Diane Mulligan, Chairman

Diane Mulligan is the Chairman of the board of CHART (Children’s Help and Assistance for Residential Treatment). As a mother of two adopted special needs children, Mulligan has worked as an advocate for children for the past 15 years.

Photograph of Diane MulliganDiane Adopts Two Children

Mulligan first learned about the plight of adopted children while serving on the board of The Adoption Exchange, an organization that works to place foster children into forever families. While on the board Mulligan adopted a nine month old little boy, nine years later she then adopted at six year old little girl from the foster care system.

A short time later, both children exhibited serious emotional and psychiatric issues. It is because of her experience with the foster care, psychiatric and residential treatment systems, which she realized there was no one place for families to receive unbiased information they so desperately needed. She also learned that many families disrupt or dissolve their adoption when faced with the terrific emotional and financial challenges surrounding the care of a mentally ill or emotionally disturbed child. That is why she and her mother, Mary Ann Mulligan founded CHART.

Mulligan has spoken both nationally and locally educating audiences about issues surrounding mentally ill adopted children. Mulligan help to produce an Emmy award winning television program on PBS on the topic. She has also written public service announcements voiced by Hillary Clinton and produced a number of videos and articles on the topic.

Mulligan is president of Mulligan&Co. LLC a public relations firm that specializes in representing inspirational people and products that will increase the quality of our lives. She was Vice President of National Communications for National Stroke Association and publisher/editor-in-chief  of the nationally award winning Stroke Smart magazine. She also served as special consultant on the recent NBC Health Special, Brain Attack: A Stroke Survival Guide.

Mulligan has developed Rap Cool Health, a K-12 school program designed to educate the nation’s youth about diabetes, obesity, heart attack and stroke prevention and recognition.

Mulligan also spent 15 years as a television journalist, including news director in Denver, Colorado, where her coverage of the Columbine high school shootings was nationally recognized. She was senior news editor for NBC News in New York City where she covered numerous breaking stories including the TWA 800 crash, the Heaven’s Gate Cult, Princess Diana’s and Mother Theresa’s deaths, and the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta. She has also worked in Phoenix, Las Vegas and Tucson in numerous positions including producer and reporter. Mulligan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and television from the University of Arizona.