Meet a DSF Archive

Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities


Meet a DSF Archive

General Advocacy Groups
Disability Service Facilitators (DSF)
Disability-Specific Resources
Disability Voting Resources
Education
Emergency Preparedness
Key Contacts
Housing
Legal
Recreation & Culture
Service Animals
Small Business Resources
Social Services & Benefits
Transportation

General Advocacy Groups

Disability Service Facilitators (DSF)

Disability-Specific Resources

Disability Voting Resources

Education

Emergency Preparedness

Key Contacts

Housing

Legal

Recreation & Culture

Service Animals

Small Business Resources

Social Services & Benefits

Transportation


Previously Featured DSFs

Edmund Asiedu,
ADA Coordinator and Accessibility Policy Analyst

NYC Department of Transportation

Who I Am

I am a blend of my experiences, passions, and the values I hold dear. I strive for personal growth, constantly seeking knowledge and new challenges. I value integrity, kindness, and resilience, and these principles guide both my personal and professional life. I am deeply passionate about accessibility and disability inclusion advocacy, which allows me to express my support and find fulfillment. Professionally, I am the ADA Coordinator and Accessibility Policy Advisor at the NYC DOT, committed to making meaningful contributions towards making NYC accessible and disability inclusive. I find joy in connecting with others, learning from diverse perspectives, and contributing to something bigger than myself. At the end of the day, I see myself as a work in progress—someone always evolving, learning, and becoming the best version of who I am meant to be.

What I Do

As the ADA Coordinator, I do the following, and much more:

Ensure compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations

Serve as a liaison between people with disabilities and the NYC DOT

Conduct accessibility audits

Resolve complaints

Collaborate with other City agencies such as the Department of Parks and Recreation

Fun Fact

I am a pro handcyclist and completed my 11th NYC Marathon in 2024.

Sara Cobb,
Disability Service Facilitator and Special Counsel/FEMA Recovery

NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA)

Who I Am

In the original class of Disability Service Facilitators of 2016, I first worked with the City when I interned with HPD in the summer of 1975 (fifty years ago!) and think of my career since then as being alternately inside, outside and alongside the public sector and City government. I’ve been passionate about most of my roles – including especially, representing children in foster care while at Lawyers for Children in the 1980s, leading the City’s childcare and Head Start programs in 2004, and most recently serving as Disability Service Facilitator for the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) over the past 9 years.

What I Do

I think of Disability Service Facilitator (DSF) as a civil rights role, and I am grateful to have been charged with supporting the rights of people with disabilities and helping to promote access and inclusion for all. Within the agency structure of City government, the citywide network of DSFs also represents a vibrant group of colleagues who share knowledge and support each other in addressing and advancing access and inclusion.

Additionally, there’s been a critical linkage between the two ‘hats’ I wear at DCLA – DSF and FEMA recovery specialist – since there is key linkage between emergency management and disaster recovery for all and disaster preparedness for people with disabilities. Like all efforts to support access and inclusion, considering methods in advance promotes success when disaster strikes – which may seem self-evident, but also entails significant planning and focus. As well, regarding the extraordinary cultural offerings of this city, supporting and promoting access to the arts for all is a wonderfully compelling charge.

Fun Fact

I was appointed to Manhattan’s Community Board #4 (Chelsea/Clinton) in the late 1970s (then as the Board’s youngest member!). As I now prepare to leave DCLA at the end of January (as one of the more senior DSFs!), I want to introduce Claire Hart, Assistant General Counsel for DCLA, who has been appointed as DCLA’s second DSF. As I leave the agency, I look forward to continuing to promote access and inclusion in future roles and projects and will plan to use all I’ve seen and learned as DSF in my next adventures!