THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
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THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 |
TO: |
VESID Committee |
FROM: |
Rebecca H. Cort |
SUBJECT: |
Appointments to the New York State Independent Living Council, Inc.
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DATE: |
November 26, 2008 |
STRATEGIC GOAL:
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Goal 4 |
AUTHORIZATION(S): |
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Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)
Vacancies have occurred on the New York State Independent Living Council, Inc. (NYSILC). Should the Regents approve the proposed appointments and reappointments of members to the NYSILC?
The 1992 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act require the Board of Regents to appoint members to the New York State Independent Living Council, Inc. (NYSILC).
Proposed Handling
This item will come before the VESID Committee at its December 2008 meeting.
Procedural History
Each year, as vacancies occur, the Board of Regents approves recommendations to fill such vacancies.
Information on the proposed appointees is noted on Attachment 1 and a list of the entire NYSILC is noted on Attachment 2.
Recommendation
VOTED: that Denise Figueroa, Kenneth Stewart, Anthony Richardson, Wendy Strobel, Don Dreyer, Ralph Giordano, Melanie Shaw and Peter Kahrmann be appointed for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2009 and ending December 31, 2011, and four reappointments be made to second three-year terms for the following individuals: Bruce Darling, Lauren LeFebvre, Rain Rippel and Douglas Usiak beginning January 1, 2009 and ending December 31, 2011.
Timetable for Implementation
Upon approval by the Regents of the recommended candidates, appointments and reappointments will go into effect January 1, 2009.
Attachment 1
New York State Independent Living Council, Inc.
(New Appointments)
VESID is recommending six new appointments resulting from expiring terms of existing members. In addition, two members (Pratik Patel and Paige Pierce) resigned creating two additional vacancies. As required every three years, an election was held to replace the Center for Independent Living (CIL) Director chosen by all CIL Directors in the State. Overall, there will be eight new appointees along with a change in category for two existing members. Four existing council members are up for reappointment. Lastly, ex officio members from VESID and the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH) need to be formally appointed to NYSILC. The following new appointments are recommended:
2011 Expiration Date – CIL Director chosen by CIL Directors
Denise A. Figueroa
1064 New Loudon Road
Cohoes, New York 12047
(518) 785-8295
2011 Expiration Date – Advocate for Individuals with Disabilities
Kenneth L. Stewart
34 Points of View
Warwick, NY 10990
(845) 986-2955
2011 Expiration Date – Advocate for Individuals with Disabilities
Anthony W. Richardson
87 Hamilton Place, Apt. 2F
New York, NY 10031
(212) 283-5969
2011 Expiration Date – Organizations Serving Individuals with Disabilities
Wendy Strobel, MS, CRC, ATP
Faculty, DBTAC Northeast ADA Center
203 ILR Extension Bldg
Ithaca, NY 14853
(716) 713-6038
2011 Expiration Date – Organizations Serving Individuals with Disabilities
Don Dreyer
Director, Nassau County Office
for the Physically Challenged
60 Charles Lindberg Blvd.
Uniondale, NY 11553
(516) 227-8983
2011 Expiration Date – Other Appropriate Individuals
Ralph Giordano
51 Creekside Circle
Castleton on Hudson, NY 12033-3206
(518) 477-7235
SED-VESID Lifelong Services Team Associate, Training of Special Educators, New York State Education Department, Albany, NY. (1977 to 2008)
K-8, Special Education Teacher-Camp Counselor, New York City and New Jersey Public Schools. (1973 to1977)
Advisory Board Member, NYS Interagency Partnership on Assistive Technology.
Chairman, League in Aid of Disabled Workers. (1968 to 1977)
2011 Expiration Date – Other Appropriate Individuals
Melanie Shaw
Executive Director
New York Association on Independent Living (NYAIL)
Albany, NY
(518) 465-4650
Executive Director, New York Association on Independent Living, Inc., Albany, NY. Responsible for financial and program oversight for statewide membership association of 34 Independent Living Centers operated by and for people with disabilities of all ages. (3/05 to present)
Project Associate, Policy Research Associates, Inc., Delmar, NY. Provided guidance to mental health jail diversion programs nationwide on building community coalitions, developing interventions, and program evaluation. Developed training for professionals serving individuals with mental illness who are involved with the criminal justice system. (10/02 to 2/05)
Director of Program Services, Resource Center, Inc., Albany, NY. Directed and/or supervised statewide programs providing education and support to people receiving services at NYS Office of Mental Health-operated outpatient clinics. (1/02 to 10/02)
Director, Advance Directive Training Project, Resource Center, Inc., Albany, NY. Developed and directed statewide program funded by the NYS Office of Mental Health that provided education and assistance to individuals and organizations regarding the legal rights of people diagnosed with mental illness to create advance directives for mental and physical healthcare. (1/00 to 12/01)
Senior Attorney, Disability Advocates, Inc., Albany, NY. Conducted individual and systemic litigation and advocacy on behalf of people with mental and physical disabilities as a staff member of a not-for-profit public interest law firm funded through the federal Protection and Advocacy program. (7/91 to 12/99)
2011 Expiration Date – Other Appropriate Individuals
Peter S. Kahrmann
723 County Route 1
Berne, New York 12023
(518) 797-3777
Co-founder and former board member of the New York City Chapter of Victims for Victims.
Founder of Life Growth, a unique and empowering life management strategy. (2004 to present)
Writer of numerous news and feature articles along with Op-Ed pieces primarily for publications of the Ottaway News Service as well as other publications since 1987. He is working on a memoir and two novels. Prior to 1987, Mr. Kahrmann primarily wrote stage plays, film scripts and poetry. (1978 to present)
A powerful and charismatic public speaker, he has given numerous speeches at a wide array of conferences and settings.
