Michelle Ribaudo

Tagnan and Michelle Ribaudo are a mother and son in Columbia. Tagnan is currently in high school and also has high functioning autism.

They spoke about some of the struggles Michelle faced when trying to get Tagnan diagnosed with autism as a child.

Tagnan and Michelle Ribaudo are a mother and son in Columbia. Tagnan is currently in high school and also has high functioning autism. This past spring he spoke to Missouri state legislators about the importance of therapies for people with disabilities.

They shared some of their memories of therapy and about how these therapies have impacted both their lives.

Christina Ingoglia and Michelle Ribaudo are both board members for the Missouri Disability Empowerment Foundation, or MoDE Foundation, in Columbia. Christina is the current President and Michelle is the current Vice President of this organization that works to advocate for people with disabilities and promote inclusion.

They spoke about the use of restraint and seclusion rooms for students with special needs and about the potentially dangerous ramifications of such policies.

For the past few weeks, these policies and their usage on members of the diverse Columbia Public Schools student body has been a passionate topic of conversation. Local advocacy group "Race Matters, Friends" posted photos online of very small rooms designed to isolate students with Individualized education plans, or IEPs, when they may be a danger to themselves or others.

After a five-hour Board of Education meeting in early September, the School Board is now reconsidering the use of these rooms.

Christina Ingoglia and Michelle Ribaudo are both board members for the Missouri Disability Empowerment Foundation, or MoDE Foundation, in Columbia. Christina is the current President and Michelle is the current Vice President of the organization, which works to advocate for people with disabilities and promote inclusion.

They spoke about one of the ways their organization is working to make Columbia and the greater community a little more accessible – through their online bathroom accessibility map.