President Obama announced his intent to nominate Stephanie Orlando to serve on the presidentially appointed National Council on Disability (NCD). Orlando works for YOUTH POWER!, a program of Families Together in New York State. YOUTH POWER! is the state coordinating entity for the Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program in New York State; and Families Together in Albany County is one of the three New York RAMP sites.
NCD is a small, independent federal agency charged with advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities. NCD is comprised of a team of fifteen Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees , an Executive Director appointed by the Chairman, and eleven, full-time professional staff.
Orlando is the Director of YOUTH POWER! of Families Together in New York State, a statewide advocacy network comprised of young people who have disabilities and experience in state child-serving systems. After receiving children’s mental health, special education and residential services herself, Orlando has become a strong advocate for youth with disabilities on county, state and national levels. Beginning in 2006, she served a term as Chairperson of the Youth Advisory Committee to the National Council on Disability. Orlando serves on the New York State Commissioners’ Committee on Cross-Systems Services for Children & Youth, the New York State Commissioner’s Advisory Panel for Special Education Services, the New York Mental Health Services Planning Council, and the Board of Directors of the Children’s Mental Health Coalition of Western New York. She received the Diana Vietz Award in 2008 from the National Council on Independent Living, the mpower Award in 2006 from Mental Health America (formerly National Mental Health Association) and the 2004 Erie County Executive Award for Disability Employment Awareness Month. Orlando earned her Bachelor of Arts in 2005 from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
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