Caring for those in Need

50 for 50: Congratulations and Thank You, EP Magazine Advocate Heroes!

EP Magazine, formerly called Exceptional Parent, is celebrating its 50th anniversary of providing an award-winning forum for the disability community. With the recognition that it’s the advocates who have provided the landmark events in the disability rights movement, EP is proud to honor 50 Advocate Heroes and showcase their extraordinary work and achievements in the following pages. While we have all had the opportunity to learn from those giants and pioneers that came before us, we are honoring living advocates.

BY EP Staff | June 2021 | Category: 50th Anniversary Issue

50 for 50: Congratulations and Thank You, EP Magazine Advocate Heroes!

While it's safe to say that every parent of a child with complex disabilities is indeed an advocate, many of them have also distinguished themselves in advocating in a larger arena. Many of our showcased advocate heroes started out as parents, exceptional parents for sure. They combined their efforts in becoming teachers, therapists, counselors, lawyers, healthcare providers, researchers and activists. This special brand of advocates – along with all the others we honor – will always have a unique place in the disability movement, not only for what they have done, but also for those they have inspired.

On behalf of EP Magazine, its Editors, the EP Editorial Advisory Board, and a group of our peers in the disability field, we congratulate and thank our 50 Advocate Heroes for their tireless work in support of the special needs community. Our honorees will be featured in this and succeeding commemorative issues of EP Magazine.

LAUREN AGORATUS, M.A.

“Having my daughter changed my career path: I became an advocate because I was struggling with both the medical and educational systems that were supposed to be helping our family, and I didn’t want other parents to have to go through the same struggles we faced. Getting information makes families feel less helpless and hopeless. Also, parents of children with special needs may not have all the choices they had before and may not like all the choices. But they still have the power to decide what’s best for their children.”

Lauren Agoratus works as the State Coordinator for Family Voices, housed at SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (www.spanadvocacy.org). She volunteers as New Jersey representative for the Caregiver Action Network for caregivers across the lifespan. Ms. Agoratus says she is privileged to serve locally on the Boards of both NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Mercer, and the Progressive Center for Independent Living. Statewide, she has served on the SICC (State Interagency Coordinating Council) and SSEAC (State Special Education Advisory Council.)

Currently, she serves on the Council for Children with Disabilities, as well as NJ Immunization Network (AAP NJ), NJ Time to Care Coalition, PerformCare Parent Leader Workgroup, and SERV Behavioral Health. Nationally, she has served as a Family Advisor for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs National Research Network, National Quality Forum Pediatric Measures Steering Committee, National Child and Adolescent Health Measure Initiative, and Population Health for Children with Medical Complexity Project.

Ms. Agoratus serves on the National Institute of Child Health pediatric priorities panel, Center for Health Care Strategies Advisory Committee on Medicaid and Family Engagement, and the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities transplant committee. She has done presentations, as well as written articles and blogs for state/national publications, and is a reviewer for the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials, and Johns Hopkins University Press Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action.

All of these experiences have helped Ms. Agoratus get the best information out to empower families and advocate with them for systemic change. She is a parent of a medically-complex young adult.

 JAMES (JIM) T. BRETT

“Helping people with disabilities achieve a high quality of life is the most meaningful work I have done in my life. I am so fortunate to be able to take what I have learned over the years, from my family to the State House, the region, and Capitol Hill, and serve as an advocate on a national level. There are countless stories of individual assistance, research programs, and policy initiatives that I have worked to advance. I have seen much progress, but there is so much more we can do. The community needs voices. And I also believe that raising awareness about issues that impact people with disabilities has an even bigger impact on society than we can ever imagine.”

James T. Brett, President and Chief Executive Officer of The New England Council, was appointed by the Council's board of directors in October 1996. The Council, a nationally respected and influential regional organization, established in 1925, is an alliance of schools, hospitals, corporations, and other private organizations throughout New England, working together to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the region. Mr. Brett has been a leading voice in advocating for public policy issues such as healthcare, education, financial services and energy throughout New England and Washington, D.C. He is co-host of D.C. Dialogue, a monthly public affairs program broadcast on New England Cable News.

