Who We Are

We are a team of enthusiastic, persistent, and creative professionals who partner with you and your team to build, grow, and sustain the life you want to live.

Belonging

Connection

Purpose

Excellence

Allison Kleinman, LCSW, Founder & CEO

Allison Kleinman is the Founder and CEO of Future Centered Care, a customized case management company providing services to adults with developmental disabilities and their families for now and into the future. She has been working since 2009 as a professional and advocate for people with I/DD and mental health challenges and their families. She is focused on and dedicated to improving employment, housing, and future care options for this community.

Allison is also the founding director of The Jack and Shirley Silver Center for Special Needs at the Marlene Meyerson JCC in Manhattan, where her connection and commitment to this population began. Allison’s approach has been to develop individualized paths for all people to connect to community and realize a sense of belonging. She is inspired by the incredible parent partners, self-advocates and champions in this field and understands the need for collaboration and persistence to improve outcomes and affect change for the future.

Prior to working with adults with developmental disabilities, she managed a resource center and worked in organizational development at JFNA. Allison received a B.S. in psychology from the University of Florida and a master's degree in clinical social work from Fordham University. She received her license in clinical social work because of her individual and group work with adults with autism and other developmental disabilities who were experiencing challenges with transitions and/or mental health issues.

Allison is on the board of The Butler Endowment Committee, Autism Communities, Partners4Housing, and Felicity House, organizations that share her passion for improving the lives of individuals with I/DD.

Alex LoPinto, LCSW

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH

Alex has been working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities professionally for over 10 years. Alex studied Psychology and Disability Studies at Hofstra University before attending the Columbia School of Social Work. Her first year placement was at SelfHelp working 1:1 with Holocaust Survivors in the home. Her second year placement led her to the Jack and Shirley Silver Center for Special Needs at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan where she worked for 6 years conducting intake assessments, facilitating support groups, directing social programs and connecting families with necessary resources and referrals.

Alex has also worked in the healthcare technology space working at both Unite Us and Cedar as Implementation Managers, training social workers and care coordinators on using tools to streamline referral and billing processes. In addition, Alex spent time at Spectrum Services working on their team of clinicians as a therapist with adults on the Autism Spectrum. She was also an adjunct professor at the Stony Brook School of Social Welfare where she taught a class on disability work in clinical settings. Alex is passionate about ensuring supportive services and programs are accessible to those who need them and prides herself on being a convener and connector of people and resources.

Liza Freed, LMSW

DIRECTOR OF CASE MANAGEMENT

Liza Freed is a Social Worker passionate about promoting meaningful and dignified social and professional experiences for people with I/DD. She has experience working with neurodiverse individuals at Invictus Bakery, which provides hands-on vocational training for people with ASD, as well as at Relationspot,a matchmaking service for people on the spectrum. She also worked at the Institute for the Development of Human Arts, a nonprofit committed to advancing a transformative, trauma-informed mental health system.

Liza also worked at Repair the World, a nonprofit focused on promoting civic engagement within Jewish life, where she facilitated hundreds of community-based volunteer, social, and educational programs, and supervised their service corps members based in NYC. Liza was recognized for her achievements in this role in 2019 when she was chosen as one of New York's 36 under 36 Jewish changemakers "facing challenging times with empathy, optimism and innovation."

Liza is a strong advocate for disability justice and is committed to empowering her clients to be self-advocates. She takes a strengths-based approach when working with her clients, and prioritizes seeking care that allows people of all abilities to live dignified, meaningful, and joyful lives.

Nuzhat Sadique, MBA

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Nuzhat Sadique holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology as well as a Master of Business Administration in Operations Management. For the past decade, she has accumulated experience working in healthcare, starting in managing high-risk OBGYN patients at Weill Cornell Medicine. She then moved to the infertility space, advocating for the right of all people to have access to infertility services. In addition to working in hospitals, clinics, and infertility benefits to advocate for her patients, Nuzhat also has culminated experience in the mental health space. Specifically, she partnered with Modality, Inc., a mental health, AI-based service that takes the lived experience of paraprofessionals and transforms them into a legitimate business, to assist with operations and client success management.

