NEW YORK — Independence Care System (ICS) is pleased to announce that our President and CEO, Regina Estela, has been recognized by City & State New York as a leader who has been “driving change for decades.”

City & State acknowledges that people over 50 are often “reaching one’s peak professionally, in terms of skill, salary, and a sagacity gained by experience.” Regina is no exception, having worked in the disability rights field since the early 1990s. Highlighting her work addressing health inequities for people with disabilities for the past 25 years at Independence Care System, Regina emphasizes that we must continue striving for better health outcomes for this extremely vulnerable population.

Jeffery Krauss, ICS Board Chair, stated: “Regina is a passionate leader deeply committed to improving the lives of people with physical disabilities. We have had a long, productive relationship. Her work is not easy, as the population we serve is so often overlooked. Regina is constantly fighting for our members and uses her considerable policy expertise, relationships with our members, and resolute tenacity to address the enormous gaps in the healthcare system that cause costly hospitalizations and early deaths for people with disabilities. ICS is lucky to have a leader like Regina, and on behalf of the Board of Directors, we congratulate her on this recognition.”

“I am pleased to be recognized by City & State New York,” said Estela. “I am proud of our work at ICS and agree that with age comes certain benefits. I do not think I could have led this organization in my 40s—I needed more experience and time to build the strength it takes to represent people with physical disabilities. As a Latina and a woman, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges of being an underserved person in the healthcare system. When you add physical disability to any category of inequity—whether it is race, gender, income, education level, etc.—health outcomes are worse. At ICS, we fight daily to ensure our members are healthy, independent, and mobile in their communities so they can live their chosen lives. This work is vitally important, and I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this 25-year-old organization into the future.”

About Independence Care System (ICS)

Independence Care System (ICS) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 as a pioneering, innovative community of professionals dedicated to serving people who, prior to ICS, were often forced to spend their lives in institutions.

For more than 25 years, people with disabilities have turned to ICS because of our expert, disability-competent staff, who help them improve their health, avoid hospitalizations, achieve personal goals, enhance their quality of life, and participate fully in their communities. Our foundational pillars—health, mobility, and independence—ensure true health equity for people with disabilities so they can thrive while receiving the quality care they deserve.

As the first and only Health Home program in New York State with specialized expertise in supporting people with physical disabilities, ICS has developed a model of care designed to address the vast health disparities experienced by our members and those in underserved communities. We continue to work alongside our members and advocate for their specialized care because we have seen the devastating effects of a healthcare system that fails to meet their needs.

ICS offers disability-expert care coordination, educational and recreational programming that enriches members’ lives, and specialized mobility assessments for wheelchair users through our comprehensive On a Roll wheelchair program.

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