Our Mission
Every Mind in Flight exists to make air travel more accessible for people with sensory, cognitive, developmental, and invisible disabilities. Through advocacy, education, traveler support, research, and collaboration with the aviation and disability communities, we work to reduce barriers, increase predictability, and help more people experience the freedom to travel.
Read the family story that inspired Every Mind in Flight →
Meet Our Founding Board
Every Mind in Flight is being built by people who bring different experiences, skills and perspectives to the same mission: making air travel more accessible for people with sensory, cognitive, developmental and invisible disabilities.
Cheryl Tocci — Founder & Director
Cheryl Tocci is the founder of Every Mind in Flight and mom to Vinny, whose experience attempting to fly in September 2026 inspired the initiative. Cheryl is also an entrepreneur with extensive experience in business operations, bookkeeping and financial leadership. She brings a family advocacy perspective, organizational leadership and a belief that accessibility solutions should be shaped by the people who actually experience the barriers.
SarahMarie Cole — Founding Director
SarahMarie Cole is a serial entrepreneur and founder of SMaCk Marketing Collective and Sleet Pops, with more than 25 years of experience designing experiences around what people truly need and then making them happen. She brings entrepreneurship, marketing, community connections and creative problem-solving to Every Mind in Flight.
April Johnson-Spence — Founding Director
April Johnson-Spence brings experience in nonprofit operations, entrepreneurship and social media marketing, with a focus on building efficient systems that support mission-driven organizations. She brings organizational insight, nonprofit experience, grant-writing knowledge and a strong commitment to accessibility.
Durjan “Dee” Aponte — Founding Director
Dee Aponte brings experience in bookkeeping, business operations, networking and community outreach. She also brings a personal family perspective through supporting her younger brother with a disability and understands the additional planning, advocacy and support that can be required for individuals with disabilities and their families.
Jodie Lehmann, BCBA — Founding Director
Jodie Lehmann brings extensive experience supporting individuals with autism, disabilities and sensory needs. She holds a master’s degree in education and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), currently serving as a Behavioral Educational Team Supervisor at the Evergreen Center.
Stephanie DeFelice — Director
Stephanie brings 30 years of experience in education, including 27 years as a special education teacher with the New York City Department of Education. She has taught in integrated co-teaching and self-contained classrooms and currently serves in special education liaison, intervention, and support roles at P.S. 79Q Francis Lewis School in Whitestone, Queens. Her extensive experience supporting students with disabilities brings a valuable perspective to Every Mind in Flight’s sensory accessibility mission.
Building the Organization
Every Mind in Flight, Inc. is now a New Hampshire nonprofit corporation dedicated to improving access to air travel for people with sensory, cognitive, developmental and other disabilities. Our founding Board of Directors is establishing the organization’s governance, programs and long-term strategy while we pursue federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.