About Me:

I’ve spent my life in the places where love, responsibility, and supporting others to be agents in their own lives often pull in opposite directions. My journey as an educator and disability rights advocate began with a simple observation: family members are often the most dedicated supporters, but they’re rarely given the tools to transition from caregiving to stewardship. As a parent, I’m aware of the stress my neurotypical son carries, growing up alongside his younger sister born with a rare neurodivergent disorder. Now, as an adult, his greatest worry is how he will continue to love, care for and support his sister, while also building a life of his own once his parents are no longer here.

Over the past decade, I’ve held a high-level position with Supported Decision-Making New York (SDMNY), a human-rights initiative focused on recognizing the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to make their own decisions and exercise autonomy. I’ve witnessed the transformative power of giving individuals voice and choice over their lives. My collaboration on this project was instrumental in the establishment of a new law in New York State, which created a less restrictive alternative to guardianship, allowing individuals to retain their civic rights and exercise greater self-determination. Most importantly, Supported Decision-Making introduced a paradigm shift, helping family members move beyond feelings of responsibility and control toward relationships rooted in partnership and respect.

In my work with family members of individuals with disabilities, I often experienced a recurring tension. Families yearned to protect, while I encouraged individuals with I/DD to exercise their right to make informed decisions.  I realized that my role wasn't just to advocate for rights, but to coach families on how to build a bridge between those tensions. This work led me to develop a coaching practice rooted in the stewardship of self-determination for all. To help clients get unstuck from anxiety, mitigate stress and concern with practical solutions, and nurture a positive impact on how family members’ lives evolve now, and when parents are no longer there to support. 

As a parent within a neurodiverse family, I understand the complex dance of love, responsibility, and identity. Both my personal and professional life fuels my commitment at Empowered Family Futures to help you navigate the complexity of support without losing the person at the center—or yourself in the process.  Let’s build a future rooted in dignity and support for everyone with creativity, diligence and pragmatism.