Formerly Chairman of the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, he currently serves as Chairman of the Governor’s Commission on Intellectual Disabilities, and serves as Chairman of Massachusetts Disabled Persons Protection Commission. Before joining the Council, Mr. Brett served for more than 15 years as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He held a succession of leadership positions, including the chairmanship of two of the most significant committees in the Massachusetts legislature, Banking and the Committee on Taxation.

In 2018, Mr. Brett was awarded with the Michael & Kitty Dukakis Lifetime Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health.  In 2014, he was inducted into Special Olympics of Massachusetts Hall of Fame. Also in 2014, the Disability Law Center bestowed upon him the Edward M. Kennedy Leadership Award. In 2013, The University of Massachusetts Boston established the James T. Brett Chair in Disability and Workforce Development, the nation’s only endowed Chair in this area. Mr. Brett is a recipient of 16 honorary degrees.

 JEAN CAMPBELL

“My personal journey in rare disease patient advocacy began in the early 1990s at the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), which provided an intense hands-on education about this unique and lesser-known community. Introduction to this community, along with its challenges and triumphs, compelled me to stick around. Now, even as a consultant, I am fortunate to continue to meet and work with resilient people with extraordinary experiences who are friends, mentors, and colleagues. The 30+ years with the rare disease community has been life-changing for me and my family; I am beyond blessed to have embarked on a career path that became a vocation.”

Jean Campbell served two decades with NORD in senior management positions, leading significant expansion of NORD’s programs, including the Corporate Council, Restricted Grant Program and the Regional Meet-ups. Currently, JF Campbell Consultants LLC is where Ms. Campbell imparts her patient advocacy and nonprofit governance expertise to industry and patient advocacy organizations. It’s all about building responsible and transparent relationships. Often referred to as “everyone’s mentor”, Ms. Campbell always makes time to speak with individuals from industry and patient advocacy organizations on a wide range of topics.

As a co-founder of the Professional Patient Advocates in Life Sciences (PPALS), Ms. Campbell is committed to meeting the ever-growing needs of the constantly evolving patient advocacy function within industry. She is a member of the Rare Collective and in addition to PPALS, serves on Board of Directors for Erdheim-Chester Disease Global Alliance and Our Odyssey. Somehow, she finds time to serve on MedunikCanada’s Advisory Board, EP Magazine’s Editorial Board, Sanford CoRDS’ External Advisory Board and acts as a judge for EveryLife’s Rare Artist Contest. A believer that her accomplishments have always been about connections and collaborations, Ms. Campbell credits surrounding herself with strong mentors like Abbey Meyers, Maria Hardin, Nancy Harris, Estelle Benson, Steve Groft, Rob Tomaino and David LaGreca. She is grateful for her longtime relationship with her colleagues who’ve been affiliated with EP: Joe Valenzano, Rick Rader, David Hirsch, Esther Schleifer and the beloved, late Max Schleifer.

When seeking some downtime, Ms. Campbell can be found with her two granddaughters, Madeline and Juliette, her daughters, Meredith and Liz, son-in-law Aaron, family, and friends. Rumor has it that she keeps up to date on local events with a special circle of friends at their long running Saturday breakfast gatherings, attends ballroom dance classes, and is an avid movie-goer! Ms. Campbell is forever grateful to Tom, her late husband, who never seemed to mind her crazy life of working with the rare disease community; in fact, he encouraged it.

HENRY (HANK) CHAMBERS, MD

“When we start medical school and advance through our careers as physicians, we are encouraged to be a “triple threat”: a great clinician, educator and researcher.  As I advanced through my career, it became apparent that one needed to be a “quadruple threat” by adding Advocacy. Those of us who care for children and adults with developmental disabilities are always aware of how underfunded care and research are for our patients. 

“I have been fortunate to work with hospitals and professional organizations whose interests align with mine and my patients. In that role, I have had the opportunity to lobby for our patients at a local, state and national level. With the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine and the Reaching for the Stars organization, we were able to meet with Representatives and Senators on Capitol Hill to obtain some funding for research in the field of cerebral palsy. This was a small victory, but energized us to continue working for legislation to increase awareness and ultimately funding for our very underserved population.”

