Season 3
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With Jackie Ceonzo
April 23, 2025
This is the episode where we say the quiet parts out loud.
Heather and Steve sit down with powerhouse advocate Jackie Ceonzo, founder of SNACK and co-founder of Families for Disability Rights, for a raw, fearless conversation about the side of parenting and disability advocacy that rarely gets airtime—but absolutely needs to… Read more…
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Nearly One Year of Unscripted Advocacy!
April 30, 2025
Pull up a virtual backstage chair—this episode is just Heather & Steve, nearly one year in the making. No guests, no scripts, just two advocates who refuse to let the conversation end at “cut.” We revisit our most powerful moments, unpack the “quiet parts” that echo long after the camera stops rolling, and give you the inside scoop on what’s coming next. Read more…
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Protecting Vulnerable Loved Ones with Guardian Watch AI
May 7, 2025
Today, as the perpetrator (Garnet Collins) is sentenced for his crimes, we release this episode to stand in solidarity with Anil and Shalini Babbar’s family and amplify their fight for justice and protection. Their journey from heartbreak to hope explains the development of Guardian Watch AI and how technology—combined with community involvement—can not only hold perpetrators accountable but also prevent future abuse.Impactful Quotes from the Parents Shalini Babbar: "To get a call from a strange number and shortly thereafter receive a video of my son's physical and sexual abuse has been by far the most devastating thing I've ever experienced. My son screaming in pain, howling in agony, saying he wants to call his mommy. Read more…
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Walk for Autism Acceptance
May 15, 2025
Join hosts Heather and Steve as they take Finding Common Ground on the road to Utica, New York for the annual Autism Walk. Despite drizzly skies, the energy was electric—over 50 resource tables, $150,000 raised, and hundreds of families, self‑advocates, service providers, and local leaders coming together in solidarity. Read more…
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Medicaid Musical Chairs
June 19, 2025
Today we’re with Karen Korotzer, CEO of ARC Oneida-Lewis At Finding Common Ground, CDPAP was a spark—but not the full story. That crisis reminded us how fragile our systems really are. What brought people to our platform wasn’t just one bad policy, it was the toxic mindset behind it, and the fear that mindset would spread. Families needed a safe space to process how it was affecting them. Together, we created that space—a community where people uplift one another, even if their views don’t always align, because we know how to find our common ground and honor where our values overlap. Read More…
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Nick Cappelletti’s Vision for a Better IDD System.
July 10, 2025
What happens when someone who lives the challenges of the IDD system also leads efforts to change it? You get a conversation like this:
In this powerful episode, Heather and Steve sit down with Nick Cappelletti, CEO of Life Plan and ACA—two organizations serving over 47,000 families across New York State. But Nick isn’t just an executive—he’s a dad who gets it. His personal connection to disability services brings a rare and refreshing blend of empathy, insight, and urgency to the table. Read More…
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Alexandra Fernandez’s Quest to Bring Her Twins Safely Home
July 17, 2025
In this powerful episode of Finding Common Ground with Heather & Steve, we sit down with Alexandra Fernandez, a devoted mother of 10-year-old twins with profound autism. Alexandra bravely shares what it’s like to care for children with such intensive needs—and what happens when the right supports simply don’t exist. Read more…
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With Craig & Sally Benoit
August 7, 2025
On this episode of Finding Common Ground with Heather and Steve, we talk with Craig and Sally Benoit, a remarkable couple who’ve fostered over 50 children and adopted 13 - each with their own story, needs, and quirks. From the first few minutes, you’ll feel their blend of grit and humor. Read more…
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With Larissa Martin
August 12, 2025
In this urgent and deeply personal episode of Finding Common Ground, Heather and Steve welcome Larissa Martin — a self-advocate who has relied on New York’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) for 17 years. Larissa’s voice is raw and real as she shares why this program has been her lifeline, how the rushed transition to Public Partnerships LLC (PPL) has shaken the system, and why now is the moment to speak up.
Over 70,000 people have already been forced into more expensive agency-based care. Read more…
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With Dawn O’Hara
August 21, 2025
What happens when families stop waiting for the system to fix itself - and start building what their loved ones need?
In this episode of Finding Common Ground, Heather and Steve sit down with Dawn O’Hara, a mother of two adult children with disabilities, to explore what it really takes to support independence, dignity, and inclusion. From leaving behind one system in Pennsylvania to navigating New York’s evolving landscape, Dawn shares what she’s learned and why she refuses to sit on the sidelines Read more…
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LaShona Johnson’s Roadmap for Families
August 28, 2025
What if an autism diagnosis wasn’t the end—but the spark that ignites a journey toward connection, advocacy, and growth?
In this deeply moving episode of Finding Common Ground, Heather and Steve welcome LaShona Johnson, whose dual roles as a parent and disability community advocate uniquely inform her insights. Together, they explore how LaShona’s experience raising her son with autism evolved into a mission—and ultimately, a guidebook—for others navigating the path ahead. Read more…
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With Kathleen Hayes
September 4, 2025
“It’s not a job, it’s a way of life.” Kathleen Hayes didn’t just take a position at the Neighborhood Center—she found her purpose. In this powerful episode of Finding Common Ground, we explore how one small organization in Utica, NY is reimagining what mental health and family support can look like when systems get out of the way and people are met where they are. Read more…