Staff and Contact

Chief Disability Officer

Kim (she/her) has served as New York State’s first-ever Chief Disability Officer (CDO) since being appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul in February of 2022. Kim has been charged with advising the Governor and executive staff on policy and budgetary issues as they pertain to disability issues, serving as the state's Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator and chairing New York's Most Integrated Services Coordinating Council (MISCC), which is responsible for the state's Olmstead compliance. Kim also acts as the New York State lead related to the execution of Executive Order 31—signed by Governor Hochul in July 2023—focused on New York being a model employer for people with disabilities.

As CDO, Kim and her team spend a significant amount of their time meeting with advocates, and people with disabilities and their families, focusing on priority topics such as homecare, employment, housing, accessibility and transportation and collaborating with state agencies to reduce the silos that exist within the many existing service delivery systems in New York State. Through this work, Kim has championed the addition of Accessibility to the extensive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work being done within state agencies and offices — ensuring that the rights and experiences of people with disabilities are included in these efforts.

Kim lives with a C5-C6 cervical incomplete spinal cord injury resulting from an accident during her junior year in high school and has never let her disability have a negative impact on her attitude or achievements.

Prior to joining the Executive Chamber, Kim served in various disability-focused roles with the New York Assembly spanning 28 years.

Kim holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Utica College of Syracuse University (now Utica University) and resides in Latham, NY with her husband, Michael, and their children, Michaela and Alex.

Senior Executive Assistant

Kym (she/her) joined our team in April of 2022. She brings to our team over 20 years of secretarial and office management skills. Kym’s last career was with the Town of Colonie’s Building and Fire Services Department as the Zoning Board of Appeals Secretary. Kym’s role within the CDO office is a vital one. The CDO team relies on her for the scheduling and organization of countless meetings with agencies, legislative officials, organizations, stakeholders, and constituents, assuring a fully accessible platform for all to interact and contribute. Kym has assisted in the rejuvenation of the MISCC meetings, taken the lead on the first three annual DREAM symposiums and two recent ADA trainings, and so much more. Our accomplishments, our goals, our mission is something that Kym cherishes, and it shows in her smile. She is the first face you see when entering our office and she could not be prouder to be working with the CDO team.

Associate Director

Ben (he/him) is a Deaf Nepali-American with brown hair, brown eyes, and hearing aids. As an Associate Director, Ben works on policy initiatives, statewide accessibility in all forms, connecting to our communities and advocates, researching best practices and innovative changes across the country and world, and boosting cross-collaboration between state agencies.

Before joining the Chief Disability Office, Ben was a staff attorney for Disability Rights New York, where he worked alongside New Yorkers with disabilities on a wide range of issues. Ben has litigated in federal court for problems with physical access to a city, assisted people in achieving access to their workplaces, homes, and communities, helped a client change hospital intake procedures to better serve people with disabilities, and led trainings on advocacy best practices.

Prior to that role, he worked at South Col Engineering, where he helped develop a start-up minority owned civil engineering business into a successful enterprise. Ben earned his juris doctorate from Albany Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from the State University at Albany.

Associate Director

Holly (she/her), a lifelong upstate New Yorker, comes to the Chief Disability Office (CDO) after spending 27 years in the nonprofit human services sector. Prior to the CDO, Holly was employed by Schenectady-based Northeast Parent & Child Society (an affiliate of Northern Rivers Family of Services) in various direct support, clinical and leadership positions within the agency’s home and community-based services division, and then, with the Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL) headquartered in Utica, where she served in the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Communication and Impact.

Holly is proud to live her passion of engaging in human rights and disability rights efforts and initiatives, both personally and professionally, and believes through engaging in individual and systemic advocacy, providing education, increasing awareness, challenging stigmas and demonstrating kindness, that an integrated, accessible, equitable and inclusive society for all is possible.

While in college, Holly was diagnosed with her first of multiple mental health disabilities, however, due to experiencing internal shame and external judgment, she did not openly share her diagnoses—or identify as a member of the disability community—until almost 20 years later. She is honored to be a part of the New York State Chief Disability Office and Executive Chamber teams, and to have the opportunity each day to serve as a voice for people with disabilities.

Holly, who is a licensed master social worker, earned her bachelor’s in sociology from Union College and then went on to SUNY Albany, where she received her master’s in social work.

