Dr. Pamela Valera, assistant professor of sociomedical sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, has been elected to serve on the board of directors of Disability Rights New York (DRNY), the State’s Protection and Advocacy and Client Assistance Program for people with disabilities designated by Governor Cuomo. DRNY advocates and litigates on the rights of adults and children with disabilities to exercise their own choices and participate in community life. They have successfully defeated efforts to exclude persons from housing, assured access to movie theaters, and stopped dangerous experiments on patients in state psychiatric hospitals. Dr. Valera will serve through June 30, 2016.