YAI
Kristen Elkins brings 20 years of experience in the intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) field to her role of Chief Quality, Compliance and Ethics Officer at YAI, which she joined in January 2023. Previously, she served as Chief Operations Officer at Opengate, where she led the organization’s COVID-19 response and oversaw residential and day habilitation programming. Earlier, as Chief Compliance Officer, she developed and implemented compliance policies to meet state and federal regulations. Kristen's diverse background includes roles as a Direct Support Professional, investigator, internal auditor, and program administrator. She holds certifications in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) and Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC) from the Compliance Certification Board. Kristen earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminal Justice with a Forensic Psychology specialization from St. John’s University.
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YAI
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YAI was launched in February of 1957 out of a small school in Brooklyn, New York. Initially staffed by Co-Founders Bert MacLeech and Pearl Maze MacLeech alone, their pilot program served just seven people. According to Bert, from its very beginning YAI has been dedicated to providing innovative services for the I/DD (intellectual and/or developmental disabilities) community. MacLeech envisioned a “total life adjustment approach, emphasizing personal growth, social responsibility, employment goals, and the development of independence for the individual.” At a time when institutional living was the norm for people with I/DD, this vision was nothing short of revolutionary.