Parent special needs children, Ignition Academy, Independent Business Owner
Brian is the parent of special needs children, an Executive Coach at Ignition Academy Coaching and entrepreneur. Having personally experienced the challenges that families face, Brian brings his passion and commitment to supporting other families to get the services and help they need. Brian was honored to be invited to help co-found this amazing organization and be part of such a compassionate mission as he knows first-hand the impact that support like the kind Elevations provides can have on the entire family. He is committed to increasing the mission capacity of Elevations so that every child with special needs receives the resources they need. Originally from Winnipeg, Canada, Brian lives in Spokane, is married to his beautiful wife Dotti, father of twins, love’s serving his community and other people in the most powerful way possible, enjoys family time, watersports, travel, fishing, and playing the drums with local bands.
Milestones Pediatric Therapy, Owner and Speech Therapist
Chanda joined the Elevations board in 2016 to help families struggling financially with outrageously high insurance deductibles, multiple co-pays, and lack of insurance coverage. As the owner of Milestones Pediatric Therapy, she has had many heart-wrenching conversations with parents and worked with families to find solutions, but there is a limit to what any one clinic can do. Chanda is committed to the success of Elevations so that families can get the support they need without resorting to drastic measures. One family considered divorcing so that the mom could apply for state assistance. Chanda has three adopted children who bravely face many lifelong challenges. They remind her every day what it means to be resilient, kind, and loving. Chanda is originally from Plentywood, Montana and enjoys almost anything outdoors.
Owner, Brio Tiny Homes
Rob is a Spokane native for 32 years spending most of his upbringing in the Spokane Valley and received his business degree from Eastern Washington University. Robert’s passion for giving back to the youth of the Spokane community started with his time with the Big Brother and Big Sisters Program. He has spent years as a mentor for underprivileged children in the foster care system. In doing so, he became aware of the mission of Elevations and found a mutual passion to support children in reaching their full potential. In his spare time, you can find Rob spending time with his family or enjoying the great outdoors!
Speech Therapist, Center for Pediatric Therapy
Lora joined the Elevations board in 2016. She has been working with families of children with special needs or developmental delays for more than 25 years and appreciates how a challenge given to a child affects the whole family. She believes families deserve emotional and financial support. As a therapist, she sees how therapy, knowledge, support, and equipment for good home programs make a difference in children’s lives and the way a family can function. She also sees firsthand how the medical and educational systems do not provide enough support and she feels a need to do something more to help families in need. Born in California, Lora has lived in the Northwest for most of her life. Lora has a large family and is inspired by her children and enjoys Gonzaga basketball.
Physical Therapist, Youthful Horizons Therapy
David Owan is a Physical Therapist at Youthful Horizons Therapy and the founding member of Elevations. In his practice, David worked with many families to be sure their child received the services they needed. The need far outpaced his ability to reach all of the children needing services. Working with other clinic owners, David recognized that many clinics were facing the same challenges. Elevations was created to assist families by helping to relieve the financial stress for families of special needs children in Spokane County, regardless of diagnosis, to get the therapy and equipment needed to reach their full potential.
Parent of special needs children, Thrivent Financial
Brad is a parent of children with special needs and has experienced first-hand the trials and tribulations that families can often face. Brad brings his experience, compassion and commitment to supporting families that are going through similar experiences. While he knows that the support of friends and family go a long way, he also recognizes that families/children often need additional resources. Brad is honored to be on the board of Elevations and help in bringing these resources to the families in need. Brad is a Financial Representative with Thrivent Financial and loves spend time with his family and being in the outdoors.
Principal, Selkirk Middle School
Bio coming soon
HFG Certified Financial Planner™
After earning his degree in biology from the University of Washington—with minors in Chemistry and American Indian Studies—Brent Schafer, CFP® joined HFG in 2018. He now works as a Financial Advisor, supporting his clients through comprehensive financial planning, portfolio strategy, and tax planning.
In 2025, Brent relocated to Spokane to join his wife, Joslyn, as she launched her career as a Physician Assistant. Outside the office, you’ll likely find him on the golf course in the summer, snowboarding in the winter, or out on the water reconnecting with his rowing days as a member of the University of Washington crew team.
Brent joined the Elevations board because the mission is personal to him. His brother and his uncle both live with disabilities, and he has seen firsthand how critical access to therapy and supportive services can be for their quality of life.
Mechanical Sales Engineer, Johnson Barrow Inland
Blake grew up in Liberty Lake and graduated with a Mechanical Engineering Degree from Eastern Washington University. In 2019, Blake moved back to the Spokane area to start Johnson Barrow Inland, which specializes in design and sales of commercial HVAC equipment.
Blake’s wife Sara is a BCBA in Spokane, which drives their passion for helping children in our local community with disabilities and families with financial challenges. Outside of Elevations, you can find Blake with his kids skiing in the winter and in the summer, he enjoys mountain biking, then cooling off at on one of the many beautiful lakes in the great Pacific North West.
Katrina joins us after working in education for 20 years. During her tenure in education, she encountered too many students falling through the cracks because they couldn’t get the therapies they needed to succeed in school. She is passionate about Elevation’s mission to help children with special needs thrive. In her spare time, Katrina enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, and exploring all the great local restaurants in Spokane.
Rae-Lynn is a lifelong Eastern Washington resident; she holds a master’s in public administration and has dedicated her career to serving in both government and nonprofit sectors. Her passion for advocacy stems from her own journey as a mother to a child with a disability, inspiring her commitment to supporting individuals with special needs. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, camping, and getting lost in a good book around the campfire.
Michelle is a lifelong Spokanite and a graduate of Eastern Washington University with a degree in Business Management. With a strong passion for networking and event planning, she enjoys building connections and meeting new people. Michelle joined Elevations to serve and support others, and she is deeply committed to the organization’s mission and the children it helps. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, camping, and spending time with her family—including three former foreign exchange students she hosted over a decade ago, who remain an important part of her life.
