Nurses play a vital role in assisting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to be healthy and safe while providing a wide range of services and support.
“We have a foundation where nurses are respected and supported,” said Sallyanne Burgess, Vice President of Operations. “It’s the essential piece of the puzzle.”
At Citizens Options Unlimited, nurses provide the highest-quality medical care, while also advocating for the people they support. Because some people may not be able to express their needs with words, nurses work hard to build trust and understanding. They stay in touch with families and care teams, offer self-care advice, and help coordinate appointments and follow-ups.
During National Nurses Week, from May 6 to 12, Citizens Options Unlimited celebrated the nurses who care for people in Residential Services and at Camp Loyaltown.
Read more about our talented nursing team:
Kathleen Charbonneau, RN and Assistant Nurse Manager at Camp Loyaltown
Kathleen has lived near Camp Loyaltown for many years and has been a nurse for 16 years. When she first learned about the camp, she looked into it and knew right away she wanted to work with the campers.
“When I got here the first year, I just kind of fell in love with it,” Kathleen said.
Before becoming a nurse, Kathleen worked as a teacher assistant and found her passion for helping children with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). She also volunteered with the Adaptive Sports Foundation at Windham Mountain Club and taught skiing to people with developmental disabilities and visual impairments. After nursing school and working in a hospital setting, Kathleen realized she wanted to focus her career on caring for people with IDD.
“If you listen and just concentrate, you get used to their body language, and you can almost connect their body language with what’s going on, whether it’s sadness or pain,” Kathleen said. “I think the listening, the visual, the patience, the taking time, and allowing them to make a connection and trust you all goes a long way.”
Laura Nagengast, RN at Shoreham ICF
Laura has spent 15 years working with the men and women at Shoreham. She became a nurse in 2000, inspired by the nurses who cared for her when she was a child.
“I always remember thinking I want to be one of the nurses that you can tell really care for their patients, to help people the way they helped me,” Laura said. “I always wanted to be the nurse who made patients feel comfortable and at peace.”
Growing up with family members who have IDD also inspired Laura and showed her the importance of advocacy. At Shoreham, she always brings kindness and compassion to her work, getting to know each person to give the best care. She believes that sharing a joke and some laughter helps everyone do their best.
Laura’s favorite part about working at Shoreham is the teamwork among staff. “Everybody just collaborates together to make the best day possible,” Laura said.
Marvin Morales, RN for IRAs
For over a year, Marvin has provided essential care to men and women residing at IRAs in Westbury, West Islip, and Glen Head. He became an LPN in 2019 and an RN in 2022, inspired by his strong interest in medicine, health and fitness, and anatomy and physiology.
At Citizens, Marvin enjoys being part of a team that advocates for the people he supports. His responsibilities include making sure everyone follows medical guidelines, watching for changes in health, working with healthcare providers and specialists, and staying in close contact with each person’s support network, including behavior intervention specialists, nutritionists, and Day Habilitation staff.
Marvin also appreciates the support Citizens provides to its team. “They really want to support you and help you grow,” he said.
Suzanne Gabler, Nurse Manager at Camp Loyaltown
Suzanne started her career in business after graduating high school at 16. Later, while caring for her father, he told her she was a natural caregiver. Inspired by his words, she decided to become a nurse.
Throughout her nursing career, Suzanne has worked with people with IDD and supervised nurses in residential settings. Since 2022, she has helped families give their loved ones memorable summers at Camp Loyaltown by making sure everyone stays healthy and safe.
“There’s no other place I’ve ever worked, and I have a long work history, that gives me the feeling camp gives me,” Suzanne said. “I call it my happy place, and it’s like my second family up here.”
Sara Buckley, LPN at Shoreham Intermediate Care Facility (ICF)
Sara, who started her career as a Direct Support Professional (DSP), has been providing compassionate care to the men and women who reside at Shoreham for 20 years.
“It was always my dream to go to school, stay here, and help take care of them more,” Sara said.
In 2010, Sara went back to school to become an LPN. Her training and experience have helped her truly understand the people she supports, allowing her to give the best care possible.
Ishri Prashad, RN for Individualized Residential Services (IRAs)
Ishri began his career with Citizens in 2013, working part-time at Helen Kaplan Center. Since then, he has transitioned to serving the men and women who reside at IRAs in Suffolk County.
Before becoming a nurse, Ishri worked as a DSP with people with IDD. After graduating from nursing school, his first job was also in a residential setting for people with IDD. His patience, empathy, and friendly attitude make him a great RN.
“You have to really understand what the big picture is in helping them obtain the best quality of life,” Ishri said.
What Ishri enjoys most about his job is getting to know the people he supports—their favorite foods, activities, and places to visit.
“Sometimes you feel like you’re part of their family in the house,” Ishri said.
Erica Price, RN for IRAs
Inspired by her work as a DSP between 2010 and 2016 for Citizens’ family of organizations, Erica enrolled in nursing school in 2022 and became a nurse in 2024.
“I remember enjoying my work as a DSP, working with this population and interacting with them, knowing that someone needed to advocate for them,” Erica said.
Erica now works as an RN for people supported by IRAs in Valley Stream, Cedarhurst, Lawrence, and West Hempstead. Along with providing health and medical care, she values the close relationships she has built with the people she supports.
“We’re like a family,” Erica said. “We hang out on birthdays and holidays sometimes. We talk. We have conversations. We discuss our likes and dislikes, even just little things, like movies we’re watching at the time.”
Elizabeth Delisca, LPN at Helen Kaplan Center ICF
Since 2017, Elizabeth has provided skilled nursing to people residing at ICFs. Elizabeth was inspired to become a nurse because she enjoyed helping and caring for people.
She wanted to take her work as a CNA, then an LPN, to the next level by working with the disability population.
“You are always there for them,” Elizabeth said. “They depend on you. They are not always able to tell you what’s wrong, so it’s you that must be able to notice what’s wrong through their verbal cues and facial expressions.”
The most essential skills in being an effective nurse, Elizabeth said, is being present and committed to patients.
“Whenever they want to talk to me, I sit there and hold their hand,” Elizabeth said. “I do whatever I can to make their life a little easier.”