Molly Adams

City/Town: Andover
Place of Employment: McDonalds
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Horseback riding
  2. Zen coloring books

I want to make a difference in the community by advocating for myself and people with Down syndrome by speaking and sharing things about my life.

My dreams and goals include:

  • Getting married and having kids
  • Becoming a better home cook by learning knife and other cooking skills
  • Stepping out of my comfort zone and becoming a better horseback rider

Ian Angles

City/Town: Andover
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. I like to watch movies.
  2. I like dancing and art.

As a council member, I enjoy seeing friends and making plans for fun stuff.

My dreams and goals are more college and having an apartment.

Michael Avakian

City/Town: Bedford
Place of Employment: Stop & Shop
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Go to the movies with friends
  2. Hang out with my brothers

I like to make friendships and bonds. As a Council member, I want to create opportunities for people to meet.

My dreams and goals include being the greatest artist on this planet like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci!

Kate Bartlett

City/Town: Arlington
Place of Employment: Aquent, a small staffing company in Boston
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Write
  2. Hang out with friends

I would like to inspire the world by helping to make our community to include people with Down syndrome and disabilities.

My dreams and goals include:

  • Becoming a famous writer
  • Being on Glee the TV show when it comes back on TV
  • I would like to continue to lose weight
  • Be move involved in my community to make a difference

Jillian Berube

City/Town: Westminster
Place of Employment: TJ Maxx
School: Mount Wachusett Community College
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Write lyrics
  2. Use the guitar

I want to make a difference as a member of the SAAC- I want to help younger families with advocating for their children to have inclusion.

My dreams and goals include:

  • To be a singer
  • To pass my HiSET
  • To get paid working with children
  • To help families advocate for inclusion in school

Graham Campbell

City/Town: Lexington
Place of Employment: Options in Belmont; Barbershop in Lexington
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. I play sports, all kinds, like basketball, soccer, tandem biking, and working out.
  2. I really like music. I play piano, and I sometimes go to the opera. I like singing in my chorus in the bass section.

I want to make a difference as a member of the SAAC- I want people to make a lot of friends!

Ashley DeNoble

 

City/Town: Newton
Place of Employment: Music at the Blissful, Jamaica Plain
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Dance and Sing
  2. Be Active: Walk and Workout

As a Council member, I would like to help plan fun activities for my friends and Self Advocates.

My dreams and goals include:

  • To keep eating healthy
  • Continue to work with kids, take care of kids
  • Walk a little faster
  • Be a good person

Philip Donahue

Philip Donahue was born on Christmas day, and is the youngest of 10 children. Philip began his education at the Lark’s Nest nursery school and then went on to Lowell public schools through the ninth grade. His high school education was at the Greater Lowell Vocational Technical High School in Tyngsboro, MA where his course was in Maintenance.

Philip has had a variety of jobs since his graduation from GLVTHS. His first job was for the James L. Cooney Insurance Company where he was a maintenance worker. He then went to work at the Courthouse Fitness Center on the cleaning staff. For 14 years now, he has been employed by Demoulas/Marketbasket grocery chain as a bagger and Customer Service Representative. He works five hours a day, five days per week.

Philip enjoys training for and going to the Special Olympics where he participates in track and the javelin. He serves as a Client Board Member of R.A.R.A. (Remarkable, Active, Resilient, Adults) and participates in many of their activities. He also serves on the Advisory Committee of the GLVTHS. He is a member of the Mill City Workout Center where he trains and works out three times per week.

Philip loves to watch old movies and wrestling on TV and anything to do with Harry Potter. He loves to email all of his brothers and sisters and Google everything on his computer. He also loves to spend time cleaning his room and arranging and re-arranging things.

John Dunleavy

City/Town: Winchester
Place of employment: Boston Bruins Foundation
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Be Team Manager for my high school football team
  2. Hang out with friends and family and cheer on all of our Boston sports teams!

I want to make a difference as a member of SAAC by creating more social opportunities.

Jennifer Guan

City/Town: Brookline
Place of Employment: Boston Children’s Hospital
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Travel around the world and spend time with family and friends.
  2. As a council member, I would like to contribute and join events.

My dreams and goals include:

  • Helping with the kids
  • Working at libraries
  • Resume working at Boston Children’s Hospital
  • Be brave, conscientious and smart

For me as a council member, I would like to contribute, support and make a difference for the people with DS. I also enjoy attending the SAAC events and spending time with the MDSC staff and other council members.

