Meet the team
Lauren Wondsel
Founder & President, Board of Directors
Lauren Wondsel is the Founder and President of Emmy Lights the Way. During the day, she serves as the Global Head of Talent Acquisition for a tech start up, However, her most important and fulfilling role is being a mother to three incredible children, including her daughter Emerson, whose journey with Cerebral Palsy has shaped the heart and purpose behind this organization.
The idea for Emmy Lights the Way was planted long before Emerson’s official diagnosis- sparked by Lauren’s awareness that the world isn’t built for everyone and strengthened by witnessing the extraordinary effort and cost it takes to access adaptive equipment that allows children like Emmy to truly thrive.
What began as grief for the life she once pictured has evolved into purpose- to make the road a little less rocky for the next family. Today, that purpose fuels a mission to advocate fiercely, build community, and light the way toward a more accessible and inclusive future for all.
Jaclyn SchianodiCola
Treasurer, Board of Directors
Lauren Wondsel is the Founder and President of Emmy Lights the Way and the Global Head of Talent Acquisition for a tech start-up. Her most meaningful role, however, is being a mother to three children, including her daughter Emerson, whose journey with Cerebral Palsy inspired this organization.
The idea for Emmy Lights the Way began before Emerson’s diagnosis, sparked by Lauren’s awareness that the world isn’t built for everyone and reinforced by seeing how difficult and costly it is to access the adaptive equipment children like Emmy need.
What started as grief for the life she once imagined has grown into a mission: to ease the path for other families by advocating, building community, and lighting the way toward a more accessible, inclusive future.
Karen Russo
Secretary, Board of Directors
Karen Russo is a pediatric physical therapist with nearly 35 years of experience and a mother of two young adults she’s incredibly proud of. Throughout her career, she has worked with hundreds of children with special needs and has seen how challenging it can be for families to access the adaptive equipment and services their children need.
ELW is an initiative that deeply inspires her. She understands how often insurance falls short and how costly specialized items—like strollers, bathing equipment, and adaptive bikes—can be. Karen is passionate about supporting these children and their families, ensuring every child has what they need to reach their full potential.