Nuzhat's professional career has always centered around one main aspect - helping the underprivileged and those in need. Her experience in high-risk OBGYN and infertility centered around removing the stigma of women asking for help regarding their reproductive system so that they could build the family of their dreams. She hopes to continue helping those in need and making an impactful change in their lives.

Nuzhat resides in Queens, is a proud cat mom to a beautiful rescue named Winston Bishop (Winnie), is an avid reader and writer, and travels at least once every two months to achieve her goal of visiting every country in the world.

Laura Galbraith, LMSW

SENIOR CASE MANAGER

Laura’s career as a social worker spans two decades of diverse work with children and families. Growing up, she watched her aunt navigate services for her disabled daughter - fast forward  years later and Laura found herself in the same role with her child.  Bringing both professional and parent perspectives to her work, she brings a passion for problem solving and advocacy through a strengths based lens.   

Laura’s approach is grounded in tenacious pursuit of efficiency in service delivery.   And, she celebrates small victories in the face of larger challenges faced by families who care for an ID/DD loved one.  As a connector within the disability community, her approach is informed by lessons learned from the advocacy community.  Areas of interest include self-care for caretakers/service providers; social entrepreneurship; post traumatic growth; and the intersectionality of race, gender, and multiple diagnoses among the ID/DD community.  

Laura graduated with an MSW from the University of Michigan School of Social Work. In addition to her deep social work experience, Laura previously founded an athletic wear sales business and enjoys merging that experience with her advocacy approach. 

She resides in Westchester with her two young children, lively therapy dog, and foster cat.

Emily Miller

SENIOR CASE MANAGER

Emily Miller holds a Bachelor's degree in Human Services and has over 12 years in the field working with children, teens, and adults with disabilities. While residing in Chicago, Emily founded "Emily In-Home Support Service," a specialized service aimed at empowering adults with disabilities in developing independence and social skills. In her most recent role at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, Emily created CORE, a program for young adults to connect, engage, and grow together.

Emily's drive, individuality and expertise uniquely position her to support individuals within the non-speaking community, those with Autism, and young adults with limited mobility. She is thrilled to bring her years of experience to Future Centered Care as a Senior Case Manager, where she hopes to help others cultivate meaningful and positive lifestyles. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two rescue dogs and three rescue cats, cooking, and exercising.

Ryan Finger

SENIOR CASE MANAGER

For the past 20 years Ryan has worked with and supported individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in New York State. The values of inclusion and accessibility are Ryan's motivation. Ryan spent the last 12 years as Director of Supported Employment programs at JobPath, a NYC not-for-profit that aids jobseekers with I/DD and their families to obtain and maintain competitive employment. At JobPath, Ryan supervised a team of employment counselors and job coaches, where he created and negotiated jobs based on their talents using a customized approach matching their strengths to business needs.

Prior to his tenure at JobPath, Ryan was a Residential manager at Ulster Greene ARC. Responsible for a 24/7 staffed home for 11 men with I/DD and a neighboring supported apartment program in Saugerties, NY. A regular speaker and presenter at I/DD conferences, Ryan has led panels and trainings at: NYC Consortium for Customized Employment, New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation, New York State Association for Community and Residential Agencies, and at the Customized Employment Learning Institute.

His hobbies include making music and snowboarding in Vermont. You can otherwise find him cooking with his wife and teaching his dog, Everly, new tricks.

Seth Ginsburg

CASE MANAGER

Seth has worked in the field of mental health advocacy for 7 years.  Through his work with supported employment programs at Job Path, he helped people with I/DD enter the workforce through customized job placements, based on their unique skills and personal interests.  

Seth also worked with Center for Family Support, where he supported individuals in self direction programs to participate more meaningfully in their communities by learning independent living skills, volunteering, and making peer connections. 

Seth studied Sociology at the University of Vermont, and continued his education through OPWDD's Eleversity Innovations curriculum, which offers comprehensive training in vocational support services for people with I/DD.  Seth also completed the Partners in Policymaking course through Yang Tan Institute at Cornell, which offered guidelines for long term service planning for people and their families.

Seth believes everyone has a meaningful contribution to make, and should have the opportunity to live a robust and exciting life.  He is proud to call himself an advocate. 

