Board of Managers
Jim Anisi, Board President
Jim Anisi is a Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at Sierra Investment Partners, Inc, exclusively dedicated to Taft-Hartley (labor unions) Pension, Health and Welfare Funds. With three children and his wife Tracey by his side, Jim's commitment to community shines through his advocacy for those with special needs, especially his adult daughter with Down syndrome. Jim's passion extends beyond his professional endeavors, as he has actively served in various roles within the nonprofit sector, offering his expertise through volunteering, advisory roles, and board positions. Since relocating to Franklin, TN, from Chicago in 2015, Jim continues to champion causes that enrich the lives of individuals and families in his community.
Emily Whitson, Immediate Past President
Emily Whitson works as an Exceptional Education Mentor at The Arc TN, where she helps families understand their special education rights and navigate the IEP process. She is on The Arc TN Public Policy Committe, a member of the Disability Coalition on Education, and on the Governor's Advisory Council for Students with Disabilities.
Emily has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Athens State University. In 2021 she completed SEAT 2.0 (Special Education Advocacy Training) through COPAA. In 2017 she completed the Volunteer Advocacy Project through the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.
Emily currently lives in Franklin with her husband, Brad and their three children, Eli, Noah, and Emmaline (who has Down syndrome). Emily enjoys cooking, reading and listening to true crime podcasts.
Chet Danto, Board VP
Chet Danto is a Senior Analyst with Lattimore, Black, Morgan, & Cain’s (LBMC) Transaction Advisory Services group. Prior to his time working in mergers and acquisitions, Chet provided technical accounting services to companies in numerous industries for nearly five years. During that time, he gained experience working with clients in various nonprofit sectors and became an expert in nonprofit accounting.
Chet is a Nashville transplant, originally from Houston, Texas, who has experience in forming, running, and growing nonprofit organizations. He received his B.A. in Sports Management from the University of Texas at Austin and his Master’s of Science in Accountancy from Wake Forest University. He is a licensed certified public accountant in Tennessee and is a member of the AICPA and TSCPA. He is an avid hockey player and enjoys playing golf on the weekend.
Judd Larson, Treasurer
Judd became a member of the GiGi's Board of Directors in October 2024. A long-standing advocate for individuals with Down syndrome, Judd has consistently supported initiatives aimed at enhancing their quality of life. He is currently employed with an organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), driven by his passion for promoting dignity, inclusion, and independence.
Judd along with his wife, Amy, and their two children, Parker and Gracie, are excited to be part of the GiGi's Playhouse family.
Melissa Wenger, Secretary
Melissa Wenger is a digital marketing manager with HCA Healthcare and a founding board member of GiGi’s Playhouse Nashville. A native of Wisconsin, Melissa lived in La Crosse, Milwaukee, Madison, Peoria and Chicago before finally making her home in Memphis, Tennessee with her husband Bryan in 2001.
When her son, Cole, was born, the family had access to incredible programming and resources in Memphis. When her family relocated to Nashville in 2011, Melissa was determined to find the same types of programs in Nashville.
Finding a gap in available resources for people with Down syndrome, Melissa and Cole’s teacher, Erin, decided that they wanted to create a center that brought together families and those that loved individuals with Down syndrome together. After some research, they decided to work to bring a GiGi’s Playhouse to Nashville.
Working alongside a tenacious team of advocates, Melissa and Erin campaigned to bring GiGi’s Playhouse to Nashville to fill that need. Together they organized garage sales, cocktail receptions, and eventually a gala to raise the funds and awareness necessary to open the center. Melissa is proud to have seen GiGi’s Playhouse Nashville grow from the ground up into the thriving organization it is today.
When she’s not working or serving on the board or Melissa enjoys yoga, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Sharon Sabol, Member
Sharon Sabol received her Learning Behavioral Specialist degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. This opened the door for her to teach as an inclusive, elementary Special Education teacher serving children with autism, developmental delays, and other health impairments for four years. During this time, she became passionate about learning how to help children and their families equip themselves with resources and self-advocacy skills.
As a volunteer, she co-leads LMNOP, a GiGi’s signature program that promotes language development through music and sign language. Sharon is a graduate of the Vanderbilt Advocacy Project program at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. In addition, she completed the Down syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee’s Parent IEP Mentor program and remains a volunteer IEP advocate to local families.
Sharon lives in the Nashville area with her husband David, and their three children. All enjoy GiGi’s programming, in particular the oldest, who has Down syndrome and benefits from the GiGi’s and local Down syndrome community.
