Looking to the Future:
The Most Fundamental Issues Confronting Families with Special Needs
Presented by: Saundra Gumerove and Mary McNamara
Tuesday March 10, 2026
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
VIRTUAL (via Zoom)
This specialized seminar focuses on addressing basic issues: Who will care for my loved one when I die and how to maintain my loved one’s quality of life when I am gone?
Learning Objectives:
- Differentiating types of guardianship and alternatives
- The importance of estate planning
- Use of Supplemental Needs Trusts, Able accounts and pooled trusts
Attendees will gain an understanding of how the AHRC Foundation’s Community Trust Program administers first- and third-party pooled supplemental needs trusts, how these trusts support long-term planning and enhance quality of life for a person with a developmental disability, and how third-party trusts can also serve as a planned giving option that strengthens nonprofit supports for future generations.
This seminar is recommended for parents, siblings, caregivers
Presenters:
Saundra M. Gumerove is an attorney and nationally recognized advocate in the special needs community with more than 30 years of legal experience. She began her career in corporate law, banking, commercial finance, and real estate before redirecting her practice to focus on the needs of people with disabilities and their families. Her work now centers on special education advocacy, guardianships, life planning, estate planning, and Special Needs Trusts.
Saundra’s professional path was shaped by personal experience as the parent of a young adult with developmental, learning, and medical disabilities. She combines legal expertise with lived experience to help families navigate complex education, service, and legal systems, working to secure essential supports and plan for long-term stability.
A sought-after speaker on legal and special needs issues, Saundra has presented Continuing Legal Education programs for state and county bar associations as well as seminars for disability service agencies, professional organizations, and parent groups throughout New York. She also advises organizations that support people with disabilities, including pooled trust programs.
Saundra serves as Immediate Past President of AHRC Nassau and holds leadership roles within NYSARC, including regional leadership and government affairs advocacy. Her many honors include the NYSARC Hodgson/Jacobs Law Award, Touro Law School Public Interest Attorney of the Year, and recognition as a Super Lawyer. She has also participated in national policy discussions, including a White House Community Leaders Briefing focused on issues affecting individuals with disabilities and their families.
Mary McNamara is Foundation Director of the Nassau County AHRC Foundation, where she leads philanthropic strategy and oversees the Foundation’s Community Trust Program, administering more than $10 million in pooled first- and third-party supplemental needs trusts. She works with families, attorneys, financial advisors, and care professionals to help protect public benefits and support quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
With more than 35 years in nonprofit leadership, Mary brings extensive experience in major and planned giving, fiduciary stewardship, and mission-driven fundraising. Her work sits at the intersection of philanthropy and financial planning, helping families align resources with long-term support and legacy goals. She is known for her practical approach, personal attention, and commitment to understanding families’ concerns and goals while working toward meaningful outcomes.
Pre-registration is required below ↓