Dawn Zibricky - Founder
Dawn Zibricky, RN, MS, CSN, is a Registered Nurse, Certified School Nurse and Disability Consultant for Provider Group, Ltd., in Chicago (Frankfort, Ill.) She is a former professor of nursing at Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill. and was a staff nurse at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, specializing in the care of persons with brain and spinal cord trauma.
Dawn is the conceptual architect of Provide Care for Life, a visionary planning program for families that she developed with her husband, Gregory Zibricky and benefit specialist Michael Frantz.
Provide Care for Life addresses the need for future planning for families of children with disabilities and complex medical needs. Drawing upon her experience as a nurse, educator, consultant and mother, Dawn recognized that many families, consumed by the day-to-day demands of caring for a child with special needs, overlooked the critical necessity of providing resources to secure the child’s lifetime care and well being and to facilitate the realization of the child’s hopes and reams. Provide Care for Life is a distinctive blend of humane concerns in combination with highly practical farsighted planning that delivers peace of mind along with expert analysis and advice.
Dawn has a national reputation for her expertise with children and families and is a popular speaker and consultant. She has committed her professional life to realizing the dreams of special needs children and families. She lives in New Lenox, Ill. with her husband and two sons, Aaron and Benjamin. Her work is inspired by her son, Aaron, who has autism.Greg Zibricky - CEO
Gregory Zibricky, CFP, ChFC, CLU, CASL is the founder and president of Provider Group, LTD., in Chicago (Frankfort, IL), an independent professional services company that focuses on business owners, professionals and families of children with special needs.
Zibricky has a degree in business administration from Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill. He has been a financial industry professional for the past 20 years, with particular expertise in tax and investment strategies, estate conservation and insurance analysis. He is a Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Advisor for Senior Living.
Zibricky is a member of the Board of Directors for the Financial Planning Association of Oak Brook, Ill.
With his wife, Dawn Zibricky and benefit specialist Michael Frantz, Greg helped launch Provider Group’s sister company - Provide Care for Life which helps families map out a lifetime plan for a vulnerable loved one. Provide Care for Life considers the challenges of each life stage and organizes relevant information, history and documents into a comprehensive online journal for caregivers and professionals.
As the parent of a child with autism, Greg brings exceptional awareness and sensitivity to his work. He and Dawn conduct workshops across the country for financial industry professionals, health care professionals, attorneys, educators and families. He and his wife live in New Lenox, Ill. with their sons, Aaron and Benjamin.
Michael E. Frantz, BPAO - Regional Advocate
Michael E. Frantz, Special Needs Consultant, Benefits Specialist, has dedicated himself to providing professional, strategic, planning, advice and quality service to individuals with disabilities and their families. He has built a solid client base and expanded business through referrals from satisfied clients, financial professionals, local and national advocate groups and organizations determined to improve the quality of life for individuals experiencing a disability. His advice focuses on public benefits and entitlement qualification/continuance strategies, employment solutions, IEP preparation and general guidance. Michael demonstrates an understanding of the needs of individuals with disabilities as well as the concerns their loved ones have for the protection and advocacy of the individual and their rights. He has extensive experience with government benefits and how to apply the governing rules. His objective is to help families understand the benefits of Special Needs Planning and to offer support while they work through the process.
Michael graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Grand Valley State University in 1993 where he met his wife Sandra. They have two daughters, Aarika and Linnea, and the family resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Michael’s oldest daughter, Aarika, was born with Down syndrome.
Michael is active in many organizations that reach out to individuals with disabilities and their families. He serves as president of the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan; on the board of Guardianship Alternative Resources for Parents of Allied Counties (GARPAC); as a Parent Advisor for Special Education (PASE) representative for the Kentwood Public Schools. Michael was one of the first in the nation to go through a training program authorized by the Social Security Administration in order to become a Benefits Specialist. In Michael’s spare time he enjoys studying the program eligibility rules for SSI and Medicaid, music, public speaking and writing articles on disability related topics.
Michael’s favorite quote: “We are not all designed to be straight “A” students, celebrities, world-class athletes or CEOs of a major corporation. But we are all designed to make the most of the skills and abilities we do possess. Perhaps the most splendid achievement of all is the continuing quest to surpass ourselves,” said Denis Waitley.
Nancy Brown
Nancy Brown is the president of Pathfinders. She has had a life time of experience working with people with disabilities. Her social work background combined with her creativity empowers her to help people with disabilities flourish and thrive in our society. When she had her daughter Bridget in 1986 her life took a new focus and she became Bridget's advocate. Bridget was the first person with a disability included in her school district. Bridget just graduated from a fully inclusive education and has her own consulting organization. Nancy is a Project Choices inclusion consultant for the Illinois State Board of Education. She specializes in adapting curriculum, person centered planning, building caring communities, and statewide advocacy.
Cindi Swanson
Cindi Swanson is the Vice President of Pathfinders. She started out her career as an accomplished broadcast news journalist and now is a statewide advocate for people with disabilities. Cindi works as an Information Referral Specialist for the ARC of Illinois. She is also the special Needs coordinator for Holy Spirit Church in Naperville. She is a trained facilitator of the MAPs process and other person centered planning tools. Cindi’s son, Adam, has Down Syndrome. Cindi has a Ph.D. in Adam and he has taught her that all persons with disabilities deserve dignity and respect. Cindi dreams of a fully inclusive world where people of all abilities can have full and productive lives.