AGAPE Central New York Family Support Specialist

michele@affcny.org | 607.272.0034

Michele began her work as a Family Support Specialist with the Coalition in both Cayuga and Cortland counties in April 2019.  As a foster and adoptive mother of the sweetest boy ever, she has been beyond grateful for the support her family has received from the Coalition. Her family had been a mainstay in the Tompkins County young children’s support group, but are now entering the tween years glad for all the resources available for learning about the adoptee’s process of developing their identity, especially in a transracial family.  The Coalition’s focus on anti–racist work is helping Michele understand the triggers our children can have in their schools. Michele enjoys speaking with teachers and other school personnel about how to best calm our students so they can learn and thrive. Professional trainings, colleagues and 2 years of homeschooling helped her develop a strong knowledge base in Trauma Responsive Schooling.   

Michele has been working as a nationally certified sign language interpreter since 1985. American Sign Language and the empowerment of Deaf people is one of her passions. Her first “family of choice” was working with the same group of D/deaf children from the ages of 5 – 18.  Throughout her career she deviated from interpreting and worked in human service agencies supporting people with addictions and people with developmental disabilities. Michele loves her work as an interpreter but also acknowledges the need to have her own voice, a chance to ask her own questions and give voice to her own knowledge and experiences.  

This desire to have more of “her own voice”, brought her to the Family Support Specialist position.  She enjoys leading the Cayuga County Support Group on the 2nd Tuesday of every month and teaching the Reframing Parenting class.  Most of all, it’s the phone calls from families that feel frantic or the family visits where research and personal experience can be shared that keeps her motivated.  Michele focuses on the families’ strength and all the things  that are going well and builds from research some simple steps to help families work smoother.  She has developed strong listening skills so don’t hesitate to reach out to her!! 

She and her family live down the street from a waterfall and they love to camp, bike, play games, and spend time with family and friends.  She has also been found at Silent Retreats a few times a year as an important part of her self care.  Let’s face it, raising our kids is hard and time away gives her space to come back with a sense of humor and allows her brain to remember all the tools she has up her sleeve!