Board of Directors
Rinaldo Esposito, DC., President
Jean Schultz, Vice President
Terri Easterly, Secretary
Michael D. Ostrander, Treasurer
Nancy Cooke
Joe Magliocca
Lisa McCoy
Judy Schelle
Executive Director
Shaloni Winston
(518) 775-5383
shaloni@thearclexington.org
Deputy Executive Director
Dan Richardson
(518) 775-5339
richard@thearclexington.org
Our Mission
We empower people with autism and developmental disabilities to live their best lives, every day, by partnering with their families, our employees and our community.
What We Do
Lexington provides services and supports in Fulton, Albany and Schoharie Counties to approximately 1,300 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, mental illness, cerebral palsy, physical disabilities, epilepsy and traumatic brain injuries. Lexington’s person-first approach puts the emphasis on each person’s needs, wants and desires rather than their disability. From how we structure program activities to the language we use at our agency, we are committed to fostering an environment where the people we support are not only respected and valued, but also play an integral role in Lexington’s day-to-day operations. Lexington continues to expand and diversify while remaining deeply committed to its core values and mission of excellence – making Lexington a great place for people with disabilities and for our employees.
Lexington is an innovative agency that constantly monitors the services we provide to find gaps or areas in need of improvement. It is through this careful evaluation process that we are able to enhance existing programs and develop new ones to best meet the needs of the individuals we support. Lexington has implemented two such programs:
The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts provides classes, entertainment, exhibitions, special events and a creative education resource for people of all ages and abilities. It is committed to offering accessible art programs for adults and children with developmental and physical differences. The arts center is the home base of Lexington’s world-famous rock band, Flame, a group of musicians who refuse to let their disabilities be a barrier to success. Flame performs more than 70 times per year, touring the country in a custom bus. Flame has been featured on several television shows, including Good Morning America, and in publications such as People magazine. They have performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio; New York’s Apollo Theater; Harvard Law School; the Parthenon in Athens, Greece; and the 2009 Special Olympics. Lead singer Michelle King even sang at the funeral of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics.
Transitions is a program that prepares teens and young adults with autism and learning differences for college, careers and life. This demographic often needs extra preparation before they can live independently and achieve success in higher education and careers. To address that need, Transitions developed a curriculum crafted from evidence-based programs and grounded in internationally recognized approaches that will set students on the path toward success. The Transitions curriculum and learning environments are specially tailored to give all students equal opportunities to learn and thrive.
A Member of The Arc New York
The Arc Lexington is one of 35 local chapters of The Arc New York, the largest provider of supports and services for people intellectual and developmental disabilities in New York state. In addition to the programs The Arc Lexington offers in Fulton, Albany and Schoharie Counties, Chapters of The Arc New York collectively support more than 60,000 people with disabilities and their families in every county of the state, and employ more than 30,000 people in our shared mission to provide people with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities the ordinary and extraordinary opportunities of life.
As part of this larger statewide organization, The Arc Lexington is able to draw on a rich network of expertise and statewide resources to ensure the highest quality services for the people we serve, and to raise the unified voices our Chapter communities and nearly 100,000 members statewide to strengthen our advocacy efforts.
Founded by families more than 75 years ago, The Arc New York has driven transformation and progress in the lives of people with disabilities, fought and ended the abuses of institutionalization, and developed a robust system of community support that provides opportunity, dignity, and integration for people with disabilities. Together with The Arc Lexington and other Chapters across the state, The Arc New York continues to be an influential advocate for our system of care, and the rights and opportunities of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.