On September 9, 2025, longtime self-advocate and disability rights activist BJ Stasio was honored by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals Conference at the Buffalo Convention Center. BJ, who serves as a representative on the Person Centered Services Member Advisory Board, was given the 2025 Hingsburger Humanitarian Award, which celebrates individuals whose lives reflect a deep commitment to justice, inclusion, and the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
BJ Stasio is the former President of the Board of Directors of the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State (SANYS), a position to which he was elected by his fellow self-advocates and peers around New York. He has also been employed by OPWDD for over 20 years, working on person-centered planning, voting issues, and self-determination training and education. Additionally, he has served on the board of the National Federation for Just Communities of Western New York, the Disability History Museum Board, and has a non-profit organization, Buffalo Racin’, focused on getting people with disabilities involved in 5K races.
We are proud of BJ’s longstanding contributions to Person Centered Services and his passionate advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across our state and country!
