Skirboll 2025 Event Schedule

Session 1: Advocacy in Uncertain Times

Panelists: Laurie Chiumento, Elma Borčilo-King, MPA, Angela Czerkas, LMSW, Kristin Proud, Andrew Richardson
Moderator: Suzannah Iadarola, Ph.D., BCBA-D
This panel discussion will focus on advocacy and systems navigation across multiple sectors. As we look ahead, the goal is not just to survive the uncertainty, but to shape a future that is inclusive by design.

Laurie Chiumento is a government relations professional with over 15 years of experience advancing higher education and health care policy at the federal level. As Director of Federal Relations and Healthcare Policy at the University of Rochester, she leads advocacy on issues ranging from student aid and biomedical research to health professions workforce education. She also serves as the University’s liaison to a number of Washington, DC-based trade associations and national policy coalitions, including the Association of American Universities (AAU), Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and American Hospital Association (AHA). Prior to her role at the University of Rochester, Ms. Chiumento served as Deputy Regional Director for U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer for eight years.

Elma Borčilo-King As the Senior Director of State Relations and Community Affairs Advisor for the University of Rochester and its health system, UR Medicine, Elma is the lead state advocate for the University, its healthcare system, its students, staff, providers, faculty, and community members. Prior to joining the University of Rochester, Elma was the Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU) and served as the Legislative Advisor for Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle. She began her journey in government as the Graduate Scholar for the Assembly in the Counsel to the Majority Leader's Office. Before that she worked in the private sector as a Proposal Specialist and Project Manager at Gleason Works.

Angela Czerkas, LMSW, is the Statewide Self-Direction Coordinator for the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). In this role, she provides leadership and oversight for the Self-Direction model, guiding policy development, quality standards, and stakeholder engagement to ensure equitable, person-centered services statewide. With over 20 years of experience, she has built expertise in program design, fiscal accountability, and cross-system collaboration. A trusted advisor and advocate, Angela is known for her ability to bridge state policy with local implementation, supporting providers, brokers, and families in navigating complex service systems.

Kristin Proud is the Executive Director for the Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD). In this role, she oversees the development and implementation of the Council’s State Plan and ensures the Council fulfills its mandates under Federal and State laws. Kristin brings over 30 years of policy, fiscal, and management experience to the CDD, along with not-for-profit sector experience working with the largest provider of services to individuals with disabilities in the Capital Region.

Andrew Richardson is an autistic self-advocate, and a Community Habilitation Counselor. Based in the Rochester area, he brings his personal lived experiences with autism into his professional work, assisting other adults with autism in transitioning towards independence. Andrew is also a LEND graduate from the University of Rochester, as well as a current student at the City University of New York, majoring in Disability Studies with a concentration in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Session 2: Combating Burnout

Presenter: Kaylin McCarthy
This talk will help participants recognize the signs of burnout early, access available resources, and engage in proactive self-care, to sustain well-being.

Kaylin McCarthy is the founder of Mindful Tradition, a yoga and mindfulness based company that supports neurodivergent individuals and their caregivers and guardians. Kaylin is both neurodivergent herself and has spent 60,000 hours working in the field as a caregiver. Kaylin also has her 500 hr Yoga Teacher Training at the Kripalu School of Yoga, and has written the nation's first Neurodivergent Yoga Teacher Training. Kaylin teaches private classes, group classes, and works with organizations that support Neurodivergent individuals to create more inclusive and adaptable spaces to better meet the needs of those they serve.

Session 1: The Transition into Adulthood: System Failures for Autistic Adults

Presenter: Amanda P. Laprime Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA
A discussion of key considerations for youth with disabilities who are transitioning into the adult healthcare system and the community resources available to them.

Dr. Amanda Laprime is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University Of Rochester Medical Center. She is the Director of the Intensive Behavior Team, an enterprise-wide consultation service for patients with neurodevelopmental disorders in medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry. Dr. Laprime also leads the pediatric BERT (Behavior Emergency Response Team), advises the Behavioral Health Champion Group, and leads the IDD Behavioral Task force and Complex Discharge Delay task force. She serves as the Pl on a state-wide grant to train inpatient and ED nurses on caring for patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, as well as additional initiatives intended to build capacity for medical and community providers to serve those with behavioral health challenges and IDD.

Session 2: Financial Future Planning

Presenter: Christine Limutti
This talk will provide an overview of options to secure a financial future for people with disabilities.

Christine Limuti is a finance professional and entrepreneur with 15+ years of combined experience in entrepreneurship, cash flow management, business strategy and operations, and financial forecasting. Focused on serving individuals, families, and business owners in elevating financial wealth, multi-generational wealth and asset preservation and stewardship, and meaningful / sustainable investing.

Session 1: Neurodivergent Identity Development

Presenters: Leona Oakes, Ph.D. and Kai Punt
This talk will include both personal and provider perspectives on neurodivergent identity development and why identity development should be considered a topic to integrate into therapy.

Leona Oakes, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist that specializes in working with neurodiverse individuals of all ages and their supporters. Through her private practice, Oakes Psychological Services, she provides individual therapy, psychodiagnostic assessment, consultation services
and skill building classes. Her work focuses on addressing mental health concerns, helping adolescents and young adults successfully transition into adulthood, and supporting individuals of all ages and abilities with a strength-based, person-centered approach.

Kai Punt (they/she) is an autistic researcher from Canada, where they just graduated with their B.Sc. (Hons.) in Psychology, with a minor in Art Education, from the University of Victoria. For their honours thesis, Kai investigated whether internalized autism stigma and marginalized identity are motivators of social camouflaging in autistic teens. Kai hopes to continue developing their thesis research as they continue to collect data with the Child Neuropsychology Lab, to gain a deeper understanding of how the internalization of stigmatized beliefs about autism can motivate adolescents to engage in social camouflaging at the cost of their mental health and well-being. Kai wishes to become a clinical psychologist, where they can continue to engage in research that focuses on the well-being of the autistic community.

Session 2: Indigenous Partnerships

Presenters: Jackie Hayes, Ph.D., Christina Mulé, Ph.D., NCSP, Simone Gonyea, MS, CAS
A discussion of historical context that has created barriers to partnerships with Indigenous communities and strategies for building partnerships with Indigenous communities.

Jackie Hayes is a Program Planner and Diversity and Inclusion Program Specialist for the NYS Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD). She coordinates one of the CDD standing committees, the Community and Systems Change Committee (CSCC). As the Diversity and Inclusion Specialist, she helps embed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout the agency. She is also the Language Access Coordinator for the CDD. Jackie holds a Ph.D. from the University at Albany in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies.

Christina Mulé, specializes in neurodevelopmental disorders, with a primary focus on autism spectrum disorder. She is skilled in assessing and treating neurodevelopmental challenges using a multi-systemic approach that considers the complex network of systems affecting children. Her main research interests include health disparities in autism care and the development of innovative interventions to enhance the overall health and well-being of children with autism.

Simone Gonyea, Onondaga Snipe Clan, is a Senior Health Project Coordinator within the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She is an Onondaga Snipe Clan member and an Onondaga community member. For 22 years she served the Onondaga Nation School first as the 5th grade classroom teacher and then as the kindergarten classroom teacher. She transitioned into the Dean of Students administrative position, and then served as the Onondaga Nation School Building Principalship for four years.  Simone is the co-chair of the Indigenous Engagement Workgroup of the Association on University Centers on Disability (AUCD) and a member of the Native American Indian Education Association (NAIEA) of NY.