Renee Sluzalis Regional Director
Hi my name is Renee Sluzalis; I am the proud mother of three beautiful girls. I have a personal lifelong experience living with people with disabilities, as both my father and my oldest daughter both had/have disabilities. It is from those experiences that I derive my passion to help remove barriers and advance the rights/services for all people with disabilities.
The past 16 years of my career have been spent working for a Center for Independent Living. (CIL) I first began my CIL career in Williamsport, PA as an Independent Living Specialist. Through the years I advanced within the agency, ultimately becoming the CEO of Roads to Freedom Center for Independent Living of North Central PA.
After my divorce, I decided to relocate to a sunny, warm, state and was blessed to find a job opening here at the Center for Independent Living Gulf Coast. I am excited to be a part of this new CIL family and look forward to meeting and serving those individuals out there, who are looking to increase their independence. If you’re in our neighborhood, please stop by and visit our staff. We would welcome the opportunity to help you reach your personal goal of independence.
Hi my name is Renee Sluzalis; I am the proud mother of three beautiful girls. I have a personal lifelong experience living with people with disabilities, as both my father and my oldest daughter both had/have disabilities. It is from those experiences that I derive my passion to help remove barriers and advance the rights/services for all people with disabilities.
The past 16 years of my career have been spent working for a Center for Independent Living. (CIL) I first began my CIL career in Williamsport, PA as an Independent Living Specialist. Through the years I advanced within the agency, ultimately becoming the CEO of Roads to Freedom Center for Independent Living of North Central PA.
After my divorce, I decided to relocate to a sunny, warm, state and was blessed to find a job opening here at the Center for Independent Living Gulf Coast. I am excited to be a part of this new CIL family and look forward to meeting and serving those individuals out there, who are looking to increase their independence. If you’re in our neighborhood, please stop by and visit our staff. We would welcome the opportunity to help you reach your personal goal of independence.
Debbie Billiard
Office Manager
Hi, I am Debbie Billiard and am the proud mother of two boys and the wife of almost 44 years to a wonderful husband! I am also an ecstatic grandmother of one grandson and one granddaughter! Having worked in Direct Sales while my boys were growing up and really enjoying it, but the drawback was that I had to work at night. Once the boys were off to college I changed my profession to working with the school district in PA as a Teaching Assistant and was “one on one” with a student with Cerebral Palsy. After working there for 6 years, my husband and I then moved to Florida.
After two years of doing other things in Florida, I was lucky enough to find my way to the (CIL) Center for Independent Living and was hired as their Receptionist in 2006. It will be 9 years in July that I have been with the CIL and have worked my way up to Office Manager. Of course there are a lot of other things that I am responsible for with-in the office, but it is a team effort by everyone to keep the office running as smoothly as possible. I greatly enjoy working with our consumers and staff!
Office Manager
Hi, I am Debbie Billiard and am the proud mother of two boys and the wife of almost 44 years to a wonderful husband! I am also an ecstatic grandmother of one grandson and one granddaughter! Having worked in Direct Sales while my boys were growing up and really enjoying it, but the drawback was that I had to work at night. Once the boys were off to college I changed my profession to working with the school district in PA as a Teaching Assistant and was “one on one” with a student with Cerebral Palsy. After working there for 6 years, my husband and I then moved to Florida.
After two years of doing other things in Florida, I was lucky enough to find my way to the (CIL) Center for Independent Living and was hired as their Receptionist in 2006. It will be 9 years in July that I have been with the CIL and have worked my way up to Office Manager. Of course there are a lot of other things that I am responsible for with-in the office, but it is a team effort by everyone to keep the office running as smoothly as possible. I greatly enjoy working with our consumers and staff!
MIKE DAILEY
Employment Specialist
Hi, my name is Michael Dailey. I am the Father of three children and a husband. Growing up with an older sister with autism has been a major influence for my passion for working with people with disabilities.
After I graduated from high School I became a full time student at Quinsigamund Community College. I continued to work part time as a respite provider for the Seven Hills Foundation and a fitness instructor at the YMCA.
My first Full time job was working with The Center of Hope Foundation. I worked there for 8 years as a job coach. I also coached and participated in unified Special Olympics through this organization. I then got my CDL and it didn’t take long for me to realize I was in the wrong line of work. I spent my next 3 years working for the Dudley school district with post-graduate students as a job coach in the classroom and onsite training.
After spending the majority of our lives in Massachusetts, my family and I decided we have had enough of the cold and it was time to relocate to Florida. So here I am, as of April 20th, 2016 I am delighted to be a part of the team at the Center of Independent Living Gulf Coast.
MICHAEL PIERCE
ADA Advocate and Independent Living Specialist
My name is Michael Pierce and I am the ADA Advocate for the CIL Gulf Coast and an Independent Living Specialist. I was born 64 years ago in Dayton, Ohio and graduated from Beavercreek High School (no, really!) in 1969. While in high school, I began playing drums in 1964 and joined my first band at 15, and after graduation, I went on the road and played all over America in a group called Crosstown Traffic.
I came home in 1979 to attend Wright State University in Dayton, one of the very first fully adapted campuses in the US, and majored in Mass Communications and Political Science. While working at our college radio station as an on air personality and Training Director, I was offered a job on a radio station in Charlotte Harbor in 1986, which is how I came to Southwest Florida.
