Conference at a Glance

Both conference mornings begin with plenary sessions for everyone to attend. On Monday morning, Peter Leidy will share his experience of working as a direct support professional, learning from the people we support and their families, and encouraging friendships. On Tuesday morning, Commissioner Jane Ryder will hold a town hall meeting to hear from you and answer your questions.

On Tuesday afternoon, Pauline MacLellan will share her experience of creating belonging for people with I/DD through family and DSP partnership.

PLENARY SESSIONS:

• Touching the Heart of Our Work—Peter Leidy
• Ask the Commissioner—Commissioner Jane Ryder
• Partnering with Families— Pauline MacLellan

BREAK OUT SESSIONS:

• Let’s Talk About Sex: Supporting Relationships and Intimacy—Mary Ellen Goodwin & Rebecca Barry
• Stop, Look, and Listen: Discover How to Support People Well—Robin Carlson
• Take Good Care of My Daughters—Jorge Pagan
• This is What We Need From You—Mark Leonard, Shelby Richardi, Lauren Richardi
• Wellness for the Caregiver—Phoebe Goodman
• Being Autistic—Patti Menzel
• Who’s Going to Make the First Move?—Nate Johnson
• Shoulder to Shoulder: Valuing and Celebrating the Work of Direct Support Professionals—Peter Leidy
• DSP’s Workplace Experiences—James Campbell
• Who Lives Like This?? – Pauline MacLellan
• Friends: Effective Strategies Toward Community Inclusion—Lisa Drennan
• Coping with Chaos: Why the Pandemic Has Been So Hard on Our Mental Health and How We Can Heal—Charity Bell

MOVIES & DISCUSSION:

• Rory O’Shea Was Here
• The Peanut Butter Falcon
• Intouchables
• My Left Foot
• Love on the Spectrum