Illinois Life Span Program

Deb is Director of the Illinois Life Span Program. She lives in central Illinois with her husband and their son, Brad, who has Down syndrome. Deb has an MS in Education and her career background includes working in public and higher education, in Early Intervention, and with the Family Support Network.

I am married and the parent of two young adults.  My oldest has a developmental disability.  I am bilingual (English/Spanish) and a social worker.  I live in the western suburbs of Chicago.
Soy casada con dos hijos. El mayor tiene una discapacidad intelectual.  Hablo íngles y español.  Mi carrera es trabajadora social.  Vivio en los suburbios de oeste de Chicago.

Suzanne is an Information and Outreach Specialist for the Illinois Life Span program for the Chicago area. She has worked and volunteered in the areas of disability advocacy and family support since 2008. She and her husband are the proud parents of a young adult with I/DD and Autism. Her passion is helping families access and understand services that are available to them so they are empowered to build an included and meaningful life with their loved one with disabilities. She is a 2018 graduate of Illinois Partners in Policymaking and has navigated disability services in the states of Illinois, Ohio and Indiana. 

Erica Stearns resides in Southern Illinois and joined The Arc of Illinois in 2021 as an Information and Outreach Specialist for the Illinois Life Span Program. Erica has a career history in healthcare management, a passion for helping others, and life-long personal experiences in advocating for those who identify with the community of rare disease, disabilities, and complex medical conditions. Growing up disabled and now as the proud mother of two children with disabilities and complex medical conditions, Erica has a unique and multi-dimensional perspective of navigating life with disabilities. Erica is a summa cum laude graduate of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Faye has been with The Arc of Illinois for over 13 years. Her unique qualifications include over forty years of professional experience in the areas of special education, family support, early intervention, and public health. Faye is the parent of an adult daughter who is deafblind, and has cerebral palsy. She became involved as a volunteer with Family Voices, Inc., our national umbrella organization, in 1992 based on her experiences as the parent of an uninsured child with multiple special healthcare needs.