2025 Celebrities

It is with a very heavy heart that we shared the sad news that our dear friend, mentor, supporter and champion, music legend Quincy Jones, passed away. Our hearts ache for his family and his loved ones. Quincy lived an enormous life and gave back to this world with all his heart. How lucky were we as a family and as the Down syndrome community to be on the receiving end of that love?

Quincy is iconic for his unparalleled talent – 28 Grammys and 80 nominations, collaborations with the likes of Frank Sinatra and producing legends such as Michael Jackson. But to my family and to our Down syndrome community he was equally known for his love for Sophia and all our children with Down syndrome who he often spoke about with conviction: “These children aren’t broken, they just need a leg up, the chance to reach their God-given potential.”

Two-time Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner has established himself as one of Hollywood’s most versatile and respected actors. Throughout the 2000s, he appeared largely in independent films, including Dahmer and Neo Ned. Shortly thereafter, he began starring in blockbuster features, earning critical acclaim for his roles in The Hurt Locker (Academy Award nomination for Best Actor) and The Town (Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor).

Kevin Iannucci was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has quickly distinguished himself as one of today’s most sought-after young talents with Down syndrome, with an impressive body of work that has earned him a reputation as a favorite among prestigious directors.

Caterina Scorsone is a Canadian American Actress who has garnered the attention of audiences around the world portraying powerfully complex characters that bring real-world emotion to the screen. Scorsone began acting when she was eight years old on the long running Canadian children’s program, Mr. Dressup.

Best known for playing the reckless, yet compelling “Dr. Amelia Shepherd” on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy (2010-present) and its hit spin-off Private Practice (2010-2013), Scorsone has cemented herself as a beloved staple of immensely successful medical dramas. In 2020, Scorsone guest starred as Dr. Shepherd on multiple episodes of Station 19, a new Grey’s spinoff set in a firehouse.

John C. McGinley’s path to stardom is a story that reads like a classic Hollywood script. While an understudy in New York in the Circle-In-The-Square production of John Patrick Shanley’s Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, he was spotted by director Oliver Stone and soon after was cast in Platoon, the first of a long list of collaborations between Stone and McGinley which includes Wall Street, Talk Radio, Born on the Fourth of July, Nixon, and Any Given Sunday. John C. is an audience favorite for his hilarious portrayal of ‘Dr. Perry Cox’ in the Emmy-nominated medical comedy series, Scrubs, which ran for nine seasons and continues to be a fan favorite!

Amanda Booth is an American supermodel and actress. She has worked on fashion editorials for Italian Vogue, Australian Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle and appeared in advertising campaigns for Lancome, Fiat, Hershey’s, Target, Old Navy, and more. She has been featured on network television shows including Hot in Cleveland, Maron, and Community.

Actress Shelly Hennig continues to build a name for herself in Hollywood as a fan favorite with her varied characters and projects. She can currently be seen as the powerhouse female lead ‘Ava Winters’ in Netflix’s global top ten hit Obliterated, a laugh-out-loud, action-packed dramedy series from the creators of Cobra Kai. Already this year, she has starred in three films: Teen Wolf: The Movie for Paramount +; rom-com The List for Universal All-Access; and indie comedy Gatlopp. Up next, she’ll be seen in two indie thrillers: Cult Killer, opposite Alice Eve and Antonio Banderas, and Fluxx.

Max Carver, a native of San Francisco, initially gained recognition for his role in the popular TV series Desperate Housewives. His career encompasses a range of film and television projects, including appearances in Teen Wolf, The Office, and The Batman. Max continues to be active in the entertainment industry, also exploring his talents as a writer and producer.

Matthew Von der Ahe, from Los Angeles, California, is a classically trained actor who started his training at age 7. Two years later he landed his first part on Yo Gabba Gabba’s episode, the Band. Most recently he can be seen playing Craig in the movie, Champions, directed by Bobby Farrelly. He can also be seen in the movie Secret Lives of Dorks and on the television show, Weeds.

James Day Keith is a multi-sport Special Olympics athlete competing in basketball, track, soccer, skiing and power lifting, from North Andover, Massachusetts. He might be a familiar face if you’ve spent much time on the Haverhill Campus of Northern Essex Community College. In addition to taking classes, he works in the cafe in the Spurk Building. He is attending community college while working part-time and volunteering in the community.

Kim Christiansen grew up in Colorado and graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her first job was as a writer and associate producer for the 6AM news at 9News. She went on to work as a writer for the late newscasts and eventually made the transition to general assignment reporter. Her first anchor position was on the weekend morning news.