Brian Whitmer

Brian Whitmer joined the RSRT board in 2019. Residing in the Salt Lake City area, Brian and his wife, Paula, have four children. Their oldest daughter, Becca, has Rett syndrome.

Brian brings to the RSRT board prodigious experience in technology and business, as well as a passion for changing the lives of all with Rett syndrome. He is the founder of CoughDrop, a cross-platform, team-focused augmentative communication app for individuals with complex communication needs. Brian has a master’s degree in computer science, with an emphasis on human-computer interaction. After successfully creating and launching Canvas by Instructure, an accessible, user-friendly education platform used by over 15 million people, he started CoughDrop in collaboration with over 30 speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and assistive technology coordinators. Brian created CoughDrop to help raise awareness of the potential of modern technology to improve the lives of individuals like his daughter, and uses augmentative and alternative communication as a core part of her communication strategy.