🌟 Attended the NYS Council on Developmental Disabilities’ Advocacy Institute panel on the power of advocacy. 💬 Hearing self-advocates & families share their stories reminds me why their voices must guide our work in Albany. 🏛️ #Advocacy #Inclusion #NYSCDD

📰 Thank you to the Daily Gazette for covering our expansion of SUNY Schenectady’s Advancing Success in Associate Pathways program. When we invest in education, we invest in the future of our community. 🔗 www.dailygazette.com/news/educati...

📚 Joined students, educators, community leaders, elected officials at SUNY Schenectady to announce the expansion of the Advancing Success in Associate Pathways program. With funding I supported in the state budget, programs like this are providing students with the tools they need to succeed.

🚔 My bill (A8719) expands the Blue Envelope Program statewide — creating safer interactions between drivers with autism and law enforcement. This simple idea can save lives and build trust 💙 🔗 wgy.iheart.com/content/2025... #Inclusion #BlueEnvelopeProgram

🌱 Enjoyed a great morning at the Schenectady Greenmarket this weekend — fresh food, local vendors, and time together with friends in the heart of our community! 🍅🥖

🏆 The winners of the first annual Bocce Tournament at the Rotterdam Sons of Italy are featured in this month’s newsletter! 🎉 Congratulations again to all who played and made it such a great community event. 🇮🇹 🔴⚪️🟢 #Bocce #Community #SonsOfItaly

🍝 Happy National Sons Day — here we are doing one of our favorite things together: cooking up Sunday dinner ❤️ #NationalSonsDay #Family

🌞 Kicking off the Capital Region Buddy Walk this morning at Schenectady’s Central Park with my son Michael 💙 Together we walk for love, inclusion & awareness — supporting the Down Syndrome Aim High Resource Center 👟💛 #BuddyWalk #Inclusion #Community

⚾️ A night at Yankee Stadium with my daughter — and we met Yankees legend Bernie Williams, who also has a connection to Schenectady from his 2015 SummerNight performance that drew one of downtown’s biggest crowds ever 🎸🎶 #Yankees

🚔💙 I’ve introduced Assembly bill A8719 to expand the Blue Envelope Program statewide — helping drivers with autism & other disabilities safely communicate during traffic stops. More here: www.dailygazette.com/opinion/edit... #Inclusion #AutismAcceptance #BlueEnvelope

📰 Great news coming out of the Daily Gazette High Notes section … 🍎🎒Price Chopper/Garelick Farms, donating milk to the Regional Food Bank and kids’ backpack programs 🏟 Union College’s Messa Rink being transformed into an indoor turf facility thanks to $1M gift from alumnus Andy Brooks & wife Sana.

🌸 Happy National Daughters Day! Sharing some of our father–daughter disco moves to celebrate (sort of 🤔) — yes, that’s us dancing to “Stayin’ Alive.” 💃🕺 #NationalDaughtersDay #FamilyMoments

🎉🍝 A great night at the Rotterdam Sons of Italy for our bocce end-of-season dinner! Proud of our team for taking 1st place this year 🏆— congratulations to everyone on a fantastic season! 🔴⚪️🟢 🇮🇹

Joined families & community leaders to announce the NYS Safe Pet Boarding Act — a bipartisan bill I’ve introduced with Sen. Jim Tedisco. After tragic losses of pets like Gus, Brutus, Hilda & Loki, this bill creates state oversight & standards to prevent neglect. More: www.news10.com/news/familie...

🍎🤝Joined volunteers at Beech-Nut this afternoon to help out at today’s Food Distribution—a rainy day that didn’t stop us from providing fresh, healthy food and support for families in need. Many thanks to Beech-Nut and all volunteers whose efforts made a real difference in our Amsterdam community ❤️

Here’s the statement I released on the recent federal announcement about autism. As Chair of the NY Assembly Committee on People with Disabilities—and as a parent of a son with autism—I felt it was important to highlight trusted science, clarity, and my commitment to strengthen supports & services.

