Our Board
The people who help My Special World® empower others and keep Smiles Win™ true every day.
Brandon Riggs
Executive Director
Brandon Riggs is the founder and Executive Director of My Special World®, and a disability empowerment advocate who has spent his life showing what people with special needs can do when someone gives them the stage. He has been an athlete and a performer for as long as he can remember. He ran track through junior high and high school on a private team, spent seven years competing in talent shows as a dancer, and has a moonwalk that people who have seen it will tell you is the best in the world. At Desert Vista High School in Phoenix he was elected Student Council Juniors Spirit Director and then School Student Body Spirit Director, leading an entire school in showing up loud for one another. That love of performing has taken him to America's Got Talent events, and his advocacy has taken him to Washington, D.C., where he has met with the Department of Education and other dignitaries to make the case for including special needs kids and adults in every part of school and community life. He speaks publicly wherever he is invited, and he dances live on TikTok for thousands of people who tune in for the pure joy of it. Brandon is a passionate champion of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), helping students and parents understand their rights so children with special needs can take part in mainstream education as fully as possible. He believes every child, regardless of ability, should be able to learn, grow, and showcase their unique talents. He created My Special World® to build the nights he always wanted to see: red carpets, limousine arrivals, music, dancing, and a room full of people treated like the stars they are. Embrace Your Power™. Smiles Win™.
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Ryan Riggs
President
Ryan works in technology and is a graduate of Arizona State University. He has been part of the special needs community his entire life as Brandon's brother, and that experience shapes how he serves as President of the board. He brings a builder's mindset to helping My Special World® grow.
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Jonathan Diaz
Vice-President
Jonathan is a successful entrepreneur who has founded multiple multimillion dollar businesses. He and his wife hold a special place in their hearts for children with special needs and the families who love them, which is what drew them to this mission. As Vice-President he brings the practical instincts of a business builder to the work of creating unforgettable nights.
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Justin Woitas
Treasurer
Justin graduated from college with a degree in graphic design and started his own business in 1999, a company he still runs today. Years as a successful entrepreneur make him a natural fit as Treasurer, where he helps make sure every dollar goes as far as it can. A devoted family man with a large family he stays closely connected to, Justin has always been passionate about helping children.
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Jodi Woitas
Secretary
Jodi also graduated with a degree in graphic design and shares her family's commitment to children. She volunteers at a local school and is passionate about the issues facing students and the people who teach them. As Secretary she keeps My Special World® organized and moving, and she brings a school volunteer's firsthand understanding of what inclusion really looks like.
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