Sylvia James-Miller

Founder, President and Executive Director

Hi everyone, and welcome.  After 16 years of marriage to a man with Asperger's Syndrome, I have spent the last 6 years as a less stressed single parent of 3 pretty terrific children.  My greatest treasures are my teenagers, aged 19, 17 and 15 years old.  My oldest is a full time student in college, and her brothers, both living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) spent four and a half amazing years at New Horizon Academy, a private school for children with Autism Spectrum and Related Disorders, before returning to Marion County Public Schools in the Fall of 2009.  

I volunteered as the Co-Chair for the Autism and Other Disabilities Workgroup (AODW), a Marion County Children's Alliance group for the over 3 years, working to improve the lives and futures of all children living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other disabilities in our area by bringing hope for the future to all parents, new experiences to our children and awareness to our entire community. While volunteering as AODW Co-chair, I created, secured funding for and coordinated the "Pilot Kids" Summer Program, enabling 105 children with varying disabilities to be fully included in regular summer camps alongside their non-disabled peers.  I spearheaded a team to compile a Disability Awareness packet for our school system that incorporates the Sunshine State Standards and serves as a tool in the Anti-Bullying program.  It was formally presented to school administrators and distributed to all elementary and middle schools in the Marion County Public School System.

As an ex-librarian and community member, I took an interest in the reading skills of our children and volunteered for a couple of years as an after-school reading tutor for children with Specific Learning Disabilities and an America Reads Florida Library Youth Summer Program Coordinator.  In the six years that my sons attended public school in Exceptional Student Education (ESE)  in New York City and Marion County, Florida, I was very actively involved as a volunteer and PTO member, serving on many committees as well as co-Chair (2002-2003) and Chair (2003-2004) of the Maplewood Elementary School Advisory Council (SAC) and member of the Superintendent's Advisory Council, ESE Parent Advisory Committee, Marion Area Transition Team and the Marion County Children's Alliance.  

I. am a 2002 graduate of the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council Partners in Policymaking Program, with PHPF being the result of my "Partners" project.  I am very concerned about the future of not just my children, but all of our children living with disabilities, and while I continue to educate myself about the options available to help them live productive and as independent a life as possible, I have taken a particular interest in post-school outcomes, supported living and supported employment. To that end, I established the Marion County Disability Alliance in January 2010, a start-up organization  formed to collaborate with local and surrounding providers in an effort to improve current programs and bring new programs to the area to help families secure services in a more proficient and effective manner and make the lives of our post-school youth and adults living with disabilities more meaningful and successful. In October 2010, I "passed the baton" to my AODW Co-Chair and accepted a Governor appointment to serve for four years on the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council (FDDC) where I am a member of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee, the Leadership and the Childhood Development and Education Task Force.  Also at the end of 2010,  I accepted an invitation to serve on the Constituency Board for the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) at the University of Florida, Gainesville.  

I am blessed to have become a friend and mentor to young adults and older adults with varying disabilities in our community, and in working with them have learned much about their needs and the challenges they face.  And so, while I did not use my degree in journalism to become the next "Danielle Steele", I thoroughly enjoy using this "gift" to present information to the public in my own personal down-to-earth style, in the hopes of making a difference through my writing, no matter how small, by  bringing  attention to these challenges and the changes that need to be made in order to guarantee the success of all people living with disabilities.  

I worked as a Parent Partner with the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at the University of Florida in Gainesville, from August 2003 to August 2010, providing support and training to families of children with ASD, as well as training and presentations to community members in and around the Marion County area, also serving as a liaison between the professional CARD staff, parents and provider agencies.  Prior to becoming a full-time CARD staff member, I also worked part-time as Supports and Services Facilitator for New Horizon Academy, and Visual Support Coordinator for Best Behavior where my responsibilities were to provide staff and family support and visual strategies.  This is also where I first received certification as a Behavior Assistant in 2006, a certification I still hold.  I currently work as a full-time Adult Day Training (ADT) Manager with Best Behavior supporting adults who have severe cognitive delay and varying developmental disabilities.  In this capacity I work one on one with each individual and their staff  to incorporate their life goals into the development of meaningful day activities that will teach them valuable life skills and improve their opportunities to lead productive lives. 

Other duties:  Web Master, Parent and Community Training, Visual Communication Strategies, Assistive Technology, Editor and Publisher -- 'The Fountain'.  

To contact me just click below