🚔💙 NEW: The Autism Awareness Visor Card Program has officially launched statewide with the NYS Police. This program is a major step forward — improving safety and communication during law enforcement interactions with individuals on the autism spectrum. Learn more: troopers.ny.gov/news/new-yor...

🎉Congratulations to CREATE Community Studios’ in Schenectady on the grand opening of their new Ceramics Studio! 🏺✨ 📸 Check out the my photo gallery on Facebook: www.facebook.com/share/16o1Fs...

🎉 Congratulations to Capitol District Supply on celebrating 80 years of service in the Capital District! Proud to also recognize their 30 years in Schenectady and the role they’ve played in our city’s growth and revitalization with a New York State Assembly Proclamation.

✨ The new Schenectady Ambassador Satellite Office on Jay Street held its Open House today! Pleased to secure funding that helped made this new location possible — bringing resources, support, and connection right into the heart of our community ❤️ 🤝 #Schenectady #Community #StrongerTogether

🎒📚 Pleased to deliver backpacks and supplies to Bradt Primary School in Rotterdam to help students start the year prepared and ready to succeed. Grateful to the teachers, staff, and families at Mohonasen Schools 🍎 #BackToSchool #Community #Rotterdam

🇺🇸 Honored to present a NYS Assembly Citation to Schenectady’s Honor A Vet honoree Michele Johnson 🎖️From Army Drill Instructor to decades serving youth, veterans & people with disabilities—Michele defines service & compassion. #Schenectady #Veterans #Community

👟🚔 This annual Cops and Joggers 5K kicked off at Riverlink Park in Amsterdam again this year! This event brings neighbors, families, and law enforcement together for a cause that strengthens community and shows support for the officers who serve us every day.

🎒📚 Pleased to deliver backpacks and supplies for the kids at Bradt Primary School in Rotterdam to help them start the year prepared and ready to succeed. Grateful to the teachers, staff, and families at Mohonasen Schools 🍎 #BackToSchool #Community #Rotterdam

I’m cosponsoring a new bill, A4841, that removes barriers for students with disabilities by recognizing IEP/504 plans as proof, ending duplicate paperwork, and ensuring consistent policies at SUNY/CUNY. As Chair of the Committee on People with Disabilities, I’m working to open doors for all students

Special home cooked birthday dinner at Mom’s tonight—her famous chicken Parm, tiramisu and a special cake my son Michael made this morning ❤️ Surrounded by family and love tonight, I couldn’t ask for a better way to celebrate. 🎂🙏

✨🎭 Backstage with the cast & crew of DreamGirls at Schenectady Light Opera Company’s opening night!

🎶🇺🇸 Honored to join tonight’s Operation Song event at the Empire State Aerosciences Museum in Glenville — where veterans’ stories are brought to life through music. Together, we honored their service and remembered the legacies of heroes who gave their lives for our country. #Veterans #Community

🎥❤️ This week we celebrate Direct Support Professionals Week — the everyday heroes who make a world of difference for families affected by disability. My son Michael and I put together this short video to say thank you for the compassion, care, and dedication you bring to people with disabilities.

Productive discussion with ReThinkEd and Schenectady Superintendent Dr. Carlos Cotto at my District Office about innovative ways to support our students, faculty, staff, and families in Schenectady. Looking forward to our next meeting. #EducationMatters #CommunityStrong #Schenectady

🎒✨ Stopped by Crossroads Center for Children to deliver backpacks for the kids! Grateful for the tour of all the updates to the school, I thank them for the incredible work they do helping children with autism and developmental disabilities reach their fullest potential. #BackToSchool

🙏 Stopped by the Schenectady City Mission — proud to support their work in our community.

Honored to join the Rotterdam Elks Lodge tonight for a 9/11 Day of Remembrance Service. Together, we reflected on the lives lost, the heroes who stepped forward, and the resilience that brought our nation together. May God bless the United States of America 🇺🇸 #September11 #RotterdamNY #NeverForget

🩸🙏 A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out for today’s Blood Drive on 9/11 National Day of Service & Remembrance. Because of your generosity, we exceeded our goal — turning a day of tragedy into a day of giving back. Together, we honored the lives lost by helping save others.

