ABCD Board Elects Officers for 23/25 at its May Meeting
ABCD is pleased to announce the re-election for a two-year term of Bernadette Griswold, Executive Director of Community Access Unlimited (CAU), as President, Patti Carlesimo, Executive Director of LADACIN Network, as Vice President, Barbara Greenwald, Chief Operating Officer of The Center for Family Support, as Treasurer, and Susan McCarthy, Executive Director of Sevita Health, as Secretary.
Bernadette has been a member of the Board since 2013 and in 2015 co-founded ABCD’s Support Coordination Alliance for which she continues to serve as the Board liaison. Bernadette represents ABCD in many capacities some of which include the DSP Competency and Capacity Building Steering Committee and the Support Coordination Leadership Forum. Bernadette not only has a deep understanding, but a vision for the system which has been invaluable to this organization. A forward-thinking problem solver, Bernadette was the impetus for ABCD’s vacancy page and the emerging leaders program.
Bernadette found a career she was passionate about in 2003 as an Independent Living Skills Coordinator with CAU continuing to grow in her expertise and responsibilities becoming the Advocacy Assistant Director, Managing Assistant Executive Director, Associate Executive Director in 2015 and in 2019, Executive Director.
LADACIN Network is a founding member of ABCD. Patti has served on the ABCD Board since 2004 and has served in many leadership roles, including Board President. In addition to taking on the role of Vice President, Patti serves as Board liaison to the Early Intervention Providers Association and the Residential Committee. Patti has given so much of her time, energy, expertise, and talent to ABCD over the years, but we would be remiss to not mention her incredible work in the advocacy arena. Patti has had a hand in almost every successful legislative and policy advance ABCD has made over the years.
Patti began at LADACIN Network 42 years ago as a speech pathologist and rose to become Executive Director in 2004.
At The Center for Family Supports, Barbara is charged with overseeing all program services in New York and New Jersey. She has worked for CFS since 1993, has a master’s degree in clinical psychology, and has over 40 years of experience in working with individuals with Developmental Disabilities.
CFS has been a member of the ABCD Board for almost two decades. In addition to providing oversight and strategy for ABCDs present and future financial health, Barbara is a one-person think tank and creative problem solver. But the topic for which she is most passionate and has had the most profound impact here at ABCD is for the mental health needs of the underserved IDD population making clear to us all that true prevention and real recovery require continuity of care from the people who are there for the long haul- family, informal caregivers, and providers.
As Executive Director for the Community Support Services operating group for Sevita, Susan is responsible for the oversight and direction of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and persons receiving mental health or personal care supports in New Jersey, Delaware and Massachusetts.
Susan has held a number of leadership roles since joining Sevita in 2011, moving through several positions in her home state of New Jersey. Prior to joining the company, she worked in various leadership capacities in child and adolescent residential services as well as psychiatric inpatient support. In addition to her duties as ABCD’s Board Secretary, Susan has been successfully leading ABCD’s charge to make Remote Supports (technological and moral progress) a reality in NJ in the next year.
ABCD is fortunate to have such dedicated, generous, and inspiring leaders who have touched so many lives over the years.