As a visually impaired person, I’ve always been a strong and focused self advocate for my own disability issues, so when a job opening came about at the old Center for Independent Living on Winkler, I applied and was hired a week later on April 23rd, 2007. I then was hired at our new CIL Gulf Coast in October, 2011, and even though I will turn 65 this year, I love my job advocating for our consumers and others, and cannot see myself retiring from this work for a long, long time!
ADA Advocate and Independent Living Specialist
My name is Michael Pierce and I am the ADA Advocate for the CIL Gulf Coast and an Independent Living Specialist. I was born 64 years ago in Dayton, Ohio and graduated from Beavercreek High School (no, really!) in 1969. While in high school, I began playing drums in 1964 and joined my first band at 15, and after graduation, I went on the road and played all over America in a group called Crosstown Traffic.
I came home in 1979 to attend Wright State University in Dayton, one of the very first fully adapted campuses in the US, and majored in Mass Communications and Political Science. While working at our college radio station as an on air personality and Training Director, I was offered a job on a radio station in Charlotte Harbor in 1986, which is how I came to Southwest Florida.
As a visually impaired person, I’ve always been a strong and focused self advocate for my own disability issues, so when a job opening came about at the old Center for Independent Living on Winkler, I applied and was hired a week later on April 23rd, 2007. I then was hired at our new CIL Gulf Coast in October, 2011, and even though I will turn 65 this year, I love my job advocating for our consumers and others, and cannot see myself retiring from this work for a long, long time!
Ita McIntyre
Independent Living Specialist
Hello, my name is Ita E. McIntyre, I am Independent Living Specialist here at the CILGC since September 2016. I am the mother of a beautiful successful daughter and grandmother of 2 beautiful grandchildren, 1 girl and 1 boy. Before relocating to Florida in 2015 I had spent the previous 5 years working with special needs high school students in Cedar Rapids, IA. While working there as a Volunteer Employment Specialist, and a full time employee for a Federal Program for adults. I realized this is what makes me the happiest to be part of. After 5 years of dealing with the winters getting into the minus 40 degree temperature and being an active outdoor enthusiast I decided to pack up and head down south to sunny SW Florida where I began my wonderful new life as a self employed Employment Specialist for Persons with Disabilities working with Vocational Rehabilitation in Charlotte, Lee and Collier Counties. I am Certified in Supported Employment and Customized Employment.
My professional background is in Network Engineering and Medical fields, I am very excited to be a part of this CILGC consumers and staff members and look forward to meeting and teaching those individuals out there, who are looking to increase their independence for a more fulfill life.
Independent Living Specialist
Hello, my name is Ita E. McIntyre, I am Independent Living Specialist here at the CILGC since September 2016. I am the mother of a beautiful successful daughter and grandmother of 2 beautiful grandchildren, 1 girl and 1 boy. Before relocating to Florida in 2015 I had spent the previous 5 years working with special needs high school students in Cedar Rapids, IA. While working there as a Volunteer Employment Specialist, and a full time employee for a Federal Program for adults. I realized this is what makes me the happiest to be part of. After 5 years of dealing with the winters getting into the minus 40 degree temperature and being an active outdoor enthusiast I decided to pack up and head down south to sunny SW Florida where I began my wonderful new life as a self employed Employment Specialist for Persons with Disabilities working with Vocational Rehabilitation in Charlotte, Lee and Collier Counties. I am Certified in Supported Employment and Customized Employment.
My professional background is in Network Engineering and Medical fields, I am very excited to be a part of this CILGC consumers and staff members and look forward to meeting and teaching those individuals out there, who are looking to increase their independence for a more fulfill life.
Gamy Espino
Employment Specialist
Hello, my name is Gamy Espino and I am the newest Employment Specialist here at the CIL. I am a married father of 2 beautiful children, 1 girl and 1 boy. Before relocating to Florida in 2014 I had spent the previous 10 years working with special needs adults at The Center of Hope in Southbridge, MA. While working there I realized this was my calling. After dealing with the cold all of our lives, my family and I decided to pack up and head down south to sunny Florida.
I began working for T-Mobile for almost 3 years as a Sales Associate and Associate Manager, when my old friend from up north Michael Dailey referred me to the CIL for employment with him. It has been fantastic to get back to my roots and helping others achieve their goals and I look forward to many more years of doing so. I am now teaching Job Readiness classes to young adults with disabilities, trying to get them ready to be productive members in our society.
Employment Specialist
Hello, my name is Gamy Espino and I am the newest Employment Specialist here at the CIL. I am a married father of 2 beautiful children, 1 girl and 1 boy. Before relocating to Florida in 2014 I had spent the previous 10 years working with special needs adults at The Center of Hope in Southbridge, MA. While working there I realized this was my calling. After dealing with the cold all of our lives, my family and I decided to pack up and head down south to sunny Florida.
I began working for T-Mobile for almost 3 years as a Sales Associate and Associate Manager, when my old friend from up north Michael Dailey referred me to the CIL for employment with him. It has been fantastic to get back to my roots and helping others achieve their goals and I look forward to many more years of doing so. I am now teaching Job Readiness classes to young adults with disabilities, trying to get them ready to be productive members in our society.
