THIS IS A FREE EVENT FOR ALL FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. However, registration is still required.

CEUs will be offered for this training. Licensed Social Workers, Licensed Nursing Home Administrators, and QIDP’s signing in and out on the day of the event are entitled to five (5) credits.  

CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS Participants canceling their registration 72 hours in advance will be entitled to a credit or refund, less a $50.00 administrative cost.  No refund or credit will be given for cancellation less than 72 hours before the seminar. 

Click here for the PDF registration form!

A B O U T    T H E    P R E S E N T E R S

Ronnie Cohn

Ronnie began her career around the time that the first class action lawsuit was initiated on behalf of people with developmental disabilities who were living in a deplorable institutional setting.  Her first job was as a direct support person in a classroom setting with people who had moved out of the institution, the Willowbrook State School.  For the next ten years she worked with Willowbrook class members in numerous positions and it was that experience that set her professional path for the next thirty years. Over the following five years Ronnie was the executive director of an advocacy agency in California and consultant to other states regarding developmental disabilities, special education and transition services.

When she returned to New York, Ronnie was hired as staff to the Special Master in the Willowbrook Case, the focus of which at that point had become closing that institution and developing capacity in the communities throughout NYS to meet the needs of those leaving Willowbrook.  When the Special Master’s office closed in 1993, following the signing of a Permanent Injunction in that case, she was named the Independent Evaluator for the Willowbrook Class. Ronnie still remains in that role, working cooperatively with the plaintiffs, defendants, families, class members, advocates, providers and others responsible for insuring that the members of the Willowbrook class receive and benefit by their court ordered entitlements. 

During this time Ronnie has also been consulting on eight other class action suits in six states: evaluating services in both institutional and community settings; assisting in transition planning; developing and implementing  protocols for compliance reviews;  training service coordinators; working with advocacy groups and quality assurance entities; developing systemic plans; and spending time with individuals who receive services to determine whether or not all of the efforts by consistently well-meaning professionals and others are actually benefiting those for whom we all work.

Brian Rubin, J.D. and Benjamin Rubin, J.D.

Attorney Brian Rubin, a former IRS Agent and former IRS Attorney, has been a practicing attorney since 1976, has been married to his wife Linda for the past 42 years, is the parent of three children (41, 38, and 34), one of whom, Mitchell, has Autism. Brian’s law practice, for nearly four decades, since 1982, when Mitchell was one year old, has been dedicated to serving the legal and future planning needs of his fellow Illinois families of children and adults with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and/or mental illness. Brian is the Immediate Past President (2017-2018) of the Special Needs Alliance, the national, non-profit, association of experienced special needs planning attorneys (membership is by invitation only), and is a Faculty Member and Text Book Author for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) on the topic of special needs legal and future planning, as well as a Speaker for the American Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association on those topics.

Benjamin (Benji) Rubin, Brian’s youngest son, Mitchell’s “little/big” brother, has been a member of the Law Firm since 2010. Benji graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law, Magna Cum Laude, received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, and his Graduate Law Degree, an LLM (Tax), with honors, also from Northwestern University. Benji is a member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners, a member, by invitation, of the Special Needs Alliance, is Chairman of the American Bar Association Special Needs Planning Committee, serves as the President of SIBS (Supporting Illinois Brothers and Sisters), the Illinois chapter of the national Sibling Leadership Network, and is the Treasurer of The Arc of Illinois Board. Having Mitchell as a brother profoundly shaped who Benji is today, and thus the type of law he chose to practice. 

Sherri Schneider

For more than 25 years, Sherri Schneider as founder of Family Benefit Solutions, Inc. has been tirelessly dedicated to helping individuals with special needs and their families. Her career began as a Case Manager in a Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) where she helped those with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses acquire the government benefits they so desperately needed, including SSI, Medicaid and food stamps. She was instrumental in creating one of the first Community Living Facility (CLF) facilities funded under a Medicaid waiver. Sherri now meets privately with families to thoroughly assess their individual situation and pursue the appropriate benefit assistance program(s), personally guiding them through the application process. Based on her vast experience, she has skillfully established and maintained open, productive relationships with government agencies involved in the decision-making process. Professionals find her in-service expertise to be invaluable as they navigate the government benefit process. Sherri is the President of The Arc of Illinois Board.

Allison Stark

Allison Stark, Director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities, DHS, has committed her entire career to serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Allison most recently served as the President and CEO of Orchard Village, a nonprofit in the North Chicagoland area providing an array of community based services to individuals with I/DD. Prior to her 12 years with Orchard Village, Allison was a Program Manager at Resources for Living in Evanston, and a Home & Community Based Services Waiver Case Manager for adult Care Management in Lafayette, Colorado. Allison holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Master's degree from the University of Chicago. 

Tasha Whiteside

Tasha Whiteside is Director of Illinois Operations for ACES$ Financial Management Services with responsibility for the payroll operations, enrollments and client care for over 3,000 consumers in the State of Illinois. Tasha has spent her career working with people with disabilities in a variety of functions and roles. Prior to joining ACES$ in March of 2014, Tasha spent six years with Ray Graham Association in administration, program enhancement and life skills development. She began her career in direct support and Residential Services and was named Residential Services Director of the Year while at Frances House. One of Tasha’s core strengths and beliefs is that community partnership is essential to all non-profits and she continues to improve the connectedness and outreach of ACES$. Tasha is a National Deans List graduate of Governors State University with a degree in Psychology and she volunteers for KABOOM Project and Special Olympics.