MARCH 2025

Dear Staff,

March is a very important month for our organization-- First, we celebrate Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM), which focuses on empowering people with developmental disabilities to pursue their goals. This month, let’s celebrate the talents, achievements, and contributions of people with developmental disabilities. Together, we can build a more inclusive and supportive community.

March is also Women's History Month, which offers us an opportunity to reflect on the achievements, contributions, and struggles of women throughout history and to honor their indomitable spirit, resilience, and perseverance. At ACLD, we are committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity, diversity, and equality where every voice is heard, valued, and respected. We recognize the importance of supporting and empowering women in the workplace, and we are dedicated to creating opportunities for them to thrive and succeed in their careers.

This month, we also celebrate our social workers throughout our agency for National Social Worker's Month. Social Workers play a critical role in creating positive and supportive environments for the people we support. They advocate for our individuals, provide essential resources and help families navigate challenges. Their dedication ensures that everyone has the opportunity to succeed and live a fulfilling life, regardless of their circumstances. To all our social workers—thank you for your empathy, advocacy, and resilience. Your work does not go unnoticed, and we are grateful for your impact every day. And to all our staff members, thank you for collaborating to create a nurturing space where everyone feels supported.

We are holding our Quarterly Town Hall Meetings via Zoom. The information for these meetings can be found below in this edition of Limelight. Due to high participation in the past several meetings and our limitations on Zoom, we ask that each employee only attend one meeting per quarter. We will also record one session per quarter that we will make available for all staff to access after the meeting.

In this edition of Limelight, you will read about some of the amazing work done by your colleagues and other news and highlights from across the agency. Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Rob, Kim, Gerard and Anne Marie

Robert Ciatto, President/CEO

Kim Leonard, Chief Financial Officer

Gerard DiMuro, Chief Administrative Officer

Anne Marie Sime, Chief Program Officer

SAVE THE DATES

Upcoming Town Halls: March 2025

President/CEO Rob Ciatto will host the first town halls of the year in March.

Due to high participation in the past several meetings and our limitations on Zoom, we ask that each employee only attend one meeting per quarter. We will also record one session per quarter that we will make available for all staff to access after the meeting.

Please use the following links below if you would like to participate:

Town Hall Meeting #2

March 14 at 2:00 pm

Town Hall Meeting #3

March 14 at 4:00 pm

Organizational Care Corner

I’d like to recognize Eric, Rob and Don who work in maintenance, they are consistently working very hard at variety of tasks, in all the houses; rebuilding offices, laying floor, painting, repairing appliances, the list goes on and on of all their hard work. But their kind, gentle demeanor is what truly shines, always. Each gentleman enters the homes and cares for the homes appearance and functionality, ensuring the individuals who we support are living in nicely kept and nice looking homes, always!

-Whitney Reyes

Behavioral Intervention Specialist, Residential Services

Shining Stars at Bethpage Day Services!

We would like to shine a light on John DeFrancisci and Chatasia Shepherd, Day Habilitation Specialists in Bethpage Services who recently received Shining Star recognitions for their exemplary reponses to two separate emergency medical situations on site. Thank you for your fast action and care!

It is with great pleasure that I write to Spotlight Direct Support Professional Marceline Desiste in the ACLD Limelight digital employee newsletter, in recognition of her consistently demonstrating of exceptional dedication by going above and beyond her assigned duties, and consistently exceeding expectations and contributing significantly to the East Meadow team success.

I have supervised her for about three years at the East Meadow IRA. Marceline stands out as an invaluable asset, not only contributing to increased productivity but also fostering a positive agency culture and boosting morale across teams. She is actively taking initiatives to perform tasks. Her exceptional customer service has greatly reduced the tension that existed between the team and most of the actively engaged family members and service providers. Her acceptability among her peers has facilitated a functional staff assignments and task flows. It is worthy of note that one of our individuals’ negative behaviors has reduced drastically due to Marceline’s discharge of her responsibilities with a human face. Her humility, honesty, charisma and passion has endeared her to the people we support, and as a consequence one of our esteemed individual would not honor his scheduled medical appointment without Marceline, and he demonstrates his best behavior when Marceline is on shift. Marceline works well with the individuals in the community and she consistently spends her free time covering open shifts occasioned by staff unavailability. Not only does Marceline help to plan recreational activities, she transports the people we support to the event location.

