CFDS Welcomes New Directors in Several Departments

We are pleased to welcome several outstanding leaders to the Center at the director level or above. Each brings a wealth of experience, fresh perspective, and a shared commitment to helping people get better at life and supporting our teams. Our new directors will play a critical role in shaping strategy, strengthening collaboration, and driving innovation across their respective areas. Their leadership will help us continue to grow, adapt, and deliver meaningful impact for the communities and partners we serve. Please join us in extending a warm welcome as they settle into their new roles. We look forward to the knowledge, energy, and vision they bring to our organization and to the important work ahead.

Christopher Schelin was recently promoted to Chief Operating Officer at the Center.

Chris joined the Center 26 years ago, at just 22 years old, shortly after earning his bachelor’s degree in Education from SUNY Cortland. What began simply as a way to “get a job” has since grown into a long and meaningful career dedicated to the Center’s mission.

He began his career as the Assistant Manager of Clover Patch Camp. Over the years, he has held a variety of roles across the organization. He spent 15 years in Residential Services, leading Home and Community-Based Services, and went on to serve the next decade as Director of Operations for Commercial Services. In that role, he oversaw the significant growth of the Center’s Print and Mail business, which provides competitive employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Chris also took advantage of the Center’s tuition reimbursement program to earn his master’s degree in Education (Counseling) from The College of Saint Rose.

“The diverse opportunities that the Center provides, along with the mission, gave me the motivation and chance to expand my role and impact at the Center,” Chris explained.

He shared that witnessing the Center’s impact, both big and small, on the people the Center supports and their families inspired him to continue developing his career here.

“On the busiest and most hectic days, being able to step back at the end and put into perspective why we do the work we do is redeeming,” Chris said. “With our work almost always involving a team effort, being able to unite to reach a shared goal of providing high-quality and impactful service is inspirational.”

As he steps into his new role as Chief Operating Officer, Chris says he is most looking forward to providing support, leadership, and opportunities for Center staff to grow.

“I am excited to improve current systems, remove barriers, find new solutions, and execute our strategic plan,” he said.

In Autumn 2025, Kristine Pelerin, CPHQ, was hired as the Center’s HIPAA and Privacy Officer.

Kristine joined the Center after a long and accomplished career across multiple healthcare settings. She began her career at MVP Healthcare, where she worked in quality improvement and actuarial analysis. In this role, she focused on improving the quality of care provided to patients while managing Joint Commission expectations for high-quality care, enhancing patient satisfaction, and containing costs.

After nearly 10 years in the hospital setting, Kristine transitioned into primary and specialty care clinics.

“I was motivated to work at a Federally Qualified Health Center to better serve those in need,” Kristine explained.

Her work at an FQHC marked a pivotal shift in her career toward the compliance side of healthcare, deepening her understanding of regulatory requirements, audits, and the management of fraud, waste, and abuse. She later spent six years at New York Oncology Hematology, where she helped build and strengthen the organization’s compliance, quality, and audit programs. She said this experience ultimately led her to the Center.

“My overall desire to continue expanding my knowledge in all aspects of healthcare, while serving people, has guided my career,” Kristine said. “Working at the Center brings a whole new inspiration and enrichment to my life and provides additional purpose to my work.”

Kristine shared that she is excited to lean into this new aspect of caring for people.

“The mission of everyone at the Center is what makes me proud to work here,” she added.

Olha Popova joined the Center this winter as Director of the Health Innovations Incubator & Technology Center.

Her background is rooted in experimental and applied physics. Olha earned her PhD with a focus on advanced materials and memory device systems for quantum computing, and later conducted fundamental research on materials for neuromorphic computing applications.

She has worked across multiple world-class R&D environments, including synchrotron facilities and national laboratories, where her day-to-day work involved solving complex, non‑standard problems, ranging from device behavior and materials performance to advanced instrumentation.

Over time, her role expanded beyond purely technical work to leading complex, multidisciplinary projects. Bridging gaps between different research fields, engineering teams, and real‑world applications became central to her work.

Olha says she was inspired to join the Center to have a more hands‑on impact. “What drew me to the Center was the opportunity to close that gap—to take deep technical knowledge and translate it into something that improves someone’s daily life in a very real, tangible way,” she explained.

She also shared that she is looking forward to building something that is both impactful and sustainable, where ideas are translated from early‑stage concepts into deployable solutions.

Olha is proud to be at the Center and excited about the opportunity to help build a structured, innovation‑driven environment, one that fosters collaboration and turns visions into solutions for real‑world problems.

“I’m proud that the work we do matters immediately,” Olha said. “My team and I are not working on abstract problems—we are addressing real needs, for real people, in real time. That creates a level of responsibility and purpose that is rare.”

Gary Benacquista is the new Director of Business Operations at Center Health Care.

Gary brings more than two decades of experience as a Director of Operations and General Manager across the hospitality and construction industries. Reflecting on his career, he shared, “I developed a reputation as someone who truly enjoys the challenges of change management, reorganization, and transforming organizational culture, always with a strong focus on people and the value they bring to the organization.”

Gary has been familiar with The Center for Disability Services for many years and even before joining the team had a strong understanding of its mission and the incredible work being done. He described discovering the role by saying, “When I learned of the Center Health Care Director of Business Operations position, it was as though every job I’ve ever had was preparing me for this role.”

He acknowledges that the healthcare industry is rapidly evolving, with regulations and technology continuing to change. Gary emphasizes the importance of Center Health Care building for the future while maintaining a commitment to providing exceptional care to those it serves. He shared that he is looking forward to growing and evolving alongside the organization with help of his team.

“I’m eager to help expand the range of services we offer—both to the people we currently serve and to the general public—while developing streamlined, efficient processes that make it easy for everyone to have a great experience at Center Health Care,” Gary said.

Over the past few months, Gary notes that he has found countless reasons to feel proud to work at Center Health Care. “Even on the hardest, busiest days, I see something that makes me feel incredibly proud and lucky to be a part of this organization,” he explained.

Emily Lawyer has been appointed the new Principal of Langan School in Albany and St. Margaret’s Center. While she officially joined the leadership team this spring, Emily is no stranger to the Center or its mission.

Her journey with the Center began in 1998 when she worked as a Teacher Assistant at St. Margaret’s Center. Since then, Emily has built an diverse career in education, serving in roles that include Teacher Assistant, Special Education Teacher (Pre-K–12), Assistant Director of Special Education, Certified Nursing Assistant, and Related Service Provider.

Emily also gained valuable leadership experience as a building principal in the City School District of Albany, further strengthening her commitment to inclusive, student-centered education.

“Each of these experiences has shaped my belief that every student deserves a safe and supportive environment where they can learn, grow, and reach their fullest potential,” Emily shared. “My motto is, ‘Every student is a story to be told,’ and I am proud to help guide our amazing staff as we support each student in what truly is their home away from home.”

In her new role, Emily is focused on building upon the strong foundation already in place and continuing the important work of supporting the students and residents served by the Center. She looks forward to expanding partnerships with families and the community, collaborating closely with colleagues, and working directly with students.

“I am excited to get to know each student and watch them grow and learn,” she said. “I take great pride in their accomplishments and look forward to celebrating their progress, because our students are the reason we are here every day.”

Emily shared that she is proud to be a member of the CFDS team, calling it “an honor to contribute to the mission each day.”

“Seeing the resilience, growth, and accomplishments of our students and residents is incredibly meaningful,” she added. “The joy our students show each day brings me joy as well and reminds me why this work is so important. It reflects the Center’s values of uplifting others, inspiring purpose, and continually innovating to improve lives.”