Maureen Mills
Maureen Mills – Executive Director
maureenmills@dsnetworkaz.org
After the birth of her third child and his diagnosis of Down syndrome, Maureen Mills volunteered with other Valley nonprofit organizations and eventually, along with other parents who shared the same vision for inclusion, education and collaboration, founded DSNetwork. Maureen worked with Best Buddies Arizona for four years helping high school and college chapters around the state to facilitate mutually beneficial friendships between people with and without intellectual disabilities. During 2007 and 2008, Maureen served as the ASU in the Community Coordinator where she oversaw the daily operations of the ASU in the Community initiative, a resource and tool for ASU’s social embeddedness.
Originally from Buffalo, New York, Maureen earned her BS in Marketing from the University of Arizona. She spent the first part of her career working for industries as diverse as tourism and high tech in geographic locations ranging from Toledo to Dallas to New York City. She returned to Arizona with her husband and children in 1997. The board of directors hired Maureen as the organization’s first exectutive director in September 2008.
Tara Fisher – Executive Assistant
tarafisher@dsnetworkaz.org
Tara has been working with individuals with special needs since 1991, when her sister experienced a traumatic brain injury in a horse race. She grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and attended the University of Cincinnati. She has a Master’s Degree in Engineering and has worked in many areas including grocery store construction, airbag manufacturing and race car testing. She sold General Motors the backup parking aid that makes every bumper have those funny, flat circles on the back. Since having her two cheerleaders, she has focused her efforts on fundraising and being an assistant in a Special Needs classroom. Tara is currently working part time as the Executive Assistant to Maureen Mills in the DSNetwork Office. Tara’s weekends are spent at cheerleading competitions and walking the greatest dog in the world.
