Helene Fallon, Class of '06

Helene Fallon and Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Education

Helene is a another very active Partners Grad!

In her "day job" Helene is the Training Coordinator for the Long Island Parent Center and also the Training Coordinator for the Long Island Advocacy Center.

And in her "spare" time??

Helene co-facilitates NYS Communities of Practice for Family, School and Community Collaboration. This COP includes many stakeholders including the NYS Education Department and works to support outcomes for children.

She is very involved in Communites of Practice and one of 14 Activity Leaders from around the country for the IDEA Partnership where she represents families. In this role she participated in the Office of Special Education Programs' Thought Leader Forum on Education from Cradle to College and Career in Washington DC last week. This workgroup included stakeholders from around the country and the results of this forum will be reported to the US Department of Education.

Since graduating from Partners in 2006, Helene started the Long Island chapter of the Learning Disabilities Association and she is their Executive Director and on LDA's statewide board.

She was also instrumental in starting the Long Island Community of Practice 3 years ago. The organization was started to bring the not-for-profit organizations of the region together to share resources and disseminate information about each others' events (they have a list-serv that goes to >15,000 people!) The organization also hosts Long Island Regional TRAID (for assistive technology) and hosts free, inclusive recreation events for children with disabilities and their families on the East End of Long Island.

Helene is also on the NYS Task Force for Higher Education and Systems Change working on teacher preparation especially in the area of including families in educational planning and implementation.

Helene teaches a class for graduate students at Long Island University called Schools, Collaboration and Consultation.

"I had had a number of trainings and experiences before I went to Partners,

but it is Partners that made me able to do the work that I do!"