Emily (she/they) is a psychiatric survivor and New York Certified Peer Specialist currently working as a Senior Wellness Specialist at Hands Across Long Island. Emily is passionate about learning and growing with their community. In addition to their full-time role at HALI, she is attending SUNY Empire State College to achieve their degree to further support in the goal of advocating for human rights. The peer support community has been vital in Emily’s survival and success; She is open about their own experiences with trauma and survival and has been active in the movement since 2014. Emily is dedicated to supporting spaces where we can learn and grow together using the values and principles of peer support and through making genuine connections. Emily has worn many hats in peer services, working in a Respite, Recovery Center, HCBS, the CRW Training Center, Long Island Peer Specialist Community of Practice Board, Long Island RPC Board, bringing her to their current role at Hands Across Long Island, where they have been inspired to imagine, develop, and coordinate the Creative Connections Campaign, as well as a proposed peer specialist learning/training collaborative.
Emily Vaianella
