Empowerment through Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Peer Support At the age of 9 months old the course of Randy Lizotte’s life was dramatically altered. A car accident left him with a traumatic brain injury. Fast forward to today and Randy, who works at Northwestern Counseling & Support Services (NCSS) and facilitates the Next Step Self Advocates, has significantly impacted advocacy efforts and peer mentoring not only in the northwestern region but throughout Vermont. It was Randy’s parents that shaped his views on what is possible. Growing up as one of 9 children in the household his parents labored over