Keynote Panel – Aging and Healthcare for Individuals with I/DD and a Discussion Regarding their LEND Programs
Dr. Lisa Shulman
Dr. Lisa Heidi Shulman M.D. is Professor Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. A Developmental Pediatrician with over 30 years at the institution, Dr. Shulman is the Interim Director of the Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation & Rehabilitation Center (RFK CERC) and the Interim Director of the Division of Developmental Medicine of the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. She also serves as Director of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities grant funded through the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and Autism CARES.
Dr. Shulman currently serves on the Autism Sub-committee of the National AAP Council on Children with Disabilities. From 2016-2019 she served as the Centers for Disease Control Act Early Ambassador to New York State.
Dr. Shulman is board-certified in Pediatrics and Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Her clinical and research interests include: early identification of autism, overcoming healthcare disparities in autism diagnosis, and follow up of children with early diagnosis of Autism.
Michelle S. Ballan, PhD
Michelle Ballan is Professor and Associate Dean for Research in the School of Social Welfare, Professor of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine at Renaissance School of Medicine, and Director of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and other related Disabilities (LEND) Center at Stony Brook University.
Her practice, research, and teaching aim to ameliorate societal barriers impacting individuals with disabilities. Dr. Ballan has authored more than 120 peer-reviewed papers and conference presentations and is currently the Principal Investigator on numerous federal and foundation grants from New York City Community Trust (2022-2024), U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (2021-2026), National Science Foundation (2021-2022), Craig H. Neilsen Foundation (2021-2023) and American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (2020-2022). Each targets reducing health disparities and improving quality of life for individuals with disabilities and their families through an interdisciplinary lens. She is the recipient of several awards and distinctions including 2022 National Academies of Practice Fellow, 2020 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2020 Switzer Distinguished Level Research Fellowship from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research.
Dr. Vincent Siasoco
Vincent Siasoco, MD, MBA, is a Board-certified Family Medicine Physician. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Director of Primary Care at the Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center at Montefiore Medical Center.
He is the Medical Director at ADAPT Community Network (formally known as United Cerebral Palsy of New York City). He is a member of the Board of Directors at the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry and at Mercy Home in Brooklyn, NY. He serves as Co-Chair of the NYS OPWDD (Office for People with Developmental Disabilities) Medical Advisory Taskforce and Co-Chair of the Cerebral Palsy State Medical Director’s Council. He is a Special Olympics Clinical Director, Chair of the Special Olympics New York Health Advisory Council, and member of the Special Olympics International Global Medical Advisory Committee.
Christine Barker
Self Advocacy
Safety Skills, Staff Training and Community Inclusion
Dr. Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D.
Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D., is the Executive Director of the EPIC Programs in Paramus, NJ. Dr. Gerhardt has over 40 years of experience utilizing the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis in support of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders in educational, employment, residential and community-based settings. He co-edited “The Handbook of Quality of Life for Individuals with ASD” (Springer, 2022) and authored or co-author a number of articles and book chapters on the needs of adolescents and adults with ASD.
He has presented nationally and internationally on this and related topics. Dr. Gerhardt serves as Co-Chairman of the Scientific Council for the Organization for Autism Research and is on numerous professional advisory boards including the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. He currently serves as adjunct faculty in the Institute for Behavioral Studies at Endicott College. Dr. Gerhardt received his doctorate from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey’s Graduate School of Education.
Dr. Natalie Driscoll
Dr. Natalie Driscoll is currently affiliated with Seven Hills NeuroCare where she provides support to adults with acquired brain injuries and complex mental health presentations in residential settings. She is an adjunct professor at Endicott College and SUNY Empire. She received her PhD in ABA and her M.Ed. in special education and ABA at Endicott College.
She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst (LABA) in Massachusetts. Her expertise includes person centered goal development and safety skill instruction. She has experience with multiple populations and age ranges within the field of behavior analysis. Her research interests include the instruction and assessment of safety skills, risk assessment, and social validity.
Healthy Aging with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Fred Wetzel, RN, PhD, LNC, NCC, CDP, QIDP
Quality Management Consultant
Dr. Wetzel is the former Downstate Director of the New York State OPWDD, Division of Quality Improvement/Bureau of Program Certification. His career with OPWDD spanned 31 years, during which he held positions as Case Manager, Technical Assistant, Surveyor, Regional Director, and Director of Clinical Review.
He chaired the DQI Health Care Committee and the Statewide Committee on Incidents. Fred is a Legal Nurse Consultant, Certified Dementia Practitioner, a National Board Certified Counselor, Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and a Certified Inclusivity Assessor. He volunteers on the Surrogate Decision Making Committee and The Central Mortality Review Committee Fred now provides consulting services to various agencies providing supports and services to individuals with Intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as Attorneys and Advocates.
