John McParland joined the JFK Jr. Institute in 2008. As Project Director for the CUNY Youth Demonstration Project, he oversees various self-advocacy projects and employment opportunity services for parents and children at both Lehman and Hostos colleges. Prior to joining the Institute, Mr. McParland spent thirty years implementing youth employment programs and transition services citywide for the New York City Department of Education. He has had extensive collaborations with various interagency councils, parent advocacy groups, state education officials as well as numerous adult agency providers such as the office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilties (VESID) and the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD). He holds a master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from New York University.