Courtney Wright, Member
Courtney Wright is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst with 15 years experience working with young children with a variety of speech and language needs. Courtney received her masters degree in Speech Language Pathology and doctoral degree in Special Education from Vanderbilt University. All of Courtney's doctoral work focused on young children with Down syndrome specifically studying language development and augmentative/alternative communication. In addition to serving on the Board of Managers, Courtney also volunteers with GiGi's Playhouse as program leader for LMNOP.
Richard Coure, Member
Richard Coure leads the Client Data Services team for MEDHOST Inc which provides a broad portfolio of healthcare engagement solutions nationwide. Richard’s team leads divestitures, new facility builds, and data conversions at MEDHOST but he has served in many roles over the past 24 years.
Richard is a proud Nashville native and graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin where he played football.
Richard, his wife Kim, and children Cameron and Sydney have been a part of GiGi’s Playhouse Nashville since its inception. Kim held the role of founding member and President of the first board. Richard has chaired the golf tournament for several years providing much needed funds to support the Playhouse. Their 15-year-old son Cameron, who happens to have a little something extra, has enjoyed many programs at GiGi’s Playhouse such as Tutoring, Teentastic, GiGi’s Kitchen, and many more.
In his free time, you can catch Richard coaching many youth sports and playing golf.
Karen Anisi Sperber, Member
Karen grew up in Chicago and received her B.S. in Finance from Loyola University of Chicago. She then had a successful 18-year career as a Vice President at The Northern Trust Company Chicago. During this time, Karen held various relationship roles, including the Trust Department supporting Insurance Pension, Taft-Hartley, and ERISA funds. She also worked at her family’s business and held various roles over the years. After adopting her oldest child, Karen left the workforce to concentrate on her child’s special needs and development.
Karen’s proudest impact is felt in her nonprofit efforts, where she fights for the rights of children with disabilities in her school district and beyond. Karen’s eldest child, Iris, was adopted from an orphanage in Bulgaria at 20 months old with some developmental issues that required special accommodations. Those accommodations ended up being difficult to access, which led Karen to fight to create an inclusive learning environment. Iris is now thriving and living independently, and Karen is very thankful. Karen’s interactions with the community and schools fostered increased assistance for children with special needs. The fight to ensure that help continues to be her passion.
Current Board Member
Karen is a current board member at Helpusadopt.org, which provides grants to families to help them adopt children.
Previous Board’s I have served:
The Board of Trustees of North Shore Congregation Israel (NSCI)
Chair of the Preschool Committee for Gates of Learning Preschool
President of the JCC Women’s Board
JCC Chicago Central Board
Religious Board NSCI
Karen and her husband, Marc, have three children: Iris, 30; Joseph, 26; and Sophia, 23. Marc is a partner at the law firm Mayer Brown LLP. They reside in Northbrook, IL.
Andrew Donaldson, Member
Andrew is a dedicated self-advocate and new board member at GiGi’s Playhouse Nashville. A long-time participant, Andrew has been active in programs like EPIC, Fantastic Friends, Yoga, and CrossFit for over a decade. In 2024, he proudly served as a GiGi’s Ambassador, using his voice to inspire others. Outside of GiGi’s, Andrew is a passionate Special Olympics athlete who especially loves basketball and powerlifting. Since 2017, he’s worked with the Nashville Predators, greeting fans with a smile at the SoBro entrance. In his free time, Andrew enjoys movies, creating art, and playing video games.
Tori McMahon, Member
Tori is a proud self-advocate and the newest member of the GiGi’s Playhouse Nashville Board of Managers. Tori brings her joyful spirit, leadership, and lived experience to the team. A former GiGi’s Ambassador and active participant in programs like Fantastic Friends and Yoga, Tori is passionate about building community and connection. She’s also a fashion lover who enjoys expressing herself through stylish outfits. GiGi’s is her happy place, where, as she says, “I get to hang out with my best friends and have a great time being together. All the volunteers are awesome!” Tori also loves to give back by volunteering at our annual Golf Tournament and "i Have a Voice" Gala.
Glenn Harris, Member
Glenn Harris is the Director of Sales at Stringfellow Technology Group. He brings more than 20+ years of sales leadership experience, including over a decade in SaaS and technology, where he focuses on aligning an organization's IT strategy with its business goals to drive growth, security, and efficiency. A Nashville native, Glenn lives in Franklin with his wife, Daphne, and their two children, Sydney and Parker. He is passionate about using his professional expertise and local network to champion the mission of GiGi’s Playhouse and support the continued expansion of its programs across Middle Tennessee.