Kelsey Michaels, OTD, OTR/L, ASDCS

CASE MANAGER

Kelsey Michaels is an experienced occupational therapist who believes in the power of autonomy. Kelsey has spent the last eight years working full-time in a large hospital setting, in the New York metropolitan area. In her spare time, she enjoys providing part-time home care services in northern Westchester County. Kelsey has worked with clients with a vast number of diagnoses and promotes therapeutic use of self in order to create substantial and long-lasting relationships to bridge the gap throughout all milestones of life. With her client-centered approach, Kelsey strives to facilitate independence and fruitful opportunities for individuals of all ages to lead meaningful and self-sufficient lives.

Kelsey's experience working in healthcare has fueled her passion to restore, rebuild and enhance her clients' everyday lives by fostering client- driven goals and overcoming community-based barriers.

Kelsey graduated from Gannon University with her doctorate degree in occupational therapy and is currently a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist within her field.

When not working with our clients, Kelsey can be found outdoors with her family and two dogs.

Marissa Skinner

CASE MANAGER

Marissa's experience working with individuals with ID/DD spans over the past five years as a Behavioral Therapist. Her work is rooted in a client-centered, trauma informed approach which considers the unique life experiences of her clients to provide the highest quality care. Marissa received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida.

Marissa's experience working within client advocacy grounds her belief that continued education is the key to providing quality care. She consistently is exploring emerging research to further develop her skill set to provide the most effective support for her clients.

Marissa's passions center around creating inclusive spaces for neurodivergent voices to be empowered. Her diverse professional background has given her extensive experience building trusting and meaningful relationships with the individuals and families she serves. Marissa believes in creating a life with her clients that leads to passion and fulfillment.

Tanasia Brown, MPA

CASE MANAGER

Tanasia started her career in social services eight years ago providing case management in preventative care. During her tenure, she dedicated herself to delivering comprehensive behavioral health and educational services to support children, adults, and families in NYC communities. She then transitioned to working with formerly chronically homeless individuals who have backgrounds of mental illness and/or substance use disorder. While working with this population, she supported their transition to independent and supportive living.

She believes in the power of community and the importance of providing comprehensive support to individuals and families. She utilizes a strength-based approach, focusing on empowerment and building upon an individual's existing capabilities. Tanasia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and her Master’s in Public Administration. Her vision for the future involves creating more integrated care that addresses the root causes of social issues and promotes long-term well-being.

Kathryn Mannle, LMSW

CASE MANAGER

Individualized support and advocacy for people with IDD has been a focus of Kathryn’s work for the past ten years in various roles and settings. Originally from Long Beach, NY, Kathryn obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from Boston College, majoring in Applied Psychology and Human Development with a minor in Special Education. In both New York and Massachusetts, Kathryn worked as a community-based and in-home care aide for multiple individuals with IDD and their families.

Kathryn earned her MSW from Silberman School of Social Work in 2024, where she gained experience working at Children’s Academy NYC and Goodwill NY/NJ as a counselor and educator for individuals with IDD of all ages. As a social worker, she has provided individual and group counseling, taught classes focused on building social/relational skills, vocational skills, and transition goals, and worked within Supported and Customized employment programs. Most recently, Kathryn has been providing support services as a Sexuality and Disability specialist at Inclusive Sexology. Kathryn is committed to providing and advocating for her clients’ ability to access strengths-based, person-centered services that are meaningful and creative.

Christine Hurley, PA-C

CASE MANAGER

Christine is a native New Yorker who first had the privilege of caring for individuals with disabilities while volunteering at the Mid-Hudson Valley Camp. She has over 10 years of experience working with children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families in multiple settings. After graduating with her bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences, she pursued postbaccalaureate studies in neuroscience with a focus in developmental disabilities.

Christine graduated from CUNY York College with a Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and completed the LEND fellowship (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) at Rose F. Kennedy Children's Evaluation & Rehabilitation Center at Montefiore. Most recently, she has worked as a PA at a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic where she collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to address the needs of children with developmental disabilities and their families.

Christine values collaborative and holistic care and is eager to support individuals and their families at Future Centered Care. In her spare time, she loves to read, swim, and travel. 

Stephanie Martinez, MPH

ASSOCIATE CASE MANAGER

Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Public Health from Columbia University, where she specialized in population health with a focus on child, youth, and family health. Her commitment to providing opportunities to people of all backgrounds and abilities inspired her to join FCC, where she leverages research and client-centered strategies to support individuals in achieving their goals.