Executive Director, New York State Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Office

Chris was appointed on January 2, 2024 by Governor Kathleen Hochul to the role of Executive Director of the New York State Interagency Coordinating Council on Services to Persons who are Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing (IAC). The office has since been renamed to the New York State Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Office (The Office). The IAC is under the Office. Prior to working at the Office, Chris was the Associate Executive Director at Helen Keller National Center. Prior to that role, Chris was the Helen Keller National Center regional representative for New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and United States Virgin Islands. Prior to his twelve-year career at HKNC, he worked at Wisconsin School for the Deaf for thirteen years as a high school teacher.

Chris has been active in both Deaf and DeafBlind communities at local, state, national and international levels for about three decades. Currently, he is an executive board member of the World Federation of the DeafBlind and a board member of DeafBlind Citizens in Action. In the past, he served as officers or board members of organizations such as Southern Lakes Association of the Deaf, Wisconsin School for the Deaf Alumni Association, Wisconsin School for the Deaf Foundation, Wisconsin Association of the Deaf, Wisconsin DeafBlind Technical Assistance Program, American Association of the DeafBlind and World Federation of the DeafBlind. He has been involved at committee levels with several organizations such as National Association of the Deaf and DeafBlind International among others.

One of his proudest achievements was his leading role as the Vice President of the Wisconsin Association of the Deaf in passing the Wisconsin Sign Language Interpreter Licensure bill in 2010. This bill established the Sign Language Interpreter Council (of which he served on for two years prior to his move to New York). It also established a mechanism for licensing all sign language interpreters working for compensation in the state of Wisconsin.

Chris is a believer in servant leadership. He leads to serve the New York State Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing communities.

Chris identifies as a DeafBlind person now. Growing up, he identified as a Deaf person. After a diagnosis of Usher Syndrome at age 18, he underwent a 15-20 year journey transitioning his identify from a Deaf person to a DeafBlind person.

ASL Interpreter, NIC

Rachel (she/her) serves as the Staff Interpreter to the Executive Director of the NYS Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Office, Christopher Woodfill, and as the administrative assistant. Rachel is an advocate for communication access.

Rachel is Nationally Certified and has been a freelance interpreter since 2001, most recently working with Deaf professionals and in other environments such as Higher Education, Medical and Government. Rachel has been trained as a Legal Interpreter working in the NYS Courts and working with the DeafBlind community. Rachel has been an Interpreter in New York, Massachusetts and Vermont.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts in public communications from the University at Albany. A Capital District native, she lives in Sand Lake with her husband, Scott and her two children, Jack and Josie.

Inclusive Internship Coordinator

With over 35 years of experience working with and for individuals with disabilities, MaryBeth Schneider (she/her) currently serves on the NYS Chief Disability Officer's team and on the Career Development and Inclusion team at the NYS Department of Labor as the Inclusive Internship Coordinator. Her main focus is identifying internship opportunities within NYS agencies and qualified candidates with disabilities to intern.

While she has held several job titles, she gets the most satisfaction from helping someone find a job. She firmly believes that meaningful employment — as defined by the person — is a key contributor to overall health and happiness.

MaryBeth has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Texas State University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Sage Graduate School. She lives in the Albany, New York area with her husband Brian, their children Jack and Anni and their beloved dog, Duncan. When not at work or with family, you can usually find MaryBeth in the kitchen, her happy place!

MaryBeth often shares her favorite Irish quote “It’s in the shelter of each other that the people live” because to her it speaks to the importance of building community where all can flourish.

Olmstead Intern

Griffin is a graduate student at Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy who is currently serving as the Olmstead Intern at the Chief Disability Office. He is a passionate and diligent individual who wants to leverage public policy and government to generate a positive impact on people. Griffin received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University at Albany, SUNY, in May 2024.

Prior to his role at the CDO, Griffin worked as a Legislative Intern for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in Washington, DC, a Student Session Assistant and Legislative Assistant for NYS Senator John Mannion in Albany, NY, and a Marketing Specialist for Livingston Energy Group in Schenectady, NY.

He joined the CDO team in June 2024, and he is incredibly excited to be assisting in the development of the state's next Olmstead Plan. Griffin is now pursuing his Master of Public Administration, which he hopes to achieve by May 2025. After graduate school, Griffin aims to start a career in state government with the goal of serving his community and, most of all, helping people each and every day.

Email: [email protected]

Location: New York State Capitol
Room 245
Albany, NY 12224