Beth Gard

Beth is a parent, medium term LEND trainee. She is a mother of a 10-year-old with Down syndrome and two neurotypical children. She holdss a Master’s Degree in Biology from Duquesne University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Carlow College both located in Pittsburgh, PA. and is  currently serve as the President of the Board of Directors for the Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut (DS ACT), member of the Parent Leaders Roundtable of the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC) and will graduating from the Partners in Policymaking program which fosters leadership and advocacy skills in parents of and individuals with disabilities. In 2018, my family and I moved to Connecticut from Omaha, NE. While in Nebraska I began to see the challenges individuals with disabilities and their families faced in issues ranging from education to healthcare. As my son has gotten older, I have seen firsthand how important it is for parents to advocate for their children as well as the need for individuals with disabilities to advocate for themselves. Those personal experiences have led to me to seek ways of educating myself on the laws and systems impacting people with disabilities.