Jennifer Hanson
Jennifer is a single mother of two teenage sons – her youngest, Julian, born with an extremely rare genetic condition (RHOBTB2). In 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic stripped away most of our ties to our communities, she turned to podcasts to fill the void. In these conversations, she found comfort and regained a semblance of belonging she felt she’d lost. But what was missing was a podcast that spoke to parents in her situation – from navigating the overwhelming news of the diagnosis, to all the intricacies of raising a child with a rare disability. A lifelong runner with boundless energy, jumping into this new project has both inspired Jen and reminded her of the work needed to build community and provide support for parents facing similar challenges.
Jennifer has a B.S. in Human Relationships with a minor in Youth Studies, and M.S. in Human Development. Beginning her career working with high-risk teens in Minneapolis, she moved to New York City, where she dabbled in media work and was the wellness and fitness manager of the YWCA in midtown Manhattan. She’s been back in Minnesota for nearly 20 years and is the senior field manager for the doctoral psychology department of a major university. In her spare time, she enjoys running with her rescue dog, Willow, cheering on her sons at track meets, and traveling with her amazing squad of girlfriends.
Haley has always been a driven individual, dedicating 17 years to becoming a leader in the design and marketing community. However, the birth of her son Felix in 2017, who was diagnosed in utero with a rare genetic deletion of 46 genes on his 10th chromosome (10Q26.3) reshaped her path dramatically. Transitioning to a stay-at-home mom, Haley navigated the daunting world of medical and disability services, a journey that has profoundly tested her resilience, patience, and ability to absorb endless new medical terms.
Determined to transform her challenges into opportunities, Haley is committed to sharing her hard-earned knowledge. She understands firsthand the overwhelming feeling of being adrift in an ocean of paperwork, complex systems, and frustratingly circular conversations. With a no-nonsense attitude, she focuses on positivity, cutting through the confusion, and taking decisive action.
Haley went back to work late 2023 as the Family Engagement in Research Coordinator at Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, MN. At Gillette, she acts as a liaison between clinicians, scientists and lived experience partners working together on medical research from proposal to dissemination. She works tirelessly to build a community in research and beyond that elevates and celebrates the invaluable insights gained from lived experience with medical complexity and disability.
Recently Haley and her family have begun their advocacy journey by meeting with their local representatives, attending hearings, writing letters and building awareness around proposed policy change for the disability community. Haley and her family were featured in the MPR Changemaker series for Disability Pride Month, Fox 9 news for continued advocacy around inclusive play spaces and is on the Board for Minnesota Play For All. Haley is the recipient of the Paula F Goldberg Champion for Children with Disabilities award from the PACER center and is is a recent graduate of the Partners In Policymaking leadership training class supported by the MN Governor’s Council on Developmental Disability. Haley is dedicated to lifelong learning about how to be the best possible advocate for her son and the disability community. Follow Haley on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.
Tram
Tram has spent over two decades immersed in the dynamic world of merchandising and sourcing for prominent retail giants. Her career took her across the globe, negotiating with factories on various continents, where she found a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and forged lasting relationships worldwide. Amidst her professional endeavors, Tram embraced motherhood later in life, welcoming Sadie into her life.
Their journey took an unexpected turn when Sadie was born with not just a congenital heart defect but a multitude of other medical complexities. The first years of Sadie's life were marked by frequent diagnoses and numerous surgeries, totaling eight by the age of two. Sadie has an abnormal chromosomal anomaly with a balanced translocation of 4 and 6. Tram's resilience and adaptability were tested as she navigated through the challenges of caring for her daughter in what often felt like a perpetual state of survival mode. As Sadie gets older and the fight or flight instinct still occasionally surfaces, she wants to share what she’s learned and strategies to ease the journey for others in similar situations. Tram acknowledges the importance of community and support, realizing that asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a necessity in raising a child with complex needs.
In 2019, Tram partnered with a fellow mom, Sarah, whose child has a disability to champion a significant legislative change. Sarah authored a bill advocating for public buildings to include companion care restrooms equipped with adjustable height adult-size changing tables. Recognizing the profound impact this legislation would have on the disabled community, Tram and Sarah collaborated tirelessly, organizing fellow advocates to testify in support of the bill. The culmination of their hard work and perseverance came in 2023 when the bill was officially passed into law. This landmark achievement marked a significant step forward in creating more inclusive public spaces. Together, Tram and Sarah are co-chapter leaders for the Minnesota Chapter of Changing Spaces Campaign . Tram is just beginning her journey of learning ways to approach advocacy to help the disability community, determined to empower others facing similar challenges.
Danielle is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She graduated with a B.S. in magazine, news, and digital journalism and minors in photography and fashion and beauty communications. She has experience in editorial writing, audio and video editing, photography, social media marketing, PR, and graphic design, thanks to her time at Syracuse University and the wide array of clubs she participated in - from the school's radio station to the fashion design club.
Danielle first discovered her love for podcasts in high school, and since then, it has always been her goal to contribute to one. During her senior year of college, she had the opportunity to research, produce, interview, and script write for the award-winning podcast On The Bandwagon.
Danielle joined Rarely Familiar in the summer of 2025 to gain real-world, hands-on experience in podcast production and to be part of an organization working to bring more visibility to the medically complex community.
Two of Danielle's uncles were born with severe medical complexities. While she never got the opportunity to meet one of them, learning from the other, as well as from her grandparents, about how they were raised and their lived experiences sparked her interest in further understanding the challenges faced by medically complex individuals and the ways we can seek to improve their accessibility.
Through her work with Rarely Familiar, Danielle hopes to continue learning about how we can improve advocacy approaches to help the disability community and empower caretakers, support systems, and community members themselves.
Outside of work, she loves to listen to almost any kind of music, take walks outdoors, surf, read, and do puzzles. Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn or visit her website.