Director of the Westchester County Office for People with Disabilities
Evan Latainer has served as the Director of the Westchester County Office for People with Disabilities for more than 20 years. Evan’s commitment to helping others started at a young age, and has been a guiding force in his career and throughout his life. During his college years, Evan gained valuable experience through field work at Rockland Children's Psychiatric Hospital, and working with seniors in Oneonta, New York. However, it was the time Evan spent at Jawonio Day Camp, a program dedicated to serving adults and children with disabilities, that truly motivated him to pursue a career helping those in the disabled community.
What inspires Evan the most is the realization that there is much more to individuals with disabilities than meets the eye. Regardless of verbal or physical limitations, they possess the capacity to understand and overcome challenges. Over the years, Evan has formed deep-rooted connections with the people that he serves, considering them more as family than mere program participants.
Working with people with disabilities has had a profound impact on Evan’s life, cultivating within him a deep sense of compassion. Treating individuals with disabilities as equals is of paramount importance to him, and his colleagues and those he has worked with will attest to his consistent approach and fairness.
Evan graduated from SUNY Oneonta with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. From there he attended Long Island University, graduating with a Masters in Adaptive Physical Education and Therapeutic Recreation.