Hank Chambers, MD, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, is currently the Director of the Southern Family Center for Cerebral Palsy Program at Rady Children’s Hospital. He is also the Medical Director of the David H. Sutherland MD Motion Analysis Laboratory. Dr. Chambers was the Chief of Staff at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego from 2004 to 2006. He is active nationally in many organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is a Past President of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine and is also the Past President of PRiSM, a pediatric sports medicine research society which he co-founded. He has published over 120 publications and has authored over 30 book chapters.

He has been fortunate to have been the Visiting Professor at over 100 institutions throughout the world, and has been recognized as one of the Top Doctors in San Diego, Best Doctors in America, Top Doctors in the US News and World Report and Who’s Who in America and in the World

His wife, Jill, is active in many local and national patient advocacy groups and is a healing touch provider at Rady Children’s Hospital. His son, Sean (38), who has cerebral palsy, is currently living independently (with support) in San Diego and his other son, Reid (37) is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH.

 STEVEN M. (STEVE) EIDELMAN, MSW, NBA

“My personal journey started in graduate school when I was fortunate to have a one-year placement at the John F. Kennedy Institute for Handicapped Children (now the Kennedy-Krieger Institute) in Baltimore, one of the first University Centers of Excellence. I saw firsthand how our systems all too often disadvantage children with disabilities and their families, making it harder for them to thrive.  It stirred my sense of social justice that has kept me moving forward for over 40 years.

“Advocacy for people with disabilities has greatly improved the services and supports that are available. As people with disabilities continue to take their rightful places in our communities, advocacy is as important as it ever was; maybe more so.”

Steven Eidelman is The H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Human Services Policy and Leadership in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and a Professor in the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration at The University of Delaware. He is also the Faculty Director and co-founder of the National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities, a program designed to enhance the effectiveness of the next generation of professional leaders in the field of delivery of services and supports in the community. He has experienced, firsthand, the power of advocacy by families and, increasingly, by people with disabilities themselves.  As a state director of developmental disabilities, he oversaw the implementation of early intervention services for children birth to three years as an entitlement program.  He was the official in charge when the infamous Pennhurst State School was closed.

Prof. Eidelman’s professional interests include community-based and inclusive supports to people with intellectual disabilities and their families, development of professional leadership in the intellectual/developmental disabilities field, and research on international policy and practice particularly in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. He also teaches undergraduate students about public policy as it impacts children and their families, as well as graduate students focused on building more competent and engaged leaders. In 2015, Prof. Eidelman was selected, for a second time, to receive the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities’ Leadership Award; Prof. Eidelman is only the second two-time Leadership Award recipient in over 100 years.

Prof. Eidelman was an Executive Director of The Arc of the United States. He is a Past President of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. In addition, he has been an Expert Witness – Federal Court Case – Ligas v. Miram, Illinois and provided Expert Opinion for Birchut, Civil Rights of People with Disabilities in Israel.  He also serves as Senior Advisor to the Chairman of Special Olympics International and as the Executive Director of the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation where he works on issues related to improving the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

 Temple Grandin, Ph.D.

“We need to look at what a child can do instead of always concentrating on the things they cannot do. Build on a child's area of strength.

“To determine what your child is good at, they need to be exposed to many different things. My mother always encouraged my ability in art. She always urged me to paint and draw a variety of different subjects.”

Temple Grandin is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University. When she was two-and-a-half years old, she had no speech and all the symptoms of severe autism. Early intensive speech therapy enabled her to speak by age four. Her mother always encouraged her interest in art and urged her to draw many different things. Good teachers and mentors were essential for Dr. Grandin’s success. Her high school science teacher challenged her with interesting projects where she had to figure out how to make things work. When studying in school became a pathway to becoming a scientist, she was motivated to study.