Reappointments
The following council members are reappointed to a second three-year term for their designated category:
Ex Officio
The non-voting agency representatives for VESID and CBVH have served their six-year term limit. As a result, VESID is appointing Michael Peluso and CBVH is appointing Debra Lomma to fill the ex officio appointments.
Attachment 2
New York State Independent Living Council, Inc.
(Term Expirations)
Center for Independent Living Director
2011 Denise A. Figueroa, 1064 New Loudon Road, Cohoes, NY 12047, Phone: (518) 785-8295, E-mail: dfigueroa@ilchv.org
Representatives from Centers for Independent Living
2010 Christina Curry, Executive Director, Harlem Independent Living Center, 289 St. Nicholas Avenue, Lower Level, New York, NY 10027, Phone: (212) 222-7122,TTY: (212) 222-7198, Fax: (212) 222-7199, E-mail: harlemilc@aol.com
2009 Agnes McCray, ARISE Independent Living Center c/o, 311 North Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13206, Phone: (315) 473-5006
2011 Bruce Darling, (NYSILC Vice Chair), Center for Disability Rights, 497 State Street Rochester, NY 14608, Phone: (585) 546-7510, TTY: (585) 546-7510, E-mail: bdarling@rochester.org
2011 Douglas J Usiak, Executive Director, Western New York Independent Living Project, 3108 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, Phone: (V and TTY) (716) 836-0822, E-mail: djusiak@buffalo.edu
Advocates for Individuals with Disabilities
2011 Kenneth L. Stewart, 34 Points of View, Warwick, NY 10990, Phone: (845) 986-2955, E-mail: cclvi@yahoo.com
2011 Anthony W. Richardson, 87 Hamilton Place, Apt. 2F, New York, NY 10031, Phone: (212) 283-5969, E-mail: arichardson856@aol.com
2010 Courtney Totter, Coordinator Program and Services, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 1650 South Avenue, Suite 100, Rochester, NY 14620, Voice: 1 (800) 344-4867, Fax: 1 (585) 442-2817, E-mail: ctotter@msupstateny.org
2010 Ramon Rodriguez, District Director, Resource Center for Independent Living, Amsterdam, 347 West Main Street, Amsterdam, NY 12010, Voice: (518) 842-4029 , TDD: (518) 842-3593, Fax: (518) 842-0905, E-mail: rrodriguez@rcil.com
2010 Christine Zachmeyer, Executive Director (NYSILC Chair), Catskill Center for Independence, P. O. Box 1247, RT. 23 Southside, Oneonta, NY 13820, Phone & TTY: (607) 432-8000, Fax: (607) 432-6907, E-mail: ccfi@ccfi.us
2009 Eugene Hughes, Resource Center for Independent Living, P.O. Box 210, 409 Columbia Street, Utica, NY 13503-0210, Phone: (315) 797-4642, Fax: (315) 797-4747, E-mail: ghughes@rcil.com
2011 Lauren LeFebvre, Project Director, Tri Lakes Center for Independence, PO Box 280, Ray Brook, NY 12977, Phone: (V) (518) 891-5295, TTY: (518) 891-5293, Fax: (518) 891-5293, E-mail: Lauren@tlcil.org
Representatives of Service Organizations for Individuals with Disabilities
2010 Edith M. Prentiss, 739 West 186th Street, 4E, New York, NY 10033-8527, Phone: (212) 781-8309, E-mail: emprentiss@juno.com
2011 Wendy Strobel, MS, CRC, ATP, Faculty, DBTAC Northeast ADA Center, 203 ILR Extension Bldg., Ithaca, NY 14853, Phone: (716) 713-6038, E-mail: ws283@cornell.edu
2011 Don Dreyer, Director, Nassau County Office for the Physically Challenged, 60 Charles Lindberg Blvd., Uniondale, NY 11553, Phone: (516) 227-8983, E-mail: don.dreyer@hhsnassaucountyny.us
2011 Rain Rippel, 33 Saratoga Rd, Apt Z-10, Scotia, NY 12302, E-mail: rainbowrippel@yahoo.com
Parent/Guardian of an Individual with a Disability
2009 Sally J. Colletti, 333 Birch Street, Vestal, NY 13850, Phone: (607) 754-9694, E-mail: jcolletti@stny.rr.com
Native American Section 121 Project Representative
2010 Monica Redeye, Program Manager, Seneca Nation of Indians Tribal Voc. Rehab., 12885 Route 438, Irving, NY 14081, Phone: (716) 532-1033 ext. 5415, Fax: (716) 532-1033, E-mail: monica.redeye@sni.org
Youth Representative
2010 Kieran McGovern, Self-Initiated Living Options, Inc., 3680 Rt. 112 Suite 4, Coram, NY 11727, Voice: (631) 880-7929 TDD: (631) 654-8076, Fax: (631) 654-8077, E-mail: kmcgovern@suffolkilc.org
Other appropriate individuals
2010 Sharon Fong, Chief Operating Officer, Barrier Free Living, 270 East Second Street, New York, NY 10009-7815, Voice: (212) 677-6668 x124, E-mail: sharonf@bflnyc.org
2011 Ralph Giordano, 51 Creekside Circle, Castleton-on-Hudson, NY 12033-3206, Phone: (518) 477-7235, E-mail: rgiordan@webtv.net
2011 Melanie Shaw, Executive Director, New York Association for Independent Living, One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Suite 806A, Albany, NY 12210, Phone: (518) 465-4650, E-mail: mshaw@ilny.org
2011 Peter Kahrmann, 723 County Route 1, Berne, NY 12023, Phone: (518) 797-3777, E-mail: peterkahrmann@gmail.com