Board of Directors

Sharon Hughes is the mother of 2 daughters, Laura and Kelly. Laura has Down Syndrome.

Sharon was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and moved with her family to Dauphin Island, Alabama at age 5. She is a graduate of the University of South Alabama and a retired Registered Nurse, whose career was spent in Cardiac Care and Intensive Care nursing at Mobile Infirmary, and Georgetown Memorial Hospital, in Georgetown, South Carolina. Sharon worked her last eleven years as a school nurse.

Sharon was co-founder of the Grand Strand Down Syndrome Society (GSDSS), and served as President and Board member for that organization. She and her family lived in South Carolina for 17 years; they returned to Mobile after the death of Sharon's husband.

Since retirement, Sharon has been active with the Coastal Alabama Down Syndrome Society. She served on the Board of Directors as Secretary, and now is serving as President of the Society.

Sharon is a member of Christ United Church.

Connie and her son, Zachary, have lived in Mobile their entire lives. She has been involved in the Down Syndrome community for many years. She previously served on the board a few years ago, took a break, and is now back bringing her insight again. Connie works as a Payroll Manager and when she is not working, she and Zachary are looking for exciting things to do and places to go. They like to travel and visit places they have been before but also finding new and exciting places, as well. Finding those hidden gems off the beaten path is usually the goal. Connie also loves to cook but since Zachary is more fond of fast food hamburgers, her masterpieces usually go unappreciated. Connie and Zachary love dogs (and she is constantly reminding Zachary of that since he thinks he wants a cat). Connie and Zachary recently moved and couldn’t be happier in their new location.

Originally from Miami, Florida, Betty moved to Alabama with her husband in 2005 and never looked back. After many years of infertility issues, they welcomed their amazing daughter Luna Skye in 2021, right in the middle of the pandemic. Luna is the reason that Betty decided to serve on the board, and she is eager to do everything in her power to support the Down Syndrome community.
Betty has been an Export Sales Coordinator for Great Southern Wood Preserving since 2011. She is computer savvy and brings many years of administrative and clerical experience to her role as Secretary, as well as a passion to serve. Additionally, Betty is fluent in Spanish and is excited to bring support to the Hispanic community in this area.
Betty resides in Grand Bay, AL with her mom (Luna’s lala), husband Joe, daughter Luna and 2 dogs (Cricket & Lena). She absolutely loves being a mom and enjoys family outings on the weekends.

Robin has a daughter with Down Syndrome that is 33 years old. She has been involved with the Down’s Syndrome group in Mobile since 1991 when her daughter was born. Robin graduated from the University of South Alabama with a degree in accounting, retired from the University of South Alabama in 2019 and is currently working part-time as an Accountant at Altapointe Health Systems.

Robin and her family enjoy camping and boating. They are also car enthusiasts and enjoy going on the Hot Rod Power Tour every year.

Jackie is the mother of Jakayla Penn, who is 26 years old and a member of the Icebreakers Club. Jackie is a retired nurse and personal uber driver for Jakayla. She has been a board member for over 8 years and volunteers wherever she is needed.

Mary is mom to 11 children, the youngest of whom is Serah, 26. They moved to the Gulf Coast three years ago. Mary and her husband, Mike, are licensed professional counselors. Along with Serah, Mary and Mike established Serah’s Rainbow, an art gallery for artists with special needs, in 2023. Mary loves hospitality, art, writing, and traveling when she is not working as a counselor or at the gallery.

Juliette Copeland Moore (known as Julie to her family and friends) is a retired Special Education Teacher. Julie is a proud graduate of the University of South Alabama. She is a mother of 5 and a Gigi to 4. Julie also has two fur babies, Auzora and Peppa. She currently lives with her sister, Michelle, who led her to the CADSS organization.

Julie's sister, Michelle, is a young adult ("grown") with Down Syndrome. She is a member of the Icebreakers Club, SNAP Bowling and Dance Without Limits. Julie has been involved with Special Olympics and individuals with Down Syndrome since childhood.

This led Julie into her chosen profession and she is very excited to be with a group of like minded individuals who recognize the individual first. She looks forward to working with CADSS to open doors for our young people.

Keri Harmeier was born in Memphis Tennessee and has been involved with the special needs community for 14 + years, currently serving both Baldwin and Mobile counties. She worked at the Exceptional Foundation GC as Activities Coordinator and has coached Special Olympics rhythmic gymnastics, basketball, baseball & cheer. Keri currently teaches dance classes and is the team lead for Baldwin County Dance Without Limits, is founder of a program called Club 251, is on the committee for Hope on a Boat and is the lead contact for Night to Shine (Daphne)...which was the very FIRST NTS in the state of Alabama - 10 years ago! She has also served on the DWL board from 2023 to 2024. Keri is passionate about enriching the lives of those with down syndrome and creating programs to help foster lifelong friendships within the special needs community.