The Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GDSF) in Denver Colorado, Michelle Sie Whitten is an American of Chinese and Italian descent. The non-profit Global Down Syndrome Foundations's mission is to fund the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, (LCI) the first U.S. research center committed solely to research and medical care for people with Down syndrome.
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation also lobbies for increased funding and advocates for increased help for people with Down syndrome. Procuring a fair share of Federal Government support for research, medical care, and improved educational standards for people with Down syndrome is also a goal of the Foundation.