The Williams Syndrome Association is organized into 19 regions across the United States. Pennsylvania is part of the Tri-State Region. Each region works to provide resource information and social and educational opportunities to its members. Volunteers are standing by in each state within the regions (parents and grandparents who can provide resources and information) to speak with new families or any families needing support. They are joined by many other volunteers who work hard to facilitate gatherings such as picnics, conferences, and fundraisers.
Below you will find the name(s) and contact email addresses of your state's Family Support Network volunteer(s).
Áine Smalley is Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Medtronic where she has 25 years of experience in both research and regulatory roles across several businesses in the cardiovascular space. Áine has a BSc in Chemistry and Pharmacology from University College Dublin, Ireland, and received her MBA from the Henley Business School in the UK.
Áine and her husband Terry have a son, Kieran, who has Williams syndrome. Shortly after Kieran was born in 2006, Áine served as WSA regional chair for northern California and Nevada. Áine then joined the WSA board and served 6 years in various roles, including board president.
In 2021, Áine, Terry, and Kieran moved from California to Rose Valley, Pennsylvania.
Family Support Area of focus: school-age children, teens
Area of focus: new diagnosis, children, WSA camp
Melissa Murphy is a career federal government attorney, handling a range of complex appellate cases, regulatory matters, and policy issues. Melissa is active within the disability community, particularly around issues concerning family engagement and inclusion practices. A graduate of Temple University Institute on Disabilities’ Partners in Policymaking program, she helped revise the Early Learning Program Partnership Standards in Pennsylvania, served as Parent Co-Chair of the Montgomery County Interagency Coordinating Council, worked on the planning team for the annual statewide Family Engagement Summit in Pennsylvania, and has been nominated to the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Committee. Melissa has served on the Board of Trustees for the WSA in other terms and is a past Board President. She lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband Ben, a pediatrician, and their young children: Rose (WS), Charlie, Hope, and Gabriel.
Area of focus: adults, but happy to connect with any age
Areas of focus: new diagnosis, young children, therapy
34th St. & Civic Center Blvd.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
