Angie Willey has been an Arc of Lincoln board member for over 3 years. She believes that families who have loved ones of differing abilities often share many of the same challenges and The Arc is there to connect, support, and advocate for all families and all ages. Advocacy is important to Angie because she feels families need information, a sense of connection with other families, and up to date information. When her son Ben was born she was a Business Analyst at a local Insurance company. When Ben was 3 it became difficult to manage his therapies and school, so after 15 years, she gave up her career to be a stay at home mom. She started volunteering with different organizations and felt called to help families like hers to get connected and find resources. In addition to serving on The Arc board, Angie is the vice president of Down Syndrome Advocates in Action Nebraska (DSAA). Her other volunteer activities include ONE Coalition, Elmwood Christian Church, Bit’s and Pieces Thrift Store, and taking team and individual photos for the Elmwood-Murdock Booster Club and Baseball/Softball programs. Recently she became a Master IEP Coach to help families navigate the IEP process, and completed the Disability Rights Nebraska Inclusive Lay Advocacy Project. She is an Advanced Signing Time Instructor and enjoys many different crafts including crochet, jewelry design, t-shirt design, and in the fall can often be found doing craft fairs on the weekends. In her free time, Angie enjoys gardening, and working with her family's new dog, Bolt.