Aaron Baier currently serves as NYLN President. Aaron has more than four years of experience in independent living services and advocacy for people with disabilities. He currently coordinates youth transition and work readiness services for Access to Independence of Cortland County, Inc. in New York.

Aaron also brings his experience from State and local boards in the specific areas of youth advocacy, policy oversight, peer mentoring / counseling, transportation, and housing. Aaron is a graduate from SUNY Cortland with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Aaron is an active member of Youth Power!, NYLN’s NY state partner.

A’ishah Meghan Hils is from rural South Georgia and lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. She graduated from Florida State University with a BA in Religion in 2009. She was involved in leading Buddhist communities in Florida. She hopes to move to Kansas in 2011. She wants to go back to school for Social Work in the next few years. She would one day like to work to build resources for immigrants. Right now, she works as a web designer and editor. She is an activist in queer, Muslim, Buddhist, and interfaith communities. She is new to disability activism and is excited to be with NYLN. She loves to make art, cook South Asian food, dance, and learn new languages. She also likes to read postcolonial histories and literature by women of color.

Amy Doherty is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College. She is currently a research assistant at Schepens Eye Research Institute in Boston, MA working to develop devices and technologies to help people with vision impairments. Amy is passionate about helping people with disabilities reach their full potential. In 2008, she served as the Chair of the National Council on Disability Youth Advisory Committee. In her spare time Amy enjoys traveling, knitting, and spending time with friends and family. Amy is honored to serve on the NYLN Governing Board.

Cara Liebowitz is 18 years old. She has cerebral palsy. She has been on news
shows for her activism work. Cara runs two websites for disability pride and culture. These websites are Abilities4u (http://www.abilities4u.com) and Mosaic Webzine (http://www.mosaicwebzine.org). Last year, she went to a National Youth Inclusion Summit. The young people at the Summit made the I Am Norm campaign (http://www.iamnorm.org). Cara is in her first year at Kutztown University. She wants to be a special education teacher. You can read her blog at http://www.candidlycrippled.blogspot.com.

Christian Borerro is 24 years old. I live in Cleveland, Ohio. I was born with Cerebral Palsy. I live on my own and I love it. I have a mother and two brothers and I also became an uncle 2 years ago. My nephew is now 2 years old. He is big and smart. He is a big part of my life.

I have done a lot in the community. I have volunteered at diffencent places. I’ve had lots of speaking engagements. I have talked to youth about being successful and being independent in life after school. I’ve been in newsletters and TV. Now I am NYLN as a Secretary and I love it. I also involved in the Partners in Policymaking program. I will be traveling with them trying to make a difference and letting our voices be heard.

Cynthia Singletary is an Independent Living Specialist at LIFE (Living Independence For Everyone). She has been with LIFE for six years. She is also a student at the University of Southern Mississippi. She has a major in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. She plans to go to law school after USM. She plans to be a civil attorney. Cynthia also serves on some boards and councils. She is the Vice-President of NYLN Governing Board. She is the Chair of the Community Partnership Advisory Council for the Institute for Disability Studies. She is also the Secretary for the Youth Advisory Council for Healthy Opportunities. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Gabriel Cazares is a proud Texan, who is currently in his first year of college at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville Texas. He is double majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice with the intent of going to law school after getting his bachelors. When he’s not at school he enjoys reading, surfing the web, cooking, swimming, and baseball games. Being blind, disability advocacy is very important to him. He has served on many boards and committees each unique in its own way, but he is very excited to have the opportunity to serve on the NYLN Governing Board.

Jacqulyn Thomas is part of a non-profit organization called Access Living (Independent living Center for people with disabilities) based in Chicago, IL. Before her time as Staff Associate, she started out as a volunteer and in December of 2009 was made Peer Mentor of the Empowered Fe Fe’s (social support group for young girls with disabilities. She won the 2010 Annie Hopkins Disability Youth Advocacy Award. Working with people is her passion. She is 22 years old. She is a Christian and believes in changing the world by the faith of Jesus Christ. She is a praise dancer at her church Ecclesia House of Praises. In 2011, she will begin working with the DIVAS group in Chicago. DIVAS is a disabled young women’s group.

Jessica Croner graduated from Idaho State University in 2009 with a Bachelor degree in University Studies with an emphasis in Occupational Therapy. During her college years Jessica became heavily involved in advocacy and Universal Design. Since graduating she has worked with many state disability advocacy organizations. Last year Jessica began working with NYLN as the coordinator for the state partnership in Idaho and is now honored to have the opportunity to continue working with NYLN as a GB member.

Marc Rosen is an autistic rights activist. He is a force to be reckoned with. From taking charge of his education at age 14 to his activism now, Marc has made his stance clear: nobody has the right to discriminate against anyone for any reason and everyone should be treated equally. He hopes his work will make that belief a reality.

Marc writes for Examiner.com and is active in the Long Island poetry scene. This year he coedited Perspectives: Poetry Concerning Autism and Other Disabilities. In addition to being a writer and activist, he wants to pursue his Master’s in Social Work. His pastimes include long walks anywhere but the beach, arguing, and getting distracted by shiny things (which he has written a poem about).

Micah Fialka-Feldman, 26, recently completed the OPTIONS program at Oakland University in Michigan. It was the latest in a series of “firsts” for Micah. Since beginning school, when he told his parents he wanted to go in the same door as all of his friends, he has been fully included in his school, community and eventually a college campus. Micah’s national service includes KASA (Kids as Self Advocates), the National Youth Leadership Network and the Project Advisory Committee for the Center for Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities. Professionally, Mr. Fialka-Feldman has spoken at major conferences before hundreds. Along with Micah social and political commitments and pioneering spirit, he has a cognitive impairment, He is a representative of the post ADA generation. To learn more about Micah, visit his website www.throughthesamedoor.com.

Rosie McDonnell-Horita is a 17 year old freshman attending Mira Costa College in California studying Psychology. She is new to the NYLN Governing Board, but has been doing advocacy for many years. Her long term goal is to become a rehabilitation counselor and still be actively involved in the disability community. She is currently involved with YO! Disabled and Proud as a volunteer, working on two campaigns, and is a Youth Leadership Forum 2010 Alumni. In the past, she has been an Ambassador and Spokesperson for Canine Companions for Independence and Rady’s Children’s Hospital in San Diego. She plans to stay in California and continue advocating for the disability community and helping people that she meets along the way.

Savannah Logsdon-Breakstone started advocacy work at age 12, when her mother got her involved with conference panels, but it didn’t become her passion until she turned 19. Her current involvements also include Director of Advocacy for Autism Women’s Network, Pennsylvania’s OMHSAS Youth committee, PA Families Inc., Youth Outreach Union, as well as a freelance advocate. She currently lives in rural PA. She is a blogger an active part of the Neurodiversity/ Autistic Self Advocate Movement. Outside of advocacy, Savannah’s interests include Anthropology, Social Histories, Victorian Romanticism, and the Histories of Oppressed populations.