"I am in awe of the quality vocational training and meaningful work opportunities that Spectrum Designs offers to young adults with special needs. As a parent of an adult with special needs, I am well aware of the need for more companies to make this a priority. I am honored to be a small piece of the puzzle that gets to work alongside the special people who have worked so hard to make Spectrum Designs such a big success."

Alyson is VP of Marketing & Digital Sales at WABC-TV. She has been in this position for the last 14 years, creating customized campaigns for advertisers. Prior to this role, Alyson was Sales Manager for the ABC Station Group’s west coast sales team, and had worked as a Local Account Executive at WABC-TV for 10 years before that position.

John Beyer, President of Men on the Move, a moving and storage company is serious about his work on behalf of Autism. He currently serves on the Boards of Spectrum Designs Foundation, as Treasurer and as Chairman of the Long Island Chapter of Autism Speaks. John was founding member of the David Center, an organization designed to help families affected by Autism. He assisted in running the Father’s Support Group for the organization. Additionally, John takes great pride at having served as a Parent Representative at C.S.E. (Committee on Special Education) meetings in school settings to assist and ensure that Special Needs children received the services they needed. Very generous with his time, John makes every effort to make a positive impact in the community and will always continue to do so. While building and operating a successful business, he has worked diligently to spread Autism awareness. Creatively, he utilizes his company vehicles as “billboards for awareness”, posting Autism content directly on the company vehicles and, donating moving and storage services to different Autism-related organizations.

“The mission of Spectrum makes it so easy for me to donate my time and talent. The dedication of the staff is unsurpassed. I find it incredibly heart-warming to see these disabled young men and women working in an environment where they are productive, happy, and have a sense of self-worth and purpose. One look at the smiles on their faces says it all! ”

Denise holds a Doctor of Education from St. John’s University, An MA of Science in Education from Fordham University, a MA in Education and a Bachelors in Business, both from Adelphi University. She brings a wealth of educational experience and knowledge to the Spectrum Designs Board. She has served as an Adjunct Professor, a college dean, a school principal, a classroom teacher and supervised student teachers, teaching at both the high school and college levels.

Denise shares her time and talent with Bethany House – holding leadership classes and serving on the Safe at Home Committee– “Bethany House is a composite of residential options for women and children who are caught in the crisis of homelessness, believing that each person deserves and needs adequate food, clothing, and shelter, provided in a nurturing and sustaining environment.”

Michael has participated in more than a thousand legal-technology-related projects, including some of the largest and most complex mergers, cross-border investigations, and intellectual property disputes. He serves the legal profession in the areas of forensic accounting, economic analysis, litigation data analytics, and electronic discovery. Michael has been an inventor and early adopter of state-of-the-art tools in the areas of electronically-stored-information (ESI) processing, hosted document review, hybrid analytics, and ESI production and was co-awarded two of the first patents for eDiscovery processing and ESI authentication. Prior to joining AlixPartners, he was CEO of Evidence Exchange, a New York–based eDiscovery provider, which he also cofounded. Michael previously served as the Vice Chair of the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee.

Dick Grafer is a retired partner of Arthur Andersen who is currently active as a community advocate, non-profit board member, volunteer and private financial consultant. He is also the sole owner of Pathway Investments, LLC, a social angel investment and consulting firm. Since his retirement from Andersen, Dick's mission and efforts have been to serve the under-privileged and most vulnerable in our society.

During his 28 year career at Arthur Andersen, Dick held several senior management positions, including director of its worldwide merger and acquisition assistance program and founder and head of its private equity practice, which ultimately became its transaction advisory services group. He also headed the largest assurance and business advisory division in Andersen’s New York Office and served many of the firm’s industrial and private equity clients as engagement and/or advisory partner.

Before joining Andersen, Dick spent several years in the U.S. Army Special Forces, in Government (Presidential Executive Interchange Program) and in the venture capital industry. He is a decorated (Bronze Star Medal) Vietnam Veteran.

Dick has been a volunteer for and/or member of the board of the following organizations: Family and Children’s Association (Vice Chairman), Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, Community Development Corporation of Long Island, Sustainable Long Island, The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Nassau County Audit Advisory Committee, Adelphi University Center for Social Innovation Advisory Board, the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance Investment Committee, St. Peter of Alcantara Church Mission and Social Ministry Advisory Boards, the Chaminade Alumni Assocation (Past President) and the NYU Business Forum. Dick is also a Trustee of The Grafer Foundation and Co-Executive of the Gloria Grafer Critical Needs Program, which helps individuals on LI survive or "step-up". Finally, Dick has been a volunteer tutor the past twelve years in Hempstead for young adults seeking their GED. For these and other volunteer activities, Dick received Newsday's “Everyday Hero” award in 2005 and Family and Children's Association's Humanitarian Award in 2012.

Dick has a BBA from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. He resides with his wife, Gloria, in Port Washington, New York and has three adult children, John, Paul and Lauren, and three grandchildren.

A Social Studies teacher for 13 years, Stella retired to work full time with her son Nicholas, who was diagnosed with Autism. She became an educational advocate, a Parent Member of the Committee for Special Education, and was President of the Parent Association for Special Education in the Manhasset Public School District for eight years. During her tenure as President, an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) based life skills program was developed in district. Her son Nicholas was the first graduate of the program in 2013.

In 2010 while trying to plan Nicholas’ future after high school, Stella’s husband, Paul Kitsos died suddenly. Stella decided to honor her husband’s life by founding the Nicholas Center and Spectrum Designs Foundation in Port Washington, NY.Together with her co-founders, Nicole Sugrue and Patrick Bardsley, they created the Nicholas Center and Spectrum Designs Foundation. The Nicholas Center offers life and vocational skill training, and supports employees and participants at Spectrum Design Enterprises.

Stella was inducted into the Town of North Hempstead, May W. Newburger Women’s Roll of Honor in 2013 – Honoring women who have made a contribution to their community, or have accomplished a significant achievement through public or private efforts. Stella is currently a member of the Town of North Hempstead Disability Advisory Committee established by North Hempstead Town Supervisor, Judi Bosworth.