In the Geraldo Rivera Fund Leadership Cohort, we appreciate all of our members and their efforts in planning Public Conversation events as well as contributing their knowledge and resources to the group. As a way of saying thanks, we would like to personally highlight members and shine a light on who some of us are, what we do and why we do it.
Firstly, let me introduce Nicole DelPrete, who is the Division Director of Career and Residential Supports at Person Centered Care Services (PCCS) where she oversees the following programs: Day Habilitation, Pathways to Employment, Supported Employment (SEMP), Community Prevocational, Employment Training Program (ETP), ACCES-VR, Family Education and Training (FET), Office of Mental Health (OMH) Services, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), and Individualized Residential Alternative (IRA). Nicole has approximately 5 years of experience working with people with disabilities. Prior to her role as the Division Director of Career and Residential Supports, Nicole held several other positions in her time at PCCS including Director of Career Supports, Community Relations Manager, Discovery Coordinator, Medicaid Service Coordinator, and Direct Support Professional. Nicole has been involved with the Disability Ally Initiative for approximately 2 years. She is a master trainer and genuinely enjoys facilitating the trainings. She consistently conducts outreach for businesses, schools, and community-based organizations to encourage them to attend and/or host the training. Nicole is dedicated to social change, specifically within her community. She is determined to eliminate the social barriers which limit people with disabilities. She holds a master’s degree in Social Work where she specifically concentrated on disability studies and macro practice. She is currently licensed in New York state as a Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW).
Secondly, we would like to highlight Alexa Donnelly, who is a LMSW and is the Deputy Executive Director of Person Centered Care Services where she implements effective systems to raise the level of service(s) provided to the people served. Alexa has over 14 years of experience in the disabilities field. She began as a Direct Support Professional and worked her way through various roles learning many of the elements that keep an agency propelling to provide quality services for people with IDD. Alexa lives by the phrase “be the change you want to see in the world” and although she knows that she cannot change the world overnight, she is determined to continue changing lives, one person at a time. Alexa is committed to cultivating a positive learning experience and an empowering environment for people with disabilities. She is determined to help others get a fair chance by being open to learning and understanding what supports someone may need and what barriers they may face to achieving their goals. Alexa currently holds her license in social work and is pursuing her clinical license. Alexa has a diverse experience providing therapeutic services to various populations including people experiencing Domestic Violence, children, teens, and couples. Alexa also works per diem conducting professional development education sessions for a continuing education company that creates an engaging and thought-provoking learning environment.
We're so glad to have both of you on the team!
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