Thursday, October 1, 2026
As Elizabeth Reyes prepares to watch her son, Jason, graduate from Hicksville High School and head off to college, she often thinks back to the uncertainty her family faced years ago.
Jason, now 18, was struggling with social and emotional challenges despite receiving academic support in school. His family searched for help, but found few options that fit his needs.
Today he has his driver’s license, volunteers at Cornerstone twice a week working with younger children, maintains close friendships and is preparing for the next chapter of his life.
“I credit Cornerstone with giving Jason the quality of life that he has today,” Reyes said. “He learned skills and strategies to deal with socializing, life and even being more comfortable with family.”
For Reyes and many other Long Island families, that support came from Nicole Iannarone, founder and president of Cornerstone Behavioral Services.
The Wantagh resident and board-certified behavior analyst has been recognized as a Hometown Hero by the New York Red Bulls for her work supporting children with autism and their families across Nassau and Suffolk counties. Her Seaford-based agency has also been named Best Applied Behavior Analysis Provider in the Best of Long Island competition for six consecutive years, from 2021 through 2026, while also receiving a number of Best of Nassau County and Long Island Choice Awards.
But her work, Iannarone said, has never been about recognition. “Understanding that it can quickly become about things outside of the children, I wanted to do this the right way,” she said. “I wanted to make it about the children.”
Cornerstone provides Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, services through in-home therapy, school-based support, parent training and social-skills programs. The agency opened a center in Seaford two years ago, after years of primarily serving families in their homes.
According to Iannarone, one of the organization’s core principles is to treat every child as an individual while involving parents and caregivers throughout the process. “We prioritize integrating the families and making sure everyone is supported in every aspect of their life,” she said. “We don’t just work with the student in a center and send them home.”
That approach has resonated with families like Anastasia Rodriguez’s. When her son, Abel, was diagnosed with autism at age 3, Rodriguez, of Merrick, said she felt overwhelmed and uncertain about where to turn. After interviewing more than a dozen providers, she found something different in Iannarone’s approach.
“None took the time, care and patience that Nicole did,” Rodriguez recalled. “From the very beginning, Nicole answered every question thoughtfully and thoroughly.”
At the time, Abel struggled with communication and sensory challenges, and had frequent behavioral meltdowns. His mother remembers difficult moments in public spaces when strangers often misunderstood what her family was experiencing.
“Nicole and her team consistently helped us maintain dignity during those moments,” she said. “They reminded us that progress, not perfection, was the goal.”
The results, she said, have been life-changing. Abel, now 10, regularly attends Cornerstone’s social skills group, and has traveled internationally with his family, participates in general education classes for part of the day, tells jokes and makes friends.
“What makes Cornerstone different isn’t just the progress my son has made, but the integrity behind the work,” Rodriguez said. “Nicole has become a true partner in my son’s development — behaviorally, academically, socially and emotionally.”
Reyes shared a similar story. After meeting with Jason and his family for over two hours in their home, Iannarone developed a plan for him that included therapy, parent training and social skills development.
“It was one of the best decisions we ever made,” Reyes said.
In the years since, Jason has developed stronger coping skills, become more independent and gained confidence navigating everyday situations. Through Cornerstone’s social skills groups and volunteer opportunities, he has built friendships and learned practical life skills that have helped prepare him for adulthood.
While success stories like Jason’s and Abel’s are rewarding, Iannarone said that many families continue to face significant obstacles when seeking services.
“There is a tremendous demand for these services,” she said, noting that waitlists at some agencies can stretch for six months or longer.
And financial barriers remain one of the biggest challenges. “When you have a child that needs services six days a week, every day is a co-pay,” Iannarone explained. “I had a family paying $500 to $700 a month in co-pays. That’s something many families simply can’t afford.”
She also believes that older children and young adults with autism need more opportunities to become active participants in their communities. “These kids are our community,” she said. “They need a place where they can feel safe and work and really be contributing members of society, but in order to do that they need opportunity.”
Despite the challenges, Iannarone said, moments of progress continue to motivate her and her staff. Whether it’s hearing a child’s first words, helping a student learn to communicate their feelings or watching a young adult achieve a major milestone, the work, she said, remains deeply rewarding.
Looking ahead, she hopes greater awareness will help families access services earlier and reduce the stigma that can still surround autism support. “I want families to understand that support is available, and it should be celebrated,” she said. “It shouldn't stigmatize them.”
For Jason Reyes, Abel Rodriguez and their families, the impact of that support is already evident — not in awards or accolades, but in the everyday milestones that once seemed out of reach.
