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MEET OUR TEAM
We at the Autism Society Greater Pittsburgh are proud to be working to provide connection to all individuals on the spectrum and their families across the lifespan. Read below to find out more about each of our own connections to this mission.
Amy Anderson, Esq.
President
Amy Anderson is an attorney and the proud mother of two young adults who both have disabilities. Her son has profound autism, an intellectual disability, and a myriad of additional diagnoses. Her daughter has Down Syndrome. Amy has been actively involved in the disability community for over two decades, advocating for her own children as well as other disabled individuals and their families. She has served as President of the Board for the Down Syndrome Group of Western Pennsylvania, and more recently, as a Board member for the Down Syndrome Association of Pittsburgh.
Ms. Anderson received her undergraduate and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Professionally, Amy has worked in private practice focusing on civil rights litigation, as well as working for a sole practitioner, the University of Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Additionally, Amy has been employed by and volunteered for multiple disability organizations. She coaches and mentors for Special Olympics and was a trainee in the 2024-2025 Cohort of the LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders) program through UPMC Children’s Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh.
Lee Ann Fulena, Esq.
Vice President
LeeAnn Fulena, Esq., is the Director of Strategic Operations at Achieva Family Trust, a nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities and their families. In addition to operations, Ms. Fulena oversees the Benefits Counseling Program and the Charitable Residual Program. She is a member of NAELA and PAELA and serves on the Alliance of Pooled Trust’s Education Committee.
Prior to her role at Achieva, Ms. Fulena was a partner at Robb Leonard Mulvihill LLP, a law firm in Pittsburgh focusing on litigation and estate planning and administration. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and graduated cum laude from Westminster College.
Ms. Fulena has been actively involved in community service as President of the Board at Arise, formerly the Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County, an organization dedicated to supporting victims of sexual assault and domestic violence; President of the Board of New Castle Playhouse; and as a member of the Board of the Hoyt Center for the Arts. Additionally, she has served as the first female Chairperson of the Lawrence County Housing Authority, demonstrating her commitment to public service and community development.
Michael Cecotti
Treasurer
Michael “Mike” Cecotti is currently the Chief Accounting Officer at TMP Metals Group, Ltd., a distributor of base and precious metals throughout North America, Latin America and South America. At TMP Metals, Mike is responsible for payroll, cash management, budgeting, financial reporting and tax compliance. Prior to joining TMP Metals, Mike spent 18 years with Norilsk Nickel USA, Inc. (“NN USA”), the North American sales office of MMC Norilsk Nickel, a vertically integrated nickel mining company headquartered in Moscow, Russia. At NN USA, Mike served in various roles including Senior Accountant, Credit Manager and the final 9 years as Chief Accounting Officer. His duties included supervision of the treasury and credit departments, financial and budget reporting, and tax compliance. Mike began his career at Schneider Downs & Co, a large regional accounting firm in Pittsburgh where he spent approximately 7 years in the audit and assurance practice.
Mike is a proud Alum of Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he majored in both Accounting and Finance. He possesses his CPA certificate from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Inactive Status). In his spare time, Mike volunteers his time at the Whitehall Fire Company as a member and active firefighter. He previously served as the treasurer and a member of board of directors of the fire company.
Nicole DeCicco, Psy.D
Secretary
Dr. Nicole DeCicco is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center of Pediatric Neuropsychology in Pittsburgh, PA. She earned her M.S.Ed. in Child Psychology and Psy.D. in School Psychology from Duquesne University. She completed her predoctoral internship at The Hope Centers and participated in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders (LEND) program through UPMC Children’s Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh. She earned dual undergraduate degrees in Human Development & Family Science and Psychology from The University of Rhode Island. During her time in Rhode Island, Nicole was involved with Jumpstart, an AmeriCorps-funded organization dedicated to promoting equitable learning opportunities for preschool-aged children in marginalized communities. This experience ignited her passion for developmental psychology.
Nicole's professional interests center on supporting children with neurodevelopmental disorders by helping them adopt adaptive strategies for independent and productive daily living. She is also deeply committed to expanding access to psychological services for underserved and marginalized populations, including those overlooked by healthcare and educational systems. Her clinical work in school psychology has underscored the critical role that schools play in providing legally mandated support and resources to these communities.
Kathryn Eck Goff, Esq.
Board Member
Kathryn Eck Goff is an attorney who received her Bachelor of Arts Degree and Juris Doctor degrees from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Since 1997, she has practiced as an Estate Planning and Administration Attorney in her own law firm, Kathryn Eck Goff, P.C. She is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association. Kathy served as a Board Member for the Allegheny County Mental Health Legal Services from 1997-2000, and The Martha Fund from 1997 to 2020.
She also served on the Professional Advisory Board for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society from 1997-2020. Kathy has personal connections with autism through friends and family members on the Spectrum.
Eric Jankoski
Board Member
Eric Jankoski currently works as the Transition Coordinator for Baldwin-Whitehall School District. He has over 20 years of experience working in Special Education, specifically with Transition Age youth. He also works part-time for Special Olympics PA as a Unified Champion Schools Coordinator where he oversees dozens of area high schools with implementation of inclusive programming through sports, whole school engagement, and youth leadership.
Eric spends time volunteering with Casey's Clubhouse where he assists in many capacities within the organization including coaching, consulting, and various other duties. Eric is also the parent of a child who is on the Spectrum, so he brings both a professional and personal perspective to his efforts.
Jessie Northrup, PhD
Board Member
Dr. Jessie Northrup is a Clinical and Developmental Psychologist, Researcher, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical and Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and completed her predoctoral clinical internship and postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh’s Western Psychiatric Hospital.
Dr. Northrup’s research is broadly focused on early social and emotional development in young children on the autism spectrum. She is especially interested in how parent-child dynamics critical to emotion regulation development may be different for autistic children and their parents, with the goal of identifying impactful intervention targets.
Lynn Chabalie MSN, RN
Board Member
Lynn Chabalie is an Outpatient RN Coordinator for UPMC CCP (Children’s Community Pediatric) and a PITT LEND Alumni (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities). She earned her MSN with the focus in Nursing Administration at Penn West University and BSN from Duquesne University School of Nursing. Clinical interests include Legal Nursing Consulting. Volunteers with Circle of Friends Pittsburgh and Night to Shine (Tim Tebow Foundation).
Lynn has experience as a Nurse Navigator in the department of the SW PA Children’s Behavioral Health Outpatient Service Line -Western Psychiatric Hospital. Supported
individuals and families with diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for the CADD (Center for Autism Diseases and Disorders) BH Home Program with navigation through complex state and health care systems. This experience identified the challenges and
barriers families are impacted by attempting to navigate through these complex systems. a. As a LEND Alumni, a pathway has been established to advocate for these individuals and families to have the same opportunity they deserve to live their life out to
their fullest potential.