Maria Papanastassiou is an assistant manager/youth librarian in the NW suburbs of Chicago. She has worked with Beth and C.I.T.Y. of Support for the last several years developing programming and services focusing on supporting families with children who receive therapy services. Maria is part of her library’s Disabilities Inclusion team and a member of SNAILS (Special Needs and Inclusive Library Services). 

Maria previously worked in special education as an inclusion teaching assistant at the middle school level instructing youth with various disabilities and/or learning differences by collaborating with classroom teachers and therapists to provide a supportive educational environment.

Maria hopes that her involvement with C.I.T.Y of Support encourages other libraries to concentrate additional efforts on developing resources and services that are accessible and inclusive for all families in their communities. Maria is supported in her endeavors by her husband, Aleks, and two daughters, Sophia and Eliana.