Project Areas

"Many people with disabilities lack opportunities to make and keep good relationships."
-Lyle O'Brien

Community Advisory Council

The Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) will assist the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities (FCIC) with improving and enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities by doing the following:

Serving in an advisory capacity to FCIC;
Assisting with the dissemination of information and resources;
Advising FCIC in development of public policy; and
Advising FCIC staff on project activities.

The CAC shall:

Consult with the FCIC staff on the development of a 5-year plan.
Review recommendations regarding the goals.
Help establish and maintain the long term vision of the FCIC.
Conduct satisfactory monitoring over the FCIC projects.
Share information and resources from the FCIC with their communities and constituencies.

Consumer Advisory Committee Members:

Chairperson: Amanda J. Baker, Self-advocate, Panama City.
Vice-Chairperson: Berthy De La Rosa- Aponte, Parent/Advocate, Cooper City.

Antoinette Hill, Director of Parent and Family Leadership , University of Miami-UCEDD.
Alex Brown: Self-advocate, Monticello.
Marion Jones: Supervisor, Northside Mental Health Center, Dover.
Debra Dowds: Executive Director, Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Tallahassee.
Denise Arnold: Bureau Chief of Community Development, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Tallahassee.
Selina O’Shannon: Senior Advocate, Florida Protection & Advocacy Center, Tampa.
Bill T. Palmer: Director, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Tallahassee.
Susan J. Redmon, RN: Consumer Representative and Parent Advocate, Children’s Medical Services, Quincy.
Denise Rusnak: Director, Broward County School Exceptional Student Education, Coral Springs.
John Satterwhite: Self-advocate, Tampa.
Charm Thometz: Parent/Advocate, Carrollwood.
Idelio Valdes: Self-advocate, Miami.
Pamela Wainwright: Parent/ Advocate, Tallahassee.
Evan C.J. Wainwright: Self-advocate, Tallahassee.

Interested in Serving on the FCIC CAC? There are currently no open seats on the CAC, but if you are interested in serving in the future, please contact us at: fcic@fmhi.usf.edu