Pleased to welcome ReThinkEd and Schenectady School Superintendent Dr. Carlos Cotto to my District Office for a conversation on innovative ways to support students, educators, and families across our community. #EducationMatters #CommunityStrong #Schenectady

🌱As part of the Schenectady County Food Council’s Steering Committee, we met today to make discuss local projects applying for grants — supporting food access, community events, and programs that fight hunger. Working together for a healthier, stronger community. #Schenectady #Community #FoodAccess

🎒📚 Stopped by Yates Elementary in Schenectady to deliver backpacks for the kids as they start the new school year. Great to see so many smiles — wishing all the students, teachers, and families a successful year ahead! #Schenectady #BackToSchool

🇺🇸 This morning in the City of Amsterdam, we gathered to honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001. Nearly 3,000 souls were taken from us, but their memory lives on through our unity, courage, and compassion. We will never forget. 🕯️ #September11 #NeverForget #AmsterdamNY

🕯️ On this day, 24 years ago, our world changed forever. We remember the innocent lives lost, the courage of first responders, and the strength of families who carry on their legacy. May we continue to honor their memory — not only today, but every day. #NeverForget

🏆🇮🇹 TONIGHT at the Rotterdam Sons of Italy we closed out the playoffs with a big win and finished on top as bocce league champions. A big thank you to my teammates for the hard work all season long and to everyone who came out to cheer us on 🔴⚪️🟢

✂️🎉 Honored to join today’s ribbon cutting for The Boardroom & Lounge in Rotterdam — upstate NY’s ONLY cornhole destination! 🌽 Congrats to Karie & Michael Countermine on this exciting new venture. Pleased to present a NYS Assembly Citation for the grand opening!

💙 Honored to be a keynote speaker at this year‘s “Luv Michael” Conference this week — a gathering focused on building truly autism-friendly communities. We discussed what it means to create a future where every individual — regardless of ability — can live with dignity, opportunity, and inclusion.

🩸🇺🇸 Join us Thursday, September 11th, for a Blood Drive at Via Port Rotterdam from 1–5 PM — held on the National Day of Service and Remembrance. 📍 Via Port Rotterdam, 93 W. Campbell Rd, Schenectady 📞 Call 1-800-RED CROSS or register online with sponsor code: ViaPortRotterdam

🇮🇹🎶 From classic Italian food to music and family traditions, Schenectady’s Little Italy Street Fest was a celebration of heritage and community. Proud to see so many neighbors come together for this annual tradition. 📸 See my entire photo gallery here: www.facebook.com/share/16Cevp...

🎶🌴 What a celebration! Schenectady’s Caribbean Day in Central Park was filled with music, food, and community spirit. Proud to see our city come together for this vibrant tradition again this year. 📸 See my entire photo gallery here: www.facebook.com/share/16Cevp... #CaribbeanDay

💙 Honored to be a keynote speaker at the Luv Michael Conference in Southampton with my son Michael by my side. Together we’re sharing our journey with autism and working to build inclusive communities for people with disabilities. #AutismAcceptance #Inclusion

📸 Great shot in today’s Daily Gazette! Instead of the usual ribbon, we celebrated Bittersweet Candy Co.’s 20th anniversary with a giant licorice bite 🍬✂️ A fun (and tasty!) way to mark 20 years of sweet success. Congratulations Heather! 🎉 #DowntownSchenectady #Community #SmallBusiness

🛒🎉 Pleased to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Market 32 today! From my childhood memories of Price Chopper growing up in Schenectady to this milestone, one thing has never changed — their connection to our community. #Market32 #Community #CapitalRegion

🎨✨ A beautiful day in Schenectady’s historic Stockade for the 74th annual Stockade Villagers’ Outdoor Art Show — sharing a few photos from this community tradition that brings neighbors and visitors together each year to celebrate creativity and the arts. #StockadeArtShow #Schenectady #Community

🍆🍝 Serving up eggplant parm at Schenectady’s Little Italy Street Fest this weekend! Always a great time celebrating our heritage, food, and community together 🇮🇹 🎶