Board of Directors

Lirio Sobrevinas Covey, Phd – President and Executive Director
Dr. Covey is a  mother of an adult male with autism. She is a New York State licensed psychologist, and a full Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, and a Research Scientist for the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She initiated the planned residential project in the Philippines and will build on her and her son’s experience in the group home system in New York. She has been serving on the AAAP Board since 2010.  Read more on Lirio.

Sonia Casano – Director
She has been serving on the AAAP Board since 2011.

Catherine Cham – Director
She has been serving on the AAAP Board since 2011.

Christine Siruelo – Director
She has been serving on the AAAP Board since 2011.

Advisers

Olivia Altarejos – Adviser
Maria Olivia “Kim” Altarejos is a mother of a male with autism. She was one of the founding members of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), one of the pioneer organizations that established a school for children with autism in the Philippines . She founded and managed the Foundation for the Development of Early and Special Education in the Philippines, which provided training and support for teachers and professionals in the field of special education as well as counseling for families of individuals with special needs. She currently works as a Residential Habilitation Counselor for AHRC (American Association for the Help of Retarded Children) under the New York Office for Person’s with Developmental Disabilities and has just joined the Cerebral Palsy Association of the State of New York as a volunteer manager for one of their residential programs in Manhattan, New York.

Ramon Barameda – Adviser
Mr. Barameda, father of a young male with autism, was a co-founder and currently active organizer and parent for Plus Group Homes, an association that established and maintains group homes for developmentally handicapped adults in Long Island, New York. For several years he has worked as clinical researcher for the New York Node of the Clinical Trial Network (CTN) of the National Institute of Drug Abuse at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, delivering motivational interview treatment to patients with substance abuse and dependence problems.

Jose Feliciano – Adviser
Mr. Feliciano has worked for 20 years in residential programs for developmentally disabled individuals in Suffolk County in Long island, New York and other health-related professions. In recent years, his work has focused on persons with developmental disabilities, developing and implementing programs that will assist them in their self-determination as they pursue their place in society. He has provided, and will continue to provide advice to the Board of Directors of AAAP in the development of educational, work, and clinical programs of AAAP. Mr. Feliciano graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Ateneo de Manila University, and has completed M.A. degrees in Philosophy and in Social work.

Atty. Rogel Atiena – Legal Counsel