Amy Weinstock
Program Founder and Director
Amy Weinstock is the Director of the Autism Insurance Resource Center at the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, and an instructor in the medical school’s Department of Psychiatry. She has an extensive background on insurance issues related to autism and has played a key role in passing several significant pieces of autism insurance legislation in Massachusetts, including the groundbreaking 2010 law requiring health insurance to cover medically necessary treatment for autism. Amy also serves as a trustee of the Riverview School, and as a Commissioner on the State’s Autism Commission.
Following a successful career in real estate and banking, Amy, the parent of a child on the autism spectrum, decided to merge her personal passions and professional experience. She completed a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) fellowship at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center in 2005. Following this, she served as President of the outreach organization of the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital for two years prior to her appointment as Chair of the Insurance Committee for Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts (AFAM)Amy’s work has been recognized through numerous awards including the Federation for Children with Special Needs Martha H. Ziegler Founders Award, the Margaret L. Bauman Award for Excellence, the Massachusetts ARC’s Distinguished Citizens Award, the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation Essential piece award, and the Northeast ARC’s Edward C. O’Keefe Memorial Award. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and received a Masters of Architecture from Harvard.
Terri Farrell
Project Director
Terri is the Project Director of the Autism Insurance Resource Center of Massachusetts. The resource center is housed in the Shriver Center of UMass Medical School in Worcester, MA. The AIRC provides technical assistance to families, providers and agencies in need of information related to both public (MassHealth) and private insurance.Terri was appointed the chair of AFAM’s (Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts) Government Affairs Committee in 2013. AFAM is the leading Mass autism advocacy non-profit promoting budgetary and legislative initiatives at the state level. Terri is the event chair for AFAM’s annual Autism Awareness and Acceptance Day held at the State House. In 2017, Terri joined the MBHP (Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership) Family Advisory Council. In April 2017, she was appointed to the Massachusetts state Autism Commission 22+ employment sub-committee.
Terri has presented at local conferences focusing on autism insurance, transition and issues affecting homeless youth with ASD. She has presented at SPEDPACS throughout the Commonwealth on the ARICA law and accessing ABA coverage through MassHealth. Prior to joining the Shriver Center in 2014, Terri was the marketing manager for Immunetics, and prior to that, was a pharmaceutical/medical device sales representative for MediSense, Nordisk-Gentofte and Allergan. Her undergraduate business degree is from the University of Cincinnati. Her MBA is from Northeastern University. Terri completed a LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disability) Fellowship in 2015 to build on her expertise in the field of autism insurance.