Hi. I’m Roberta Bernstein.
As an advocate for a family member with developmental disabilities (DD), I have decades of experience navigating the New York State DD services system. I know firsthand what it’s like to work within a byzantine structure mired in paperwork, staffed by underpaid and overworked employees, and dependent upon organizations jockeying for limited federal and state dollars.
I’m also a longtime editor and writer who has worked at and with publications and organizations ranging from USA Today and The Economic Hardship Reporting Project to Marie Claire and Advertising Age. (Learn more about my career here.) I’ve also taught at NYU and Syracuse University.
I created The Boost, a free Friday newsletter, to make the lives of professionals, advocates and family members easier. It shares carefully curated news articles featuring the most important DD news of the week, including articles on federal policy issues, public health, state initiatives, education, research, strategies for better living and so much more. It’s a one-stop roundup designed to give you the most critical tool you need right now: information.
I want to hear from you! Please reach out with comments, suggestions and questions, or just to introduce yourself.