Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Status of Persons with Disabilities Jan 26th, 2026

Key Moments

  • Rachel Stanton — Rachel Stanton is called during roll call and marked present.
  • Rachel Stanton — Chris turns the discussion over to Rachel Stanton, who then introduces herself and explains her role at the State Treasurer's Office, including her accessibility work.
  • Kathy Pekouskis — Kathy Pekouskis is first noted as present during roll call, then credited with starting the subcommittee’s inspirational quote tradition, and finally introduces herself as a commissioner who also works for ForHealth Consulting.
  • Jesse Berks Abbott — Jesse Berks Abbott is marked present in roll call.
  • Osmondihar — Name appears in roll call; spelling is uncertain.
  • Chris White — Chris White is first listed in roll call and then introduces himself, identifying as the vice chair of the commission and president/CEO of Road to Responsibility.
  • Carl Richardson — Carl Richardson is listed in roll call.
  • Carl Richardson — Carl Richardson was invited to speak after he was initially missed on screen, then introduced himself as the State House ADA coordinator. He explained that his role is to ensure program services and activities at the Massachusetts State House are accessible to people of all abilities, and he identified himself as deaf-blind with dual sensory loss.
  • Nancy Garcozy — Nancy Garcozy is listed in roll call; spelling is uncertain.
  • Rachel Caprilyan — Rachel Caprilyan is called during roll call; spelling is uncertain.
  • Lexi Cimanchic — Lexi Cimanchic is called during roll call; spelling is uncertain.
  • Dina — Dina is addressed as part of the upcoming presentation.
  • Katia — Katia is addressed as part of the upcoming presentation.
  • Jossie Berks Abbott — Rachel Stanton hands the floor to Jossie Berks Abbott, who then introduces herself as co-chair of the subcommittee with Rachel and notes her affiliation with Boston Children's Hospital's LEND program.
  • Rachel Caprillion / Rachel Capralian — Introduced herself as the new member of the commission and said she previously served as Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development.
  • Rachel Capralian — Rachel said Triangle, Inc. was founded in 1971 to help people with disabilities get jobs and shared that she is the parent of a neurodiverse 22-year-old who is working and doing well.
  • Katya Alpanis — Katya Alpanis introduced herself as project director for the State Exchange on Employment and Disability and described her background in disability employment policy.
  • Dina Klumkina — Dina Klumkina introduced herself as policy lead for Seed and described her experience working with policymakers at multiple levels.
  • Dina Klumkina — Dina began outlining Seed's seven core policy areas and the kinds of employment policies states can adopt.
  • Ronald Mariano — The House is referenced as one of the appointing authorities receiving annual reports.
  • Karen Spilka — The Senate president is referenced as one of the appointing authorities receiving annual reports.
  • Josh Cutler — Identified as a Massachusetts representative who participated in the national task force and helped create the Work Matters framework.
  • David LeBoeuf — No direct mention; transcript appears to refer to Representative Denise Garlick, who is not in the provided member list. Marked as questionable because the name is uncertain.
  • Joanne Comerford — The Committee on Family, Aging, and Disability is referenced as a legislative committee with which leadership has met; no specific member named, so this is an institutional reference only.