Molly Cleary Merrill is the mother of three children, two of whom have Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA. Also known as Sanfilippo Syndrome, this degenerative metabolic disease is terminal and to date has no known treatment or cure. It is often referred to as “Childhood Alzheimer’s” due to the dementia it causes. Ms. Merrill’s affected children receive special education, early intervention, and deaf/blind services—one through an Individualized Education Program and one through an Individualized Family Service Plan. She has worked in various capacities for the State of Delaware since 2005 and is currently a Social Service Senior Administrator for the Department of Health and Social Services, where she manages a data unit. Ms. Merrill’s advocacy for children with disabilities began by being appointed to the Interagency Coordinating Council for the Birth-to-Three Program, where she chairs the Outreach Committee and sits on the Executive and By-laws Committees. She is the Executive Vice President of the Save Mickey Association, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to funding research on Sanfilippo Syndrome. Ms. Merrill earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioral Science from Drew University and a Master of Jurisprudence degree in Health Law from Widener University. She also is certified in Health Care Compliance. She resides in Newark, where she owns and manages a restaurant with her husband. Ms. Merrill was appointed to the GACEC in 2021 and is the Vice-Chairperson of the Data-Informed Organizational Development Workgroup and a member of the Infant and Early Childhood Committee. She serves on the GACEC in the role of parent of children with a disability.

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