MISSION

Paralyzed Veterans of America is the only Congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely for the benefit and representation of veterans with spinal cord injury or disease. Learn more about Our Mission.

You can find our experts in the nation’s capital, in the field, and across the country, providing services, research and resources to catastrophically disabled veterans, their caregivers, and their families.

Each staff member’s expertise is noted below. You can download individual expert pages by selecting the person’s name.

General Counsel

Leonard Selfon

• Corporate and Business Law
• Nonprofit Law and Governance
• Association Law
• Veterans Law and Benefits
• General and Appellate Litigation (State and Federal)
• Chapter Programs and Operations
• Disability Law

Government Relations

Heather Ansley, Associate Executive Director

• Veterans issues
• Disability Civil Rights
• Legal Advocacy

Veterans Benefits

Peter Gaytan, Associate Executive Director

• Veterans Budget Appropriations
• Gulf War Illness
• Veterans Homeless Issues

Joseph Badzmierowski, Director of Field Services

Advocacy

Susan Prokop, National Director

• Social Security Disability Insurance
• Fair Housing
• Employment of People with Disabilities
• Emergency Management

Lee Page, Senior Associate Director

• ADA
• Air Carrier Access Act
• Disability Civil Rights
• Voting

Medical Services

Amanda Milisits, Director

• Healthcare Advocacy
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Healthcare Policy
• The Independent Budget

Accessibility

Mark Lichter, Architecture Program, Director of Architecture & Facilities 

• Accessibility
• Design & Construction
• ADA Compliance

Adaptive Sports and Recreation

Fabio Villarroel, Director, Sports and Recreation

• Adaptive Sports and Recreation
• Emergency Medical Procedures
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Traumatic Brain Injury

Appellate Services

Jim Fischl, Senior Appellate Services Operations Manager

• Veterans Benefits
• Veterans Services
• Regulatory Compliance

Employment

Lauren Lobrano, Director, PAVE Program

Prosthetics

Fred Downs, Jr., Prosthetics Consultant

• Prosthetics
• Sensory Aids
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Vietnam War
• Veterans Affairs Material Management
• Orthotics
• POW/MIA Affairs
• Veteran Affairs Data Management
• Medical/Surgical Standardization