The Hudson
Valley Special Education Parent Center At Westchester Institutefor Human Development
Cedarwood Hall, Valhalla, NY 10595
Email: hvsepc@wihd.org
Naomi Brickel was trained as Special Education Parent Advocate and formerly maintained a private educational consulting and advocacy practice. She served as a parent transition advocate for the Model Transition Program in New Rochelle where she has provided direct outreach and support to students 18-21 and their families, and has participated in developing many grants to support innovative programs for students with disabilities within her district. She was previously the Co-President of New Rochelle SEPTA and Special Education Co-chairperson for Westchester East Putnam Region of the NYS PTA. In her capacity directing the Special Education Parent Center Naomi co-authored a New York State Education Department Training for Parent Members of the Committee of Special Education and Committee on Preschool Special Education and was recently appointed to the NYS Education Department Commissioner’s Advisory Panel. She is the mother of six children and has navigated the special education process successfully for four of them. She continues to assist parents and students through the CSE process as a parent member, and has participated in hundreds of CSE meetings over years.
Chrisanne Petrone, as a parent of sons with special needs, has offered her knowledge of the EI, CPSE and CSE processes to assist families to navigate and understand the special education process in many capacities. Chrisanne formerly served as the President of New Rochelle SEPTA and continues to be an active member within the organization. She also served as the Special Education Chair for the Westchester-East Putnam Region PTA; as the region director for the Westchester-East Putnam Region PTA; as a parent member, sitting on hundreds of meetings over the years; and currently serves as member of the board of education in New Rochelle.
Joyce Hawk has worked with individuals with disabilities in many different capacities for more than twenty two years. Joyce’s range of experience includes coordinating academic accommodations and services for college students with documented disabilities, professional development training for school district personnel to improve transition planning practices, career counseling with high school students as well as managing residential programs for individuals with developmental and emotional disabilities. Joyce works in partnership with school districts, families, community agencies and colleges to improve effective transition planning and services through active participation in three transition councils as well as a regional college disability services consortium. Joyce holds professional competency certifications in College Coaching for students with Asperger Syndrome, Basic Assistive Technology Services and Person Centered Planning.
Karen Millman has an extensive background as a community leader and advocate for families of children with special needs. She has a master’s degree in teaching and more than fifteen years experience in the education field, the last seven creating and implementing programs for children with special needs. In her role as Co-chair of Scarsdale’s SEPTA (CHILD-Children Having Individual Learning Difference) Karen was a catalyst in bringing collaborative and co-teaching models into the mainstream classroom. She co-produced and co-hosted a television show entitled “Kids and their Challenges”, which ran on Scarsdale and Larchmont/Mamaroneck Cable Channel 77 for three years. Karen was also Program Director and founder of Hand-in Hand, a unique and inclusive after-school program focusing on social skills and life skills for teens with developmental challenges age 13-18 years old. Recently Karen has been an Adjunct Professor at Manhattanville College, teaching graduate students majoring in special education.
