New DSAF Executive Director Jamie Bertucci Focuses on Bringing Communities Together
The Down Syndrome Association for Families of Nebraska (DSAF, dsafnebraska.org) recently hired Jamie Bertucci as its first-ever Executive Director, and she’s excited to focus on bringing communities together to offer support and events that friends, children, and loved ones with Down syndrome require. The position is more than a job for Jamie; it’s a personal journey. Two years after moving to Nebraska from the South, she welcomed her first-born son, Nicholas. Now 9 years old, he has taught her so much already.
“He is a specially-abled, chromosomally enhanced little boy, whose birth changed the way my family would forever see the world and the people in it,” Jamie said. “Currently, I am raising three hyperactive, slightly destructive, excessively noisy, and eternally busy little boys. I am beyond excited to continue in my journey serving the Down syndrome community as the Executive Director of the Down Syndrome Association for Families of Nebraska.”
If the needs of children and adults were not apparent before, they most certainly have been exposed during the COVID pandemic. During the struggles of the pandemic, most families who care for someone with Down syndrome have felt the impact of school and work closings more than the average family. In her new role, Jamie hopes to be the bridge for families to receive the support, assistance, and information they need, and she is excited to get to know and be a resource for families, children, and loved ones who deal with Down syndrome.
For more information about the Down Syndrome Association for Families of Nebraska, visit dsafnebraska.org, call (402) 421-1338, or email info@dsafnebraska.org.