Margie Shaw joins UH board of directors
Margaret “Margie” Shaw of Ithaca joined the Unity House board of directors in June. A Master Educator of Inclusion at the Ithaca City School District, Margie has devoted herself both personally and professionally to supporting people with disabilities. She will sit on the board’s program committee.
“My younger sibling has Down Syndrome, thereby exposing me at an early age to the strategies necessary to live and work with people with special needs in an inclusive setting,” said Margie. “I believe that everyone has the right to be an active member of their community.”
Margie holds a B.S. in Special Education and Elementary Education, and earned a master’s in Special Education from SUNY Binghamton. She also holds an Educational Leadership certificate, and is a Work-Based Learning Coordinator. She has numerous professional certifications, and has worked for decades in leadership roles and as a special education educator in New York, Florida and Maryland.
“Margie’s skill set will lend itself well to our programming, and I find her energy and enthusiasm to be infectious,” said CEO Liz Smith. “She coordinates special ed services for grades 9-12 at Ithaca Schools; that’s a big job and one that comes with a lot of regulations and requirements. She will naturally understand that Unity House is a regulated organization too.”