NOFAS Staff

Tom Donaldson, President
Tom Donaldson has served as the NOFAS Chief Executive Officer since 1998, and he became its President in 2002. He is responsible for formulating and carrying out the NOFAS strategic and business plans, and all programmatic, development and policy initiatives. He has extensive experience in non-profit governance, public policy, government affairs, media relations, social marketing, grassroots organizing, coalition building and public health. Under his leadership, NOFAS has established a network of 21 affiliated organizations, expanded services to all 50 states, and ensured a four-fold increase in federal and state investment in FASD-related research, public health and services, among numerous other achievements.

He has served as a member of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Center for Excellence Steering Committee and as a liaison representative to the National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect. He has also served on many maternal/child health and alcohol-related policy boards and committees, including the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition Executive Committee and the National Association of Broadcasters Alcohol Policy Advisory Board.

Kathleen Tavenner Mitchell, M.H.S., L.C.A.D.C., Vice President and National Spokesperson

Kathleen Tavenner Mitchell is currently the Vice President and National Spokesperson for the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and a noted international speaker on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and Women and Addictions. She is a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor, has a Master of Human Services degree and twenty-five years experience as a national educator, clinician, and lecturer.

Kathy is a faculty member of the Medical Ethics and Humanities Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the Georgetown University School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine Selective. She has authored several papers, the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; a Guidebook for Parents and Caregivers, and co-authored Making a Difference: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Public Awareness Guide. Kathy supervised the development of FASD prevention curricula for students K-12 and developed an FASD curriculum for addiction professionals and other allied health professionals. In 2001, she also co-founded the Circle of Hope, an international program for birth mothers of children with FASD.

In 2000, she was appointed to the National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. She has testified In the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives on behalf of several bills, worked with a writer of NBC’s Law and Order; Special Victims Unit to create a show about FASD, provided an interview on FASD for the BBC radio network, and has been featured in several documentaries, Glamour Magazine, and on NBC's Real Life"and the Later Today Show.

Kathy conducts workshops and provides lectures on the addictive disease process, prevention of FASD, screening and assessment of women at risk, addressing secondary disabilities and many other FASD-related topics.

Brianna Montgomery, Program Manager  

Brianna's principle role within the orgnanization is managing the NOFAS information and referral clearinghouse. She also works on the Community Health Center screening initiative and other NOFAS programs. Her previous experience in the non-profit health world includes working as a health education intern for Healthy Teen Network and as a volunteer health educator at Planned Parenthood. She is passionate about helping others and advocating for FASD prevention and support of persons with FASD. Brianna earned her BAS in Community Health Education at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Lauren Pulte, Public Affairs Associate

Lauren joined NOFAS in 2009. She earned her BA in journalism and political science at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio; graduating with a focus on broadcast journalism and foreign affairs. She uses her experience in multimedia reporting to write and update much of the NOFAS web content, and prepare press advisories and other media communications. Her previous experience includes working for Voice of American, MTV, and various local new outlets. Lauren also currently works at C-SPAN as a research producer. She is a strong advocate for FASD prevention, research, and support.

Steven L. Green, Accountant