Staff

Pamela Bisceglia is the Executive Director of AdvocacyDenver. As a parent of a child with a disability, Pamela gained practical experience regarding the rights of children and adults with disabilities. Her professional experience is marked by her devotion to individuals in need, first-hand knowledge of the operation of public systems and their obligation under state and federal law. Pamela stands with a team whose principal focus is on achieving equal rights and social justice for people with disabilities through individual advocacy and systems advocacy at the state and federal level.

Melissa Palacio is AdvocacyDenver’s Director of Operations. Melissa attended Western Cuna Management School at Pomona College majoring in Business Management, and Front Range Community College holding a certification in Certified Event Rental Professional. She’s a passionate volunteer for Special Olympics Colorado and other events supporting people with disabilities. Melissa volunteers her time to a non-profit organization serving as a Coach, mentoring leaders of small women groups that are working through life’s unique circumstances. These professional and personal experiences have paved a way for Melissa to devote her skills in supporting the active voice AdvocacyDenver upholds in the community.

Linda Brooks is an Advocate for Adults. She spent 12 years as a Service Coordinator for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and 11 years investigating allegations of Mistreatment, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation (MANE). She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska in Children’s Rehabilitation and a Master’s degree from Drake University in Vocational Rehabilitation-Personnel Counseling. She is a Huskers fan (GO BIG RED!).

Seth Grove is an Adult Advocate. He joined AdvocacyDenver in August 2024. Seth has been in the developmental disabilities field for 16 years, including 8 years as a Service Coordinator. Seth has served on various committees and taskforces implementing mandates such as person-centered service planning. He graduated from Colorado State University with a BA in English Literature. In his free time, Seth enjoys running, reading, gardening and baking.

Erika Montano is a Bilingual Child and Family Advocate. Erika was born and raised in Mexico before relocating with her family to Colorado where they have lived for the last 15 years. Erika is trained and worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for more than 10 years. Erika also worked at Denver Public Schools as a paraprofessional in Special Education, this motivated her to want to help children and their families understand and defend their rights, and for them be heard. Erika is also the mother of a child with disabilities. It has helped her understand the need for Hispanic Families to be heard, and to know that their voices count. Erika is passionate about helping people in need. In her free time, Erika loves to read and travel with her family and getting to know different places.

Emily Park-Friend is a part-time Bilingual Child and Family Advocate. She has been an educator for almost 20 years and has been a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and student support liaison.  Most of her professional experience has been in Denver and she has worked in a variety of school settings and types—traditional, charter, and autonomous.  She holds a current Professional Teaching License in the state of Colorado with endorsements in Special Education, secondary English, and Elementary Education.  Emily has previously helped families navigate the Special Education and 504 processes in DPS and has advocated for more school supports for multilingual students.  She has been both a school administrator and a parent in 504/IEP meetings and is passionate about empowering families to get what their child needs and demystifying the process.   She has a BA from Bucknell University and an Ed.M. from Harvard University Graduate School of Education.  Emily enjoys traveling with her family and taking care of her menagerie of pets (chickens, rescue pittie, hamster, and various and ever-increasing number of feral cats).

Heather Peters is a Child and Family Advocate. She joined AdvocacyDenver in August, 2018. Heather graduated from Towson University with a psychology degree. She worked in different urban public school systems as a paraprofessional, a teacher and as a Family Liaison for children with special needs. In the role of Family Liaison, Heather connected families with community resources, helped families navigate through the Individualized Education Program, Section 504 process and understand educational rights of children with disabilities. Heather has, and continues to serve on a range of councils and boards.

Jen Pringle has been a Child and Family Advocate at AdvocacyDenver since July 2024. Jen holds an MS in Education from Mercy College and is licensed in Elementary and Special Education in New York and Colorado. With experience as a special education teacher in NYC and Denver Public Schools, and as an Autism Intervention/ABA Therapist, Jen has also founded and managed businesses in special education and advocacy. Her expertise includes education, curriculum design, family and teacher training, and resource connection. Outside work, she enjoys singing, fine art, and caring for her dogs.

Michele Sandoval is a Child and Family Advocate. She joined AdvocacyDenver in September 2021. Michele holds a BA in Elementary Education, an MA in Educational Leadership, and an Ed.S in School Psychology. She is currently licensed by the Colorado Department of Education as a School Psychologist and a Director of Special Education. Michele has worked in Colorado urban school districts as an Elementary Teacher, School Psychologist, Special Education District Coordinator and most recently as a Senior Manager of Special Education. She recently retired, after 35 years in education, and is excited to work as an advocate in support of students identified with educational disabilities. Michele’s style of advocacy is to work collaboratively with all stakeholders in order to develop a strong, effective IEP that meets the student’s needs.

Jennifer Levin is the attorney for the organization’s Center for Special Education Law. Jennifer graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and went on to the University of Alabama to earn her law degree. She worked for Disability Law Colorado, the state’s protection and advocacy system, as an Equal Justice Works Fellow and later moved into the position of Education Team Leader. Jennifer has provided civil rights advocacy for individuals around education, employment, housing, community integration, public accommodations, and voting. She has taken on legislative action, disability rights trainings, and investigations into allegations of abuse and neglect in state run facilities serving people with disabilities. After 11 years with Disability Law Colorado, Jennifer served as Director of Public Policy with The Arc of Colorado. After two years of policy work that would impact the lives of people with disabilities, Jennifer accepted a position with AdvocacyDenver’s Center for Special Education Law. Jennifer continues to work towards promoting and advocating for the disability rights of families, children, and adults.

Jack D. Robinson is Of-Counsel to Advocacy Denver’s Center for Special Education Law, a not-for- profit law firm that provides pro-bono legal representation to the most marginalized communities of parents of children with disabilities. Jack is also an attorney and founder of the law firm Robinson Disability Law, LLC, where he focuses on fighting for the rights and respect of individuals with disabilities and their families. Jack’s primary practice areas are special education law, Medicaid appeals, and civil rights litigation. Jack was the attorney for the parents in Endrew F. v. Douglas County Sch. Dist., a landmark case decided by the United States Supreme Court in 2017 that established a “markedly more demanding” standard for determining the educational rights of children with disabilities. Jack is a frequent lecturer on the application and construction of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. He has represented clients in numerous due process hearings, civil actions in the U.S. District Court, and appeals in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Jack is a member and founder of the Colorado Council of Special Education Lawyers and is a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates. Jack received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver College of Law and is licensed to practice law in all Colorado State District Courts, the Colorado Court of Appeals, the Colorado Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Outside of his legal practice, Jack is an avid cyclist, birder, gardener, and home cook.

Charlene Lawrence works part-time for AdvocacyDenver and has been doing miscellaneous office work assignments with us since 1998. Charlene has been an AdvocacyDenver client and an integral part of the ARC and People First Community since the mid-nineties. She received an award from the Arc of Denver for her dedication to volunteerism in 1995, as well as the John Bear award in 1998. AdvocacyDenver helped assist Charlene in buying her first condo in 2000, where she still resides with her husband of 11 years, Mike, who is also a client of AdvocacyDenver. Charlene is passionate about dogs, shopping, meeting new people, Starbucks coffee and her beloved church community. Charlene enjoys eating meals with friends at her favorite restaurant, Golden Corral.