Her exemplary performance, outstanding contributions, unwavering commitment and remarkable efforts in getting things done, in addition to her punctuality and leadership skills, marks her out as the prime candidate for the spotlight in the Employee Digital Newsletter.

I strongly endorse Marceline’s nomination for the ACLD Limelight digital Employee Newsletter and believe that her community and agency contributions make her the best candidate for an award. I hope you’ll consider my nomination, and I hope that I’ve displayed Marceline’s capabilities and contributions effectively. Thank you for your time.

-Otum Kalu

Residential Manager, East Meadow IRA

Anniversary Milestones- March 2025

1 Year

Junita Nestor Direct Support Professional, Residential Services, Bethpage 857

Ylercier Louis Juste Direct Support Professional, Residential Services, Oceanside

Jhanah Armstrong Teacher Aide, Children's Services, Kramer Learning Center

Aishani Nalla Occupational Therapist, Children's Services, Kramer Learning Center

Marie Lubin Direct Support Professional, Residential Services, Eastover Drive

Jean Beauliere Residential Assistant Manager, Residential Services, Seaford

Edmey Castor Direct Support Professional, Residential Services, Westwind Drive

Ada Angie Jn Louis-Michel Residential Manager, Residential Services, Johnson Ave

Nadjina Alexis Direct Support Professional, Residential Services, Eastover

Jacky-Lov Pierre-Louis Direct Support Professional, Residential Services, Wildwood

Chanel Hernandez, Day Habilitation Specialist, Day Services, Choices Hauppauge

Pierre Innocent Day Habilitation Specialist, Day Services, Choices Bethpage

Kendall Bullock Teacher Aide, Chidlren's services, Kramer Learning Center

Shanean James Direct Support Professional, Residential services, Calvert Ave

Kenia Jean Direct Support Professional, Residential Services, Bethpage 857

5 Years

Robertta Guerrier Medical Coordination Specialist, Residential Services, Spur Drive

Dana Ragone Special Educator, Children's Services, Kramer Learning Center

10 Years

Timothy Obisakin Direct Support Professional, Residential Services, Oceanside

Mona Cassells Office Manager, Day Services, Bethpage 837

Luz Campbell Residential Manager, Residential Services, Great Neck

Neil Jenkins Team Coordinator, Day Services, Broadway Bridges

Richard Van Dyke Director of Business Operations, Executive, Bethpage 807

Carmela Savino Transportation Services Administrator, Transportation, Bethpage 837

35 Years

Scott Bradshaw Associate Director, Center for Learning, Bethpage 807

Welcome February New Hires

Majean Beauliere Direct Support Professional Residential Services Brighton

Tiffany Castro Residential Assistant Manager Residential Services Wildwood

Stéphanie Charles Direct Support Professional Residential Services Oyster Bay

Jaclyn Dallacqua Job Coach Day Services Bethpage 857

Cleante Dussuau Direct Support Professional Residential Services Johnson Ave

Maryam Faizi Direct Support Professional Residential Services Bethpage 857

Warin Gilbert Registered Nurse Residential Services Bethpage 857

Terrence Hassell Direct Support Professional Residential Services Hyman Ave

Romica Jeune Day Habilitation Specialist Day Services Hauppauge

Gregory Jones Direct Support Professional Residential Services Brighton

Taina Jules Direct Support Professional Residential Services Seaford

Madison Kloska Direct Support Professional Residential Services Long Hill Road

Anthony Leach Day Habilitation Specialist Day Services Hauppauge

Courtney Ludewig Job Coach Day Services Bethpage 857

Christelle Mengual Day Habilitation Specialist Day Services Hauppauge

Gianna-Alexa Menken Direct Support Professional Residential Services Autumn

Clifford Pierre Direct Support Professional Residential Services Bethpage 857

Khalf Pierre Day Habilitation Specialist Day Services Hauppauge

Rudolph Pierre Direct Support Professional Residential Services Hyman Ave

Caitlin Poller Development Associate Administrative Services Bethpage 807

Vera Pope Residential Manager Residential Services Baldwin

Jean Renard Direct Support Professional Residential Services Hyman Ave

Tori Richards Direct Support Professional Residential Services Hawthorne

Ervens Sylvain Direct Support Professional Residential Services Hyman Ave

Jada Ward Direct Support Professional Residential Services East Islip

Town Hall Recordings

Click here to access the Town Hall Recordings: