Westchester Institute for Human Development Welcomes the 2017-2018 Class to LEND Program

Top Row (left to right): Ricardo Vargas-Echevarria, Cindy Strum (New Fairfield, CT), Samone Schneider (Tuckahoe), Paige Hazelton (Bronxville), Anne Galiani (Pelham), Mary Stapleton (Briarcliff Manor), Stacey Ramirez (White Plains), Shannon Stocks, Anthony Aguiar (Nanuet), Patricia Welcome, Danielle Roma (Valhalla), Julie Yaroni, Sofia Pham, Keila Felix-Benitez, Tamique Ridgard, Susan Burlazzi (Sleepy Hollow), Charles Borgen

Bottom Row (left to right): Mariela Adams (Ardsley), Elizabeth Manderski, Andrea Rodrigues, Nina Garcia, Erica Ackerman (New Rochelle), Nicole Gianatiempo (Cortlandt Manor), Kerry Watson (Ridgefield Park, NJ), Alison Marinell

25 new trainees, many from the local Westchester and surrounding areas, to participate in federally funded leadership training program to improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families

VALHALLA, NY (September 13, 2017) --- The Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD), one of 67 federally funded University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities nationwide dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities through training, service, and research, welcomed 25 trainees on September 7 to the 2017-2018 class for its LEND program. Thirteen of the trainees this year are from Westchester, Rockland, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The class will graduate on May 10, 2018.

The LEND Program (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities) is an interdisciplinary leadership training program, funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the federal government at 52 universities around the country. The program held at WIHD is a 320 hour two-semester program. Trainees include graduate students and post-doctoral fellows from health and education disciplines, self-advocates, and family members of children and adults with disabilities.

Westchester Institute for Human Development

The Westchester Institute for Human Development is one of 67 university-affiliated centers dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities through education, service, and research. The Institute works to advance policies and practices that ensure the health and self-determination among people of all ages with developmental disabilities, and the safety and well-being of vulnerable children.

For over 40 years, WIHD has been a key regional resource supporting children and adults with disabilities including autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, neurological and cognitive disabilities, hearing and vision problems, and speech/language delays. WIHD’s services, which often follow a person throughout his or her lifespan, include comprehensive dental and adult medical care programs, service coordination and planning, education and support services.

For more information, go to www.wihd.org.

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