ABOUT IIDC
Anne Higley is an outreach specialist with the Center on Community Living and Careers. She has more than 15 years of corporate and non-profit public relations and marketing experience, including internal and external communications and project/publications coordination and management. In addition, Higley worked for more than ten years as a freelance writer and editor and as a publicity volunteer and consultant to several non-profit organizations.
As the mother of an adolescent son with high functioning autism and a young adult daughter with Asperger’s, she also has knowledge of and years of service within local, state, and national organizations that support families learning to live with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Education
- Michigan State University | B.A. in English and English Education | 1980
- Family Support Network and the Arc of Illinois | Graduate of STARS for Success, Advocacy Training and Leadership Program | 2006
Professional Experience
- Legislative Advocacy Committee, Stone Belt Arc, Bloomington, IN | Member | 2011
- East Central Illinois Autism Support Group, Charleston, IL | Coordinator and Founder | 2001-2007
- Special Education Improvement Team, Community Unit School District #1, Charleston, IL | Member | 2005-2006
- Reshaping Coles, Community Improvement Team, Mattoon, IL | Member | 2003
- LifeLinks (formerly Coles County Mental Health), Mattoon, IL | Board Member | 2005-2007
- Advocate Health Care, Oak Brook, IL | Manager, Public Relations | 1990-1997
- Health Advocate Magazine, Advocate Health Care, Oak Brook, IL | Manager | 1990-1997
- American College Health Association, Rockville, MD | Manager, Communication and Publications | 1987-1990
- Saudi Research and Marketing, Inc., Washington, DC | Assistant Editor, Staff Reporter, Creative Copywriter | 1983-1987