Leadership
Renee A. Filip
President & CEO
Welcome to Our Aspire Website!
We are proud to be celebrating 75 years of passionate commitment to serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities!
Our story begins with Sherwood Moss who was born in 1945. A year and a half after his birth his parents learned he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. At that time, there were no programs to support their son’s needs. They worked with the area Junior League and community leaders to garner support for their son. In September 1947, the Cerebral Palsy Association of Western New York was founded. After 75 years of growth, learning, advocacy, and a name change, we now provide a full scope of services for all diagnoses beginning with Early Intervention through palliative care – and all services in between.
We are proud of our beginnings. We are proud of the impact that we have been making with the individuals we support and our impact on our community. We are most proud of the impact each and every individual has made for themselves and those around them!
I invite you to browse our website. Feel free to ask questions. We want to be your resource for whatever it is you need. We look forward to serving the Western New York community for at least the next 75 years!
Stay well and be good to yourself!
Jennifer Ball
Chief Financial Officer
“We can learn to see each other and see ourselves in each other and recognize that human beings are more alike than we are unalike.”
– Maya Angelou
Maria Torgalski
Chief Operating Officer
“There is always a danger that we may just do the work for the sake of the work. This is where the respect and the devotion come in – That we do it to God. To Christ. And that is why we do it as beautifully as possible.”
– Mother Teresa
Melissa Roth
Chief Human Resources Officer
“Leaders don’t look for recognition from others, leaders look for others to recognize.”
– Simon Sinek
Jenna Astridge
Director of Agency Outreach and Central Intake
“Leadership is an active, living process. It is rooted in character, forged by experience, and communicated by example.”
– John Baldoni
Eric Barker
Vice President of Information Technology
“There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.”
– Mister Rogers
Mary Anne Coombe
Vice President of Day Habilitation Services
“Let your dreams be bigger than your fears, your actions louder than your words, and your faith stronger than your feeling.”
– M. Scott Peck
Martha Farewell
Vice President of Clinical Services
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, compassion, humor, and style.”
– Maya Angelou
Dawn Kaufman
Director of Finance
“You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things”
– Mother Teresa
Susan Mentecki
Vice President of Residential Opportunities
“The secret of leadership is simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow.”
– Seth Godin
Bob Pettit
VP of Quality / Corporate Compliance Officer
“All is well since all grows better.” – Andrew Carnegie
Carrie Spence
VP of Community & Independent living Supports
“Welcome the unexpected in life, learn to bend with grace, let yourself grow, be humble and never forget to look for the beauty change can bring”
– Anonymous
Cathy Voyer
Vice President of Educational Services
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He (she) is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan
Maria Torgalski
Chief Operating Officer
“There is always a danger that we may just do the work for the sake of the work. This is where the respect and the devotion come in – That we do it to God. To Christ. And that is why we do it as beautifully as possible.”
– Mother Teresa
Jennifer Ball
Chief Financial Officer
“We can learn to see each other and see ourselves in each other and recognize that human beings are more alike than we are unalike.”
– Maya Angelou
Melissa Roth
Chief Human Resources Officer
“Leaders don’t look for recognition from others, leaders look for others to recognize.”
– Simon Sinek
Jenna Astridge
Director of Agency Outreach and Central Intake
“Leadership is an active, living process. It is rooted in character, forged by experience, and communicated by example.”
– John Baldoni
Eric Barker
Vice President of Information Technology
“There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.”
– Mister Rogers
Mary Ann Coombe
Vice President of Day Habilitation Services
“Let your dreams be bigger than your fears, your actions louder than your words, and your faith stronger than your feeling.”
– M. Scott Peck
Martha Farewell
Vice President of Clinical Services
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, compassion, humor, and style.”
– Maya Angelou
Dawn Kaufman
Director of Finance
“You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things”
– Mother Teresa
Susan Mentecki
Vice President of Residential Opportunities
“The secret of leadership is simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow.”
– Seth Godin
Bob Pettit
VP of Quality / Corporate Compliance Officer
“All is well since all grows better.” – Andrew Carnegie
Carrie Spence
VP of Community & Independent living Supports
“Welcome the unexpected in life, learn to bend with grace, let yourself grow, be humble and never forget to look for the beauty change can bring”
– Anonymous
Cathy Voyer
Vice President of Educational Services
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He (she) is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan