This week on Local Matters Westchester, we talk with Tibi Guzmán, CEO of The Arc Westchester, the county’s largest organization supporting people with developmental disabilities and their families. 

She explains her journey into this work, which was shaped by her own experience as the parent of a child with autism, and why that personal connection fuels her passion for the mission.

Guzmán shares how The Arc Westchester serves the community through programs that build independence and opportunity, from early intervention to adult housing and employment support. 

She also weighs in on federal budget decisions in Washington that could significantly impact people with disabilities, explaining what’s at stake for families and why advocacy matters.

Guzmán also pushes back against claims linking autism to vaccines, describing how it creates societally damaging stigmas for families already facing significant challenges.

Additionally, she spotlights the work being done at the Ann Manzi Center in Mount Kisco, which just marked a milestone with a ribbon-cutting following major renovations.