Stephanie’s case management journey began as a Behavioral Health Case Manager for an emergency humanitarian organization in New York City. This role provided her with extensive experience in crisis response, community building, trauma-informed care, client advocacy and more. Concurrently, she contributed to the NYC Pandemic Response Institute, working within the Racial Equity branch to develop equitable emergency response strategies for future pandemics. Additionally, Stephanie has a background in clinical research, having coordinated clinical trials for dermatology patients with resistance to FDA-approved treatments.

Stephanie lives in Manhattan with her boyfriend and dog (Cocker Spaniel x Sharpei mix). During her free time, Stephanie enjoys discovering new coffee shops, attending music festivals, listening to podcasts, reading in outdoor settings, and eating her way through NYC.

Alex Katchadurian

ADVISOR

Alex Katchadurian has served as an Advisor to Future Centered Care since its inception in 2022. He has experience in venture capital, private equity, and corporate strategy that he leverages to help the business. Alex is very passionate about Future Centered Care's mission to provide services to adults with developmental disabilities and their families for now and into the future.

Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Amherst College and currently is an Investment Associate for Belzberg & Co., a family-backed merchant bank. At Belzberg & Co., Alex is responsible for helping underwrite new investment opportunities, execute transactions and manage portfolio assets. Prior to joining Belzberg & Co., Alex served as an Analyst at Hildene Capital Management, a distressed structured credit hedge fund, and as a Corporate Development Summer Associate for Take Two Interactive Software, a leading video game developer and publisher.

Alex resides in Manhattan with his girlfriend, Emily. He loves to spend time outdoors skiing, hiking, and working out, with his family and friends, and is an avid reader/gamer.

Meet our Coaches

Johnny Leitera

Johnny Leitera has been working with people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities for almost 30 years, including children, adults, and facilitating group sessions. He has been deeply involved with the JCC Adaptations Program where he currently runs a Men's Group focusing on emotions, dating, and social interaction. He assists his personal clients with everything from social planning to doctor appointments/medications, and acts as a liaison between the client and parents to facilitate communication and growth. He is an avid home cook, and also a musician who tours regularly with his band Tuff Sunshine.

Luke Fox

Luke began volunteering with the Special Olympics when he was fourteen years old and has been working with individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities for over ten years. He has provided home, community, and job support to children, teens, and adults. He enjoys spending time in nature, playing music, reading, and being active.

David Williams

Born and raised in Louisville, KY, David Williams is an artist and writer who has been working with individuals on the spectrum since 2009. After spending some time as a barista, film programmer, and live-in nanny for the family of a nonverbal child in Chicago, David finally settled down in Brooklyn in 2021. Since joining Future Centered Care as a Coach in 2023, David has quickly become a valued member of the team — using his lifelong commitment to art, compassion, and expression to create a welcoming and warm space for everyone to live a full life.

Erin McMahon

Erin McMahon has been working with neurodivergent individuals since 2016, and joined Future Centered Care in the spring of 2024. As a board-certified health and wellness coach, Erin has collaborated with leading behavior change startups and organizations, including Noom, Inflow, and Reframe. She finds her greatest joy in building personal relationships with clients, witnessing their step-by-step progress, and offering steadfast support throughout their journey. Erin’s coaching philosophy centers on connection, growth, and celebrating each unique path to success. When she's not coaching, Erin enjoys acting and writing, and is often involved with theatre and sketch comedy shows in NYC.

Caroline Guilfoyle

Caroline Guilfoyle has been integrated with the Intellectual/Developmentally Disabled (I/DD) community for her entire life and has nurtured it into a career for herself. Her younger sister is a member of the I/DD community, so Caroline was raised with a sense of patience and a love that accepts all for who they are. Caroline has spent her entire life supporting and advocating for her sister. This life experience is how Caroline knew that she wanted her work to be oriented around supporting and advocating for others with similar stories to her sister’s.

After graduating from the University of Vermont in 2021, Caroline began her career as a Personal Care Assistant, assisting an I/DD adult. Three years later, she is still passionate about her work and is excited that she can do what she loves and practice it every day. Caroline brings a high level of empathy and understanding to her work, so she can ensure that those under her care can feel safe, heard, and express themselves without any judgment.

In her free time, Caroline loves spending time in the park, either reading or working on her current craft project

Caleb Nichols

Caleb has spent many years working and collaborating with people of various backgrounds. He was born and raised in Missouri, but has spent most of his life outside of the middle of the country, having lived in New York City and France, working as a self-employed wedding photographer with his wife of over 17 years. His experience during the COVID-19 pandemic afforded him the opportunity to shift careers, giving him the push to finally pursue his lifelong love of psychology. He went back to school as a thirty-something and graduated from Hunter College with a degree in psychology in 2023. His passions lie in working directly with others and is excited by the opportunity to work with and support people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in this role

Consultants

Becca Lory Hector

Becca Lory Hector is an openly Autistic Professional on a mission to close the disability gap in leadership by working with companies to attract and retain disabled talent. Becca was diagnosed autistic as an adult and has since become a dedicated autism and neurodiversity advocate, researcher, consultant, speaker, and author. Her work includes neurodiversity and disability consulting, public speaking, writing and editing, and Autistic Quality of Life research. See Becca’s website here.

Thank you to Becca for her partnership and collaboration in editing and reviewing our website!

Abby Shuster

Abby Shuster is a New York City based visual designer currently completing her Masters degree in communications design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Her experience as a designer spans across visual system design, branding, digital and print design, art direction, illustration and animation. She is passionate about creative communication, utilizing her keen eye for style as a way to articulate and elevate her clients’ identities. Prior to returning to the academic world, Abby worked as an art director at Digitas Health. See Abby’s website here.

Abby worked with FCC to establish a brand identity and logo, as well as design and build this website. All illustrations and photographs are Abby’s original work.

Mindful Pathways Empowerment Coaching

Future Centered Care has been consulting with and leveraging the expertise of Mindful Pathways Empowerment Coaching to develop and implement DEI initiatives.  Mindful Pathways Empowerment Coaching empowers individuals and teams to build resilience, mindfulness, and confidence through coaching and workshops focused on DEI, workplace wellness, and employee engagement. See here for their website and LinkedIn. 

A Letter from Allison Kleinman, LCSW

Since 2009, I have been dedicated to helping individuals with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities (IDD) build, rebuild, and sustain a meaningful life. Central to this mission has been understanding what quality resources currently exist and more so, what still needs to be developed and changed to adequately support and integrate a growing and aging population and their families.

Once individuals turn 21, they lose the education, programming, services, and funding they received under the IDEA. They and/or their parents/caretakers are left to navigate a complicated system of ongoing services to rebuild their child’s support network and life. Services are often fragmented and difficult to obtain, even for lifelong users who have a good understanding of the system…

  • More so, over the last decade, I have seen minimal improvement in solutions for future care. As adults and their parents/caretakers age, it is necessary to develop a plan and team of support for when they are no longer able and/or around to navigate and manage their child’s care.

    Adults have an array of challenges (i.e. developmental, mental health, substance abuse, behavioral) and programs and residential opportunities are not equipped to care for people with this combination of needs. The magnitude of this particular problem is only increasing as people with I/DD live longer, seek to live more independently, and self-direct their services.

    As a result, parents are consumed with the emotional and administrative stress of managing it all while anxiously asking themselves, “Who will be there when I’m gone?” This is the inspiration for building FCC, a sustainable company that can proactively address this overwhelming, sleep-stealing challenge.

    At FCC, we are focused on The Who. We come to this work through a lens of community building and belonging. At our core, we want to know the adult client and their family, their history and values, and work to develop a shared, collaborative and documented vision for the future. We are focused on cultivating a support network for each client and proactively coordinating care as it needs to evolve. We are here to help you build, rebuild, and sustain a good life. We serve as a concierge in matching you with the right social and recreational programs, volunteer and employment opportunities, friends, and romantic partners, and provide the support to nurture and sustain these connections. We partner with experts to support clients in maximizing and managing their state and federal benefits, as well as their self-direction budget. We are here to think about housing with you, connect you to what exists, and to plan together in creating new opportunities. When you work with FCC, you are joining a collective of other families in similar situations. You are part of a larger network of parents, adults, siblings, and professionals working toward building new opportunities to create a future of choice, community, and sustainability for adults with developmental disabilities.