ADAPT Community Network’s annual Virtual Family Connect Summit is designed to support families of individuals with disabilities. The Summit aims to make navigating the services for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) easier and more accessible. This year, the Summit featured a variety of informative sessions, led by ADAPT staff and I/DD experts.
The 2025 Opening Session began with a panel discussion titled, “Stronger Together.” Panelists, Linda Laul, Chief Executive Officer and Dahlian Porter, Chief Operating Officer at ADAPT Community Network, discussed new initiatives at ADAPT, advocacy, and healthcare.
The next session “Starting Early: Empowering Your Child Through Self-Advocacy,” was led by Dr. Mary McDonald, Professor at Hofstra University and Emma Biordi, NYS Certified Special Education Teacher at The Eden II Genesis Outreach Autism Center. They discussed the significance of early self-advocacy education and how it lays the foundation for building resilient, confident, and proactive individuals.
Our Project Connect team held an interactive Q&A session with our attendees to answer their most asked questions.
The following session, called “Transitions in Life”, was presented by Lori Volpe, Senior Coordinator of Autism Services at Birch Family Services. This session explored transition processes for adult individuals with I/DD and their families.
Lastly, Dorothy Neske, Disability Trainer, and Evalesse Segarra, Outreach and Engagement Specialist at Person Centered Care Services, shared best practices to show professionals how to effectively assist self-advocates in making well-informed decisions that are right for them.
The Summit wrapped up with remarks from ADAPT CEO Linda Laul and COO Dahlian Porter, highlighting the importance of unity and being Stronger Together.
If you missed the Summit or would like to review the material, recordings are available on the ADAPT YouTube channel with subtitles in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese. Thanks to the organizers, panelists, sponsors, and all who attended to make the Summit a success!
If you have any questions about ADAPT’s services or general questions relating to I/DD services, please contact Project Connect, ADAPT’s information and referral service for people with disabilities, their family members, and loved ones. You can email Project Connect at projectconnect@adaptcommunitynetwork.org, call (877) 827-2666, or visit https://adaptcommunitynetwork.org/service-options/getting-started/
