What is COPAA?

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA) is an independent, nonprofit, §501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization of attorneys, advocates and parents. Our primary mission is to secure high quality educational services for children with disabilities.

COPAA is premised on the belief that the key to effective educational programs for children with disabilities is collaboration -as equals- by parents and educators.

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COPAA's First Board of Directors (1998-99)

The following individuals served as COPAA's organizing Board of Directors. Affiliations are listed only for purposes of identification.

Barbara Bateman
Professor
University of Oregon

Catherine L. Blakemore
Executive Director
Protection & Advocacy, Inc.

Donna Chewning
Parent Advocate
Christianburg, VA

Matthew D. Cohen
Monahan & Cohen
Chicago, IL

Nancy Diehl
STEP
Greenville, TN

Kathryn E. Dobel
Law Offices
Berkeley, CA

William L.E. Dussault
Law Offices
Seattle, WA

Thomas K. Gilhool
Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA

Judith A. Gran
Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA

Joyce Lane Ginsberg
Parent Advocate
Bloomfield Hills, MI

Beth Goodman
Feldesman, Tucker, Leifer, Fidell & Bank
Washington, DC

Stewart R. Hakola
Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service
Marquette, MI

Patricia L. Howey
Special Education Consulting
West Point, IN

Howard Klebanoff
Law Offices
West Hartford, CT

Diane Lipton
Disabilities Rights Education and Defense Fund
Berkeley, CA

Deborah Mattison
Gordon, Silberman, Wiggins & Childs
Birmingham, AL

Eileen Ordover
Center for Law & Education
Cambridge, MA

Valerie Vanaman
Newman*Aaronson*Vanaman
Sherman Oaks, CA

Peter W.D. Wright
Law Offices
Deltaville, VA

Nikole Whitehead
STAND
Tampa, FL
ex officio (Executive Director)

S. James Rosenfeld
The EDLAW Center
Hollywood, FL

 

 

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