Dr. Grandin earned her B.A. in human psychology from Franklin Pierce College, and her M.S. in animal science from Arizona State University. Her doctoral degree in animal science is from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dr. Grandin was inducted into The National Women’s Hall of Fame and The Academy of Arts and Sciences. Facilities she has designed handle over half the cattle in the U.S. Some of her most important books are New York Times Bestseller Animals in Translation, Thinking in Pictures, The Autistic Brain, and The Way I See It. An HBO movie titled Temple Grandin was made about her life. 

Judith  E. (Judy) Heumann

“I have spent much of my life advocating with and on behalf of disabled children and adults. Having had my disability when I was 18 months old, I learned from my parents that unless we were strong advocates, the biases, low expectations and ultimate discrimination would result in limited opportunities.

“Advocacy means learning, power and knowledge. Advocacy means endurance, learning to be strategic, to recognize that you are not alone and that collaboration effects change. Long-term change does not happen overnight; for me advocacy is a lifelong adventure.”

Judith (Judy) Heumann is a lifelong advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. She contracted polio in 1949 in Brooklyn, New York and began to use a wheelchair for her mobility. She was denied the right to attend school because she was considered a "fire hazard" at the age of five. Her parents played a strong role in fighting for her rights as a child, but Ms. Heumann soon determined that she, working in collaboration with other disabled people, had to play an advocacy role due to continuous discrimination. 

Ms. Heumann has been instrumental in the development and implementation of legislation, such as Section 504, the Individuals with Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which have been advancing the inclusion of disabled people in the US and around the world and fighting to end discrimination against all those with disabilities. During his presidency, President Obama appointed Ms. Heumann as the first Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State, where she served from 2010-2017. She also served as the World Bank’s first Adviser on Disability and Development from 2002 to 2006.

Ms. Heumann is an internationally-recognized leader in the disability rights community. Her memoir which she co-authored is titled Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist. She is featured in Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, a 2020 American award-winning documentary film. She also produces a podcast called The Heumann Perspective. She has been featured in numerous documentaries, including on the history of the disability rights movement, Lives Worth Living and The Power of 504. As Senior Fellow at the Ford Foundation (2017-2019), she wrote Road Map for Inclusion: Changing the Face of Disability in Media. She currently serves on a number of non-profit boards, including the American Association of People with Disabilities and the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.

Ms. Heumann has received numerous awards, including being the first recipient of the Henry B. Betts Award in recognition of efforts to significantly improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and the Max Starkloff Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Council on Independent Living. She has been awarded numerous honorary doctorates. She graduated from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY in 1969 and received her Master’s in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley in 1975. 

General James L. Jones, USMC (Ret.)

“As parents of a severely disabled young lady who is approaching the age of 50, we have spent much of our time counting the blessings that our daughter, Jennifer, has brought to our family. She has taught us many things, but her gift of compassion to us and to her three brothers and their families stands out from all others.

“As a Marine, it was my privilege to advocate for assistance to Marine families who had children with disabilities, so that they wouldn’t have to choose between the welfare of their families and their careers. We were also able to help Marines who sustained disabilities while on active duty so that they could be retained rather than be separated. We accomplished this through a much-needed retraining program which gave new hope to our injured Marines and contributed greatly to our readiness.”  

“General James L. Jones is the father of three sons and one daughter with a profound disability. Together with his wife, Diane, the couple experienced firsthand the daunting, challenging task of parenting a child with special needs…Parenting a child with special needs and three other children gives clearer meaning to the phrase Exceptional Parent, and the General and Mrs. Jones have certainly earned that distinction. Overlay this with the duties and responsibilities of life in the military, with frequent deployments, separations and relocations, and you begin to appreciate the extraordinary challenges faced by our men and women in the military, many of whom are parents of special needs children. With a vested interest in programs for persons with disabilities, General Jones and Diane have been champions for the cause of special needs for Marines and other service members and their families…As First Lady of the Marine Corps, Diane Jones was especially concerned about Marines whose family members were part of the Exceptional Family Member Program. She helped to create the Marine Corps Family Readiness Committee as a voice and advocate for all the family and volunteer programs. She fostered a Committee for Persons with Disabilities comprised of family, base and community representatives on every major Marine Corps base." (Source: “Meet the Joneses”, EP Magazine, July 2002)

General Jones was appointed by President Barack Obama as National Security Advisor to the President on January 20, 2009. During his tenure in the White House, General Jones served as a trusted Presidential advisor, represented the President as an envoy to American allies and partners, provided steady leadership during times of conflict, and oversaw an expansion of responsibilities of the National Security Council to include cyber security, homeland security, and strategic foresight.

