About Us

About Whitbeck…

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Darrell leads Ability Partners Foundation and the three organizations under a passive parent corporation, Ability Partners, Inc. The three affiliates play critical roles in the economic well-being of the communities in which they operate, employing over 700 staff and serving 6,800 individuals and families in the Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes areas with a combined operating budget of $36 million, annually.                             

Before leading Ability Partners organizations, Darrell held various clinical and leadership roles within the agencies for over 20 years. Beginning his career as an Occupational Therapist in our Geneva preschool program, Darrell has specialized in serving individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities as well as those who have sustained Traumatic Brain Injuries. 

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"Ability Partners provide a lifetime of inclusive opportunities, ensuring that people of all abilities flourish within their communities. As its new President/CEO, I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself, share how excited I am to lead these extraordinary agencies and communicate our continued commitment to the Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes Regions," Darrell said.

Highlights from the past year:

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•  Ability Partners developed and implemented Strategic Plans around recruitment and retention, to address the workforce crisis that has gripped our field; as well as around Branding and Marketing as we seek to increase our community’s awareness of the Ability Partners name and the lifetime of services that are available through this affiliation.

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•  Dr. Li was recognized by the RBJ as this year’s Honoring Healthcare Heroes recipient for his work in specialized dentistry at CP Rochester's Family Dental Center.

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•  The RBJ recognized Ability Partners among their Power 100 List for the third consecutive year.

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•  Happiness House's preschool programs at the Golisano Autism Center expanded with the addition of UPK Programs through a collaboration with the Rochester City Schools.

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•  Rochester Rehabilitation's supported work program played a key role in providing medals for the 2023 FISU World University Games in Lake Placid.

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•  In response to the need of a local provider to close their clinic, Ability Partners developed a safe patient transfer plan to welcome over 500 patients into our mental health clinics, which included the addition of much needed child and adolescent mental health services.

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