DIFFERENT BRAINS INC.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

Our Mission Statement Different Brains ® is a 501C3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the understanding and acceptance of the basic variations in the human brain known as neurodiversity; ending the stigma attached to the related diagnoses and treatment; uniting silos of resources and research whose goals could be better achieved through collaboration; offering support to families and caregivers; and improving the lives and maximizing the potential of those whose brains may be different. Kimberley Spire-Oh is an attorney in private practice. Ms. Spire-Oh received a J.D. from Hofstra School of Law and a B.S. in Industrial & Labor Relations from Cornell University. Her practice focuses on special education law and advocacy and disability law representing clients throughout Florida. Prior to starting her law practice, Ms. Spire-Oh was legal editor for LRP Publications’ reporters, bulletins and treatises involving disability law. She has also worked as a mediator, as a Congressional caseworker, as donor relations officer for the Harvard School of Public Health, and as a grant writer and consultant for numerous nonprofit organizations. In addition to serving on the board of Different Brains, Ms. Spire-Oh currently serves as co-president of the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) of Florida, co-chair of the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County’s Education Committee, co-chair of the Juvenile Justice Committee and member of the Advocacy Committee for LDA of America; on the Board of Advisors for the Council for Autism and Neurodiversity; and as a member of the Florida State Advisory Committee for the Education of Exceptional Students, the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council’s Partners in Policymaking 2012 Class, the Florida Association of Special Education Attorneys, the Disability Rights Bar Association, as well as the Palm Beach County School District’s Diversity and Equity Committee and Exceptional Student Education Advisory Committee. She received a 2011 Multicultural Leadership Award from the Florida Diversity Council. Ms. Spire-Oh has first-hand knowledge of disabilities as an individual with a seizure and autoimmune disorders and as mother of a twice-exceptional child. Bernard Karcinell has been the CEO of a number of different companies and is a former partner at one of the world’s largest accounting firms. He now serves on the board of a publicly traded company as well as providing tax and finance advice to select clients. At CFI, Dr. Butts is responsible for the overall coordination and supervision of the various components of service delivery provided by her program staff, which encompasses a comprehensive array of clinical and forensic services. The clinical services include the REACH program for court ordered sexual offender treatment, the LIMITS program, mental health treatment for offenders, individual, family, and group therapy as well as sports and performance interventions. Additionally, CFI offers diversion programs with the City of Hallandale and Town of Davie to assist with providing psychoeducational opportunities to divert individuals from further legal involvement. Dr. Butts is the Past President of the Florida Psychological Association (FPA). She has previously served as the President of the Forensic Division of FPA and the Co-Chair of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy Board. Dr. Butts has also served on the Committee on Legal Issues (COLI) for the American Psychological Association. She has received the “What A Woman Award” and has been recognized as a Distinguished Psychologist for her dedication and service to the profession of psychology by the Florida Psychological Association. In 2016, she was recognized as the “Mental Health Professional of the Year” by the Broward County Crime Commission. Through a variety of careers throughout her life, Francie Rose Canter has dedicated herself to helping individuals realize their potential and find their “best selves.” Francie has served on the board of several Non Profit organizations, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Global Healing Foundation, Different Brains Inc, and Visionary Legends of Love Inc., which she also founded. She is an advocate for holistic health and wellness, and has studied under Gary Null, Ph.D. amongst others. Previously she has been a licensed real estate broker and owner, and has produced events for the United Nations and Columbia University. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and Minor Early Childhood Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Francie advocates for a holistic view of every individual’s health and abilities, and it is this inclusive philosophy that brought her to the board of Different Brains Inc. Chief Technology Officer at Solidia Technologies / Former Vice Chairman of the Educational Council at MIT / Former Member of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology (click to learn more) Nicholas DeCristofaro is the Chief Technology Officer at Solidia Technologies, a New Jersey-based company providing sustainable product solutions to the building materials industry. Solidia’s patented processes reduce the cost of cement and concrete products while enabling the carbon footprint of these materials to be reduced by up to 70%. Throughout his career, Nick has focused on the development and commercialization of advanced materials. He came to Solidia from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he directed the Office of Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Property. Prior to joining UMass, Nick held a variety of research and business management roles over a 28-year career that included positions at AlliedSignal, Honeywell International and Hitachi Metals, in the U.S. and abroad. He has 68 U.S. patents and over 30 peer-reviewed publications to his credit. Nick earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in metallurgy, and a doctorate in materials science and engineering, all from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has served as an adjunct professor of materials science at Clemson University, as Vice Chairman of the Educational Council at MIT, on the board of directors for the Pioneer Valley Life Science Institute (MA), on the peer review panel of the Fiber Optic Materials Research Program at Rutgers University, and as a member of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology. A resident of Chatham, NJ, Nick was elected to the Board of Education for the School District of the Chathams, and was a member of the Board of Directors for the Interfaith Council for Homeless Families of Morris County.