Estate Planning and Special Needs Trusts
Joe Parisi, CLU®, ChFC®, RHU, LUTCF
Special Care Planner
Financial Representative
CA Insurance License #0D28437
James Burdi, Esq.
James Burdi is a partner in Vishnick McGovern Milizio LLP‘s Wills, Trusts, and Estates and Elder Law Practices, concentrating in Trust and Estate Planning and Administration. He heads the firm’s Special Needs Planning subpractice.
Mr. Burdi advises and assists clients in preparing both simple and complex estate plans, including aspects of tax planning and planning for families with special needs. He also represents clients in probate proceedings, Surrogate’s accountings, and other matters involving trust and estate administration.
Before joining VMM in 2011, Mr. Burdi led his own firm in Garden City, New York, first in partnership and later as a sole practitioner. Before entering the practice of law, he worked as a title examiner and clearance officer with City Title Insurance Company.
Mr. Burdi is a former counsel to the Advisory Committee of the New York State Law Revision Commission for the Estates, Powers and Trusts Law and the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act.
He is a frequent lecturer in continuing legal education at St. John’s School of Law and addresses professional and student audiences on various legal topics. He also speaks before parent associations and other community groups on estate and special needs planning.
Aging Adults: Unique Changes Requiring a Unique Approach
Lucille Golembiewski
RN Administrator
Birch Family Services
Lori Volpe, PhD
Coordinator Autism Services
Birch Family Services
Lori has over 25 years experience working with adults and children with Autism and other developmental disabilities in educational, residential and vocational settings. In addition to her position with BTI, Lori has worked for agencies in the New York area developing and opening programs for individuals on the autism spectrum, as well as providing consulting services to agencies and schools on Long Island and Queens.
Lori has presented The Hug Machine as Part of a Sensory Diet and A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words: Visual Supports.
Lori was trained in TEACCH at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also trained in the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Social Stories. She holds a BA in Psychology from SUNY at Albany, an MA in Developmental Psychology from Yeshiva University, an MA in School Psychology and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology both from Hofstra University.
Deniz Altan
MS Ed Psychology Administrator
Birch Family Services
Lisa Sterrantino
Senior Vice President
Birch Family Services
Aging and Autism: Understanding and Planning for the Needs of Older Adults with ASD
Joanne Gerenser, Ph.D.
Executive Director
The Eden II Programs
Dr. Gerenser began working at Eden II in 1982 as a speech therapist. She received her Master’s degree in Speech and Hearing at the Ohio State University and her Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Science at the City University of New York Graduate Center.She is an adjunct Assistant Professor at Brooklyn College as well as Penn State University. Dr. Gerenser is a member of the Scientific Advisory Council for the Organization for Autism Research.
She is on the boards of Heaven’s Hands Community Services, the Interagency Council of New York, the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis, and the Staten Island Not for Profit Association. Dr. Gerenser has also co-authored the interactive CD-ROM entitled ‘Behavioral Programming for Children with Autism.’She has authored several book chapters and articles on autism and developmental disabilities. She is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis. She sits on a number of Professional Advisory Boards for several programs serving children and adults with autism in the US and abroad. She has received numerous awards for her work with children and adults with autism, including the Nassau Suffolk Autism Lifetime Achievement Award, the Mosaic Foundation’s Educator of Excellence Award, the Elija Chariot Award, and the Lou Miller Business Leadership Award.
Randy Horowitz, M.S.Ed., S.A.S.
Associate Executive Director
The Eden II Programs
Randy has a Master of Science in Education from Queens College and a Certificate of School Administration and Supervision from the College of New Rochelle. Randy is currently a doctoral candidate in the educational leadership program at Concordia University. Randy started her career as a special education teacher in public school in Nassau County and then spent close to 30 years in senior leadership positions at nonprofit organizations serving children and adults with autism in NYC and Long Island. Randy has presented at local, national and international conferences on topics relating to educating individuals with autism. Her particular areas of interest include preparing and supporting individuals with autism for integration into community activities.
In addition to her many work responsibilities, Randy is also a seasoned runner and has participated in countless road races and marathons, including our Blazing Trails Run/Walk, raising well over $65,000 in the past 15 years to benefit the autism community.
Annmarie Itgen, M.S.Ed, BCBA, LBA
Director of Adult Program Development and Social Enterprise
The Eden II Programs
Annmarie Itgen is currently the Director of Adult Program Development and Social Enterprise. She began her career at Eden II as a Clinical Coordinator in the school program and has previously worked as a teacher and clinical supervisor in school and adult transition services across Long Island. Annmarie is a Board Certified and New York State licensed Behavior Analyst as well as a New York State licensed Special Education teacher. She earned her master’s degree in special education and advanced certificate in applied behavior analysis at Hofstra university. Annmarie has presented at local and international conferences on topics related to educating individuals with autism and reducing challenging behavior.