General Jones came to the White House from the private sector, where he served as the President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy. General Jones retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in February 2007 after a distinguished 40-year career. From July 1999 to January 2003, General Jones served as the 32nd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. He served as Commander of all NATO forces.

Upon leaving the White House in 2010, General Jones founded Jones Group International, assisting clients in matters of energy security, national and international security, market access and trade promotion, and strategic leadership. General Jones graduated from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. 

Steven P. (Steve) Perlman, DDS, MScD, DHL (Hon)

“I’ve been privileged to have devoted much of my career to the education and training of fellow healthcare professionals in the treatment of children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities. For over 45 years, I have heard countless stories and experiences shared by my patients, their families and caregivers of how they were denied equitable healthcare. Having the opportunity to advocate for changing the beliefs, attitudes and knowledge of students and professionals has been a blessing I have been fortunate to experience.”

Dr. Steven Perlman is a Clinical Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine. For the over 45 years, he has devoted much of his private practice, as well as his teaching, to the treatment of children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. He is the founder of the Healthy Athlete program for Special Olympics and co-founder of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry. He is the recipient of many National and International Humanitarian and other awards related to his work in advocacy, policy and education.

A past president of the Academy of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities, the Massachusetts Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD), Dr. Perlman is also a Fellow of the Academy of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities, and the American College of Dentists, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Special Care Dentistry. He is co-founder and past president of the AADMD, and in 2005 and 2006, he served as an advisor to the President’s Committee for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities.

In 1993, Dr. Perlman founded Special Olympics Special Smiles, an oral health initiative for the athletes of Special Olympics International. It now has over 200 events each year, taking place in every state in the United States and in over 100 countries. He currently serves as their Senior Global Clinical Advisor. In 2008, in Shanghai, China, Special Olympics honored Dr. Perlman with a special Lifetime Global Leadership Award in promoting human dignity. He was the first dentist in Massachusetts to receive the Exceptional Physician Award. He is a Distinguished Alumnus of the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, and the first graduate in the history of the Dental School to also be recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of Boston University. 

Jo Ann Simons

“Advocacy means standing up against injustice and exclusion wherever it occurs. It means joining with other marginalized groups to make sure that people with disabilities are included in all social justice initiatives. It means that making sure that whenever the word ‘inclusion’ is used, it includes people with disabilities.”

Jo Ann Simons, MSW, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Northeast Arc, a not-for-profit organization that helps children and adults with disabilities become full participants in the community. Ms. Simons came to the Northeast Arc from Cardinal Cushing Centers where she served as President & CEO since 2008. This was a return to the Northeast Arc for her who, early in her career, served as the organization's Director of the Community Division and Director of Family Educational Services. During this time, she started the first Family Support Program in the state and one of the first in the country.

Ms. Simons has had a successful career working with a variety of agencies focused on serving people with developmental disabilities. After her first stint at the Northeast Arc, she went on to serve as the Director of Policy for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services, The Deputy Facility Director of the Fernald Development Center, and Executive Director of the Arc of East Middlesex, before leading Cardinal Cushing Centers in their master plan to create intergenerational communities on both the Hanover and Braintree campuses. She is a past chair of the National Down Syndrome Society, past president of the National Down Syndrome Congress, and a consultant to Special Olympics. She is the author of the Down Syndrome Transition Handbook, and Footprints for the Future. She also contributed chapters to the books, Babies with Down Syndrome and Treating the Dental Patient with a Developmental Disorder.

Ms. Simons has two adult children: Jonathan, who has Down syndrome and lives independently in his own home and has a life filled with meaningful paid work, important volunteer activities, and many leisure pursuits. Emily is a litigator.

