Our Board of Directors
Janine Birmingham
PRESIDENT
Janine brings three decades of heart-led autism advocacy and community leadership to Raising Harts. Her dedication began in 1996 following her son’s autism diagnosis, a personal journey that inspired a lifelong commitment to helping other families navigate their own paths in an encouraging, compassionate, and empowering manner. Guided by this mission, Janine helped start a grassroots autism nonprofit in the early 2000s. She went on to spend 16 years nurturing growth in students within Quincy's intensive special needs classrooms, while partnering closely with families at home to offer the behavioral and educational support they needed to learn and grow together.
In 2016, she was recruited to join The Arc as the visionary behind its Autism Resource Center, where she created, established, and directed the impactful program. In 2025, Janine joined the Raising Harts board as a Director before transitioning into her current role as Board President. Today, she brings a warm, collaborative, and service-driven perspective to guiding the organization during a pivotal time of evolution and growth. Janine holds a B.A. in Psychology, is a Certified Yoga Therapist, and lives in Norwell with her son, Patrick, who continues to be the inspiration behind her work.
Taylor Patti
VICE PRESIDENT
Taylor is a Certified Public Accountant and has spent the majority of her career working for a global professional services firm. While she started her career in accounting, she has spent the last ten years in HR leadership roles. Outside of work, Taylor enjoys spending time with family and friends, running, cooking, reading, and her newest hobby, mahjong. Taylor lives in Cohasset with her family.
Chris Egan, CFA
TREASURER
Chris holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance. He has worked in banking and financial services since 2010, and since 2014 has served as an investment analyst at Rockland Trust and, most recently, Brighthouse Financial. His connection to Raising Harts is deeply personal — his oldest son Brayden is autistic, inspiring his passion for supporting and empowering neurodiverse families. Chris lives in Abington with his wife, Lindsey, and their four children — three boys and one girl.
Michael Luciani
DIRECTOR
Michael has over 30 years of experience in higher education and student development, with a focus on creating inclusive communities for neurodiverse students and their families. As Vice President for Student Affairs at Landmark College in Vermont, he leads initiatives that foster belonging, growth, and advocacy, aligning with the College’s mission to transform the way neurodivergent students experience learning, educators approach teaching, and society views education and neurodiversity. Michael lives in Keene, NH, with his wife Lisa. They have two sons, Gabe and Daniel, and their therapy dog, Gunnar, a frequent presence on Landmark’s campus.
Ian Asaff
DIRECTOR
Ian is a software engineer and technology executive. His 20ish years of experience have taken him across industries — B2B, B2C, healthcare, and more — and across companies of all sizes, from tiny startups to big public tech companies (Paypal, Salesforce). He’s repeatedly served as an advisor to entrepreneurs and loves helping organizations grow via technology. He holds a MS in Computer Science from Tufts. Ian lives in Scituate with his wife, Adrien, and their two children.
Brian Burns
DIRECTOR
Brian brings deep experience in risk management, compliance, and organizational stewardship to the Raising Harts Board of Directors. With more than two decades of leadership in higher education, including senior roles at Babson College, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and Northeastern University, Brian has led enterprise risk programs, overseen insurance and claims strategies, supported governance and audit functions, and guided organizations through complex operational and crisis-related challenges. A licensed Massachusetts attorney, he approaches his work with care, thoughtfulness, and a strong commitment to protecting people and mission. Brian is the proud father of three grown children and lives in Milton with his wife and their dog, Presley. Off the clock, Brian can usually be found at the local hockey rink, skates on, chasing the puck like it’s a full-time job.
Katherine Trier, MD
DIRECTOR
Katherine is a General Pediatrician and Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician who has been privileged to work with and support children and their families on the south shore for the past 10 years. When her son, Dylan, was diagnosed with autism, Katherine was able to draw on her training, as well as the experiences and wisdom of her patients, in order to become a better mother and advocate for his needs. Outside of work, you can find Katherine cheering on her children during baseball, soccer, Irish dance, Gaelic football and tae-kwon-do events. Katherine lives in Milton with her husband, Henry, four energetic children, and a very lazy cat.
