About Us
Our Beginnings
The La Crosse Autism Foundation was founded in late 2010/early 2011 by a group of parents who had children with autism. They decided that La Crosse needed more resources in the community for parents, children, youth and adults and formed the La Crosse Autism Foundation!
“Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
Meet the Board
Chris Schuster
President
Chris Schuster is one of the founding board members of the La Crosse Area Autism Foundation. He became involved in the foundation after his twin boys were diagnosed with autism. A group of parents of children with autism decided that we needed more resources in the community for parents, children, youth and adults. He also work in University Police Services at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse as a detective and the Air National Guard. His three boys and daughter keep him busy with hockey games and sporting events but he enjoys the chaos with his loving and supportive wife, Kara.
Emily Fellenz
Board Member
Emily is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and currently works for La Crosse County in the Children with Special Needs section. Emily developed a passion for inclusion of individuals on the spectrum while completing her undergraduate degree at UW-Madison, and has continued to pursue that passion over the past 10 years. Emily believes that the La Crosse community has so much to offer for families, and it is an important task to help them access what is available. Emily and her husband also have two young children.
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Melissa Vanoskey
Board Member
Melissa is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who works in a community-based setting, supporting children with diverse needs. She brings over six years of experience partnering with children on the Autism spectrum and their families. Her commitment to inclusion has grown steadily throughout her career and continues to guide her work. Melissa is especially passionate about building strong collaborations with families, educators, and local organizations to promote education, awareness, and practical tools that foster a more inclusive community. When she’s not working, you can usually find her hanging out with her golden retriever, Hazel—who tends to run the show in her free time!
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Lizzi Waldner
Board Member
Lizzi is currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, pursuing a degree in Elementary/Middle and Special Education. She also works as a behavior technician, supporting children with diverse needs in both home and community settings. Lizzi is deeply committed to fostering inclusive environments where every student feels seen, valued, and supported. She believes that true inclusion goes beyond access—it means building classroom communities where differences are celebrated and all learners have the tools they need to thrive.​
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"The La Crosse Autism Foundation is an exceptional organization and has been gracious in assisting our family. Our son, at the time of his diagnosis was non-communitive which was very frustrating for him, as well as us as parents. The La Crosse Autism Foundation kindly donated the funds to purchase an application on an electronic device to assist him with communicating through the use of pictures, these specific applications are very expensive. Our son immediately used the application and it promoted his language development significantly. He is now 8 years old and fully verbal. This gift not only relieved distress as parents but most importantly gave our son his voice. We are forever thankful to the La Crosse Autism Foundation and all they do for the community."
~ Amber and Nate Davis