Peter Johnson

City/Town: Newton
Place of employment: O’Hara’s Food & Spirits
Three things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Watch WWE (Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment)
  2. Exercise
  3. Facebook

I want to make a difference as a member of the SAAC by speaking about the importance of special needs adults and how they make you feel.

Some of my dreams and goals include:

  • Have a child with Down syndrome
  • Be a MDSC speaker
  • Be a special guest in a WWE ring
  • Travel trained (to be on my own)

Ben Majewski

City/Town: Newton
Places of Employment: Mass General Hospital, O’Haras Restaurant, Boston Red Sox
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Check email and Facebook and play basketball
  2. Hang out with friends and housemates

I make a different in my community by doing a lot of volunteering. I help serve dinner at Rosie’s Place in the Back Bay.

My dreams and goals include marrying my girlfriend and raising a family.

Growing up with Down syndrome means that some people might look at you differently but you can still do a lot of the same things other people do. Sometimes you need extra help.

Chris May

My name is Chris May.  I passed the MCAS and graduated from Newton South High School in 2008. After High School I attended the Riverview School and the Cape Cod Community College for 2 years.  I am currently living at home, taking classes at the Mass Bay Community College for Web Design and working at the local Star Market three days a week. When I am not working or at school I enjoy taking pictures and playing tennis. I am a member of the Handi Racket tennis team. I started taking pictures for the Newton South Track, Football and Baseball teams when I was a sophomore in high school and have continued to enjoy taking pictures ever since.  I also like taking pictures of nature and people.

Tiffany Moore

City/Town: Ashby
Place(s) of Employment: South Street Elementary School (during school year) and Market Basket (during summer)
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Being healthy and eating healthier
  2. Swimming, basketball, movies and hanging out with my friends and respite worker

As a SAAC member, I’m working on advocating for myself and others with special needs. I’m also on my local Citizens Advisory Board (CAB) and a member of Mass Advocates Standing Strong (M.A.S.S.).

Felicia Patti

City/Town: North Reading
Place of Employment: Nan’s Restaurant
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1.  Dance
  2.  Go to acting classes

 I want to let people know that adults with Down syndrome are not little kids- they are adults just like them and want to be treated that way.

My dreams and goals include being an actress and some day getting a boyfriend and hopefully getting married and living on my own.

Ned Reichenbach

City/Town: Newton
Place of Employment: Johnnie’s Luncheonette
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1.  Play the drums
  2.  Play all different sports

I want to make the rights that people with disabilities are entitled to available to them. I want to speak up for people who cannot or have trouble speaking up for themselves.

My dreams and goals include being a special agent for the FBI.

Melissa Joy Reilly


Bio coming shortly 

Louis Sciuto

City/Town: North Andover
Places of Employment: TJMaxx and Market Basket
Two things I like to do in my free time:

  1. Watch movies
  2. Ride my bike

I want to make a difference as a member of the Council by helping others have fun!

My dreams and goals include having a girlfriend and getting married.

Ashley Wolfe

My name is Ashley Wolfe. I live on my own, and I do everything myself including taking care of my personal basic need to be practicing stress management skills. I love doing expressive, creative art work and poetry writing. In my free time I also like doing active exercising and cooking and eating organic/ soy food. I love doing relaxation and meditation techniques and socially connecting with other people (having social dates and going out).

What I do for work is important because of the field that I’m in and the type of research that I do: Participatory Action Research. I play a very important role from within the Institute for Community Inclusion where I work.  I like it because it is what I want to do. It is what I believe in- making better ways to improve the lives of all young people with ID/DD in the Commonwealth and doing cutting edge research and making outcomes for every person that has a ID/DD. To make a better world to live in.

I have many accomplishments. The ones that stand out the most for me was that I got the chance to win my very first ever National Arc Award in Denver, Colorado. When I was given this I was in shock but the feeling was truly amazing because I was the first person with a ID/DD to actually receive it. This was huge!  I was also presented with a Proclamation from the New York State Senate, starred in ‘Jewel’ with Farrah Fawcett, and starred in ‘Mr. Blue Sky’. You can click here to see a trailer of the movie Mr. Blue Sky.

I attended to a two year program at Lesley University called the Threshold Program and I was the second person with Down syndrome to graduate on time. I received a certificate in business services. I also attended Cortiva Muscular Institute for massage therapy for one year and got a certificate of completion. I graduated from there and have my own table and books.