Ms. Simons received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Studies from Wheaton College and a Masters of Social Work degree in Policy, Planning, and Community Organization from the University of Connecticut. 

Timothy P. (TIM) Shriver, Ph.D.

“Advocacy for people with disabilities has evolved from a niche cause to a global movement where people hold each other accountable. Just ten years ago, it was common to hear the R-word used as a slur. In the past 30 years, the Americans with Disabilities Act has leveled the playing field for people of all ages across the country. As we celebrate the 100th birthday of my mother and the founder of Special Olympics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, it is more clear than ever that inclusion for people with disabilities matters to everyone. Students, teachers, employers, policymakers, and people in communities across the US are demanding inclusion, proving that one idea, one grain of sand, can move mountains.”

Timothy P. Shriver has served as the Chairman of Special Olympics International since 1996. He currently serves alongside more than 6-million Special Olympics athletes and their families in over 195 countries around the world. During Dr. Shriver’s time as Chairman, Special Olympics has developed proven programming for all aspects of a Special Olympics athlete’s life: leadership, health, education, and family support. His commitment to inclusion is evident by Special Olympics athletes serving on the International Board of Directors, hundreds of thousands of health professionals trained in adaptive healthcare protocols, partnerships with organizations like the World Health Organization, United Nations, and the Unified Champion Schools Program creating a Unified Generation in which all people are included and accepted regardless of intellectual differences.

Dr. Shriver drove the largest expansion of Special Olympics, growing the movement from one million athletes to over 6-million athletes and unified partners that are leading the Inclusion Revolution around the world. He has harnessed the power of Hollywood to challenge unconscious bias and share stories of inspiration, co-producing DreamWorks Studios’ 1997 release, Amistad, and Disney Studios’ 2000 release, The Loretta Claiborne Story. He is Executive Producer of The Ringer, a Farrelly Brothers film.

Before joining Special Olympics, Dr. Shriver co-founded and currently chairs the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). He is a member of the editorial board of the Disability and Health Journal. Shriver is the Co-Founder of UNITE, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, President of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation, UNESCO Chair for “Transforming the Lives of People with Disabilities, their Families and Communities, Through Physical Education, Sport, Recreation and Fitness” at the Institute of Technology, Tralee, Ireland, and Co-Founder of Lovin’ Scoopful Ice Cream Company.

Dr. Shriver earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University, a master’s degree in Religion and Religious Education from Catholic University, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Connecticut. He and his wife Linda Potter live in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC and they are the proud parents of five adult children and grandparents of three grandchildren.  

H. Barry Waldman, DDS, MPH, PhD

“There have been more than 60 years of writing and advocating for the healthcare of individuals with disabilities, together with providing the needed services and instituting the requirements for all dental and dental hygiene schools in the U.S. to prepare the next generations of students with the needed training to care for individuals with disabilities. They have filled my life with joys and satisfaction (and yes, hugs too) of being part of the changes that now recognize that the young and not so young with disabilities live in our world and we can help them fulfill their lives.” 

Dr. H. Barry Waldman is a State University of New York Distinguished Teaching Professor at the School of Dental Medicine of Stony Brook University. Early in his career, he taught at Western Reserve University and directed programs to bring dental services to homebound patients in the metropolitan Cleveland Ohio area. For more than 50 years, he has taught more than 10,000 students at Stony Brook University in the Departments of Sociology, Nursing, Medicine, Health Technology and related health and social programs. He has been active for more than 60 years in a wide range of dental and general medical fields; and continues on in his career. 

Dr. Waldman received numerous government and agencies for individuals with disabilities awards to enhance his formal training in the care of children and adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. His training in public health, medical care organization, and related fields led to Board Certification in Public Health Dentistry and a doctoral degree in Medical Care Organization.

Since the mid-60s, Dr. Waldman has published 1,200 articles and book chapters, including more than 400 items related to the care of individuals with disabilities in regional, national and international publications.

High points in his career include: his leading role to establish dental and dental hygiene school accreditation requirements to provide all students with experiences in the care of individuals with disabilities; and expand the American Dental Association Code of Ethics to include the care of individuals with disabilities. 

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