, the arts, and community building, give her a unique perspective and deep understanding of the needs of specialized education. She regularly shares her expertise at local, national, and state conferences; as well as guest teaching invitations. Her work has been published in national journals and heard on public radio station WYPR. Weishaar has a Bachelor of Science from The College of St. Rose, and Master of Arts with a Thesis from University of Maryland College Park. She has extensive educational achievements at American University, Towson University, and University County Cork, Ireland. Weishaar is a devoted mother and talented multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and dancer.
Violet Strawderman
Violet Strawderman is an English PhD Candidate at the University of Delaware. They specialize in disability and popular culture, with a particular focus on comics. Violet is a member of the disability community and has a passion for disability advocacy and community. Outside of their scholarly work, Violet is a devoted cat parent, a tabletop game enthusiast, and podcast listener. A Virginia native, no matter where their career takes them, Violet will always consider Virginia home.
Laura-Sun "Sunny" Cefaratti: TMA Co-Founder
Sunny is a performing pianist/vocalist, and mentor to other autistic self advocates. She was born in South Korea, completely blind, and was adopted by her family in the U.S. at 2 years of age. She was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome in 2001. She is a graduate of Maryland School for the Blind. Sunny is the Committee Chair for Empowerment Jam Sessions. She has given speeches and piano/vocal performances in Sensory Friendly Concerts since July 2011. This photo was taken at The Musical Autist’s display table, at the 2012 Maryland Arc conference, where Sunny was a guest performer for the Awards Luncheon.
Christy Joy "CJ" Shiloh, MT-BC: TMA Co-Founder
CJ co-founded The Musical Autist with Sunny in 2011. CJ had almost 15 years experience as a classical piano teacher, providing adapted piano lessons when she finally decided to return to school to receive her MT-BC. When she joined the music therapy field in 2013, she realized that there was much work to be done, advocating for the Neurodiversity Movement within the field of music therapy. She has been co-presenting at autism and music therapy conferences with Sunny since 2011. In 2014, her article “Sensory Friendly Concerts: A community music therapy initiative to promote Neurodiversity” was published in the Int’l Journal of Community Music. In 2016, her article “A Clinician’s Response—Considering Our Clients’ Voices” was published in Music Therapy Perspectives.