Conversations that Matter: Bringing women together to engage on substantive issues, to learn, and to share different perspectives
A Conversation with Wendy Belzberg and Melissa Dilmaghani,
Co-Founders, The Inclusive Initiative
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and no better time to bring awareness to a cause close to my heart. You may have seen an increasing number of businesses and stakeholders in our community integrating practices to better accommodate and understand neurodivergent individuals including those on the autism spectrum. What started as the Town of Bedford Neurodiversity Task Force led by Wendy Belzberg and Town Supervisor Ellen Calves eventually became the Inclusive Initiative co-founded by Wendy and Melissa Dilmaghani. Through ongoing trainings with businesses and other stakeholders in our community, these two women are helping change lives by ensuring our friends and neighbors with behaviors that may not be considered the norm are integrated and included in our community life.
We can all benefit from better understanding what it means to be neurodiverse and how we can support this community initiative. I hope you'll join us for this important and timely discussion. This is meant to be an informal and interactive conversation in a safe and intimate setting. Please bring your questions!
This is event is free but please RSVP using the form below. Small bites provided and beverages available for purchase at LMNOP.
About the Speakers
Wendy Belzberg was chairman of Bedford's Neurodiversity Task Force and co-founder of The Inclusive Initiative. Her goal is to destigmatize neurodivergence, embrace differences, and build a community where everyone feels understood and welcome. She has trained Bedford's Police Department, town Supervisor, department heads, EMTs, firefighters, and many local business owners to recognize and understand neurodivergent individuals. Her third child has developmental delays and lives in Katonah.
Belzberg spent the first decade of her career in broadcast journalism at ABC News, working with Ted Koppel and Peter Jennings. She went on to work in print journalism as a reporter and an editor before a five year stint as a syndicated advice columnist. A graduate of Barnard College, Belzberg returned to Columbia University and earned a masters degree in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. She brings the skills learned as a journalist and professional mediator to her neurodiversity inclusion work: leadership, urgency and empathy. Belzberg is also President of the Bedford Riding Lanes Association and former Chair of Bedford's Open Space Committee, where she remains a committee member.
Melissa Dilmaghani is fellow co-founder of The Inclusive Initiative, has co-owned a home furnishings business in her hometown of Katonah, NY, since 2013. She has been very active with The Katonah Chamber of Commerce since then, having served on the board for 5 years, namely as vice president and events committee chair. She has a neurodivergent family herself within the Katonah Lewisboro District and a background in working with economically disadvantaged children, many with developmental disabilities, as well as with disabled young adults. She was the first female in her family to receive a college degree, Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from Ithaca College. In addition to having studied several neurodiversity trainings as co-founder of The Inclusive Initiative, she is currently working towards her M.Ed. in Education Technology and Instructional Design. She has received professional certification in The Fundamentals of Neurodiversity from Florida State University and many other certifications relating to inclusive classrooms, special education, and Universal Design for Learning. She is able to connect her own personal and real-world experiences with autism and neurodiversity to her continuous studies to provide valuable guidance and support to the general community to strengthen their understanding and advocacy of neurodiversity.