January 24, 2019
Oakland University’s Kristin Rohrbeck, director of the Joanne & Ted Lindsay Foundation Autism Outreach Services (OUCARES), has been named the overall winner of the Oakland County Executive’s Elite 40 Under 40 Class of 2019.
She was recognized by County Executive L. Brooks Patterson at his State of the County address on Feb. 7.
“I am extremely humbled to have been voted the winner of this year’s Elite 40 Under 40 class because I know there are many amazing individuals who make up the class,” Rohrbeck said. “I am grateful to my family, friends, and colleagues who supported me during the voting process, and during my professional and personal highs and lows that have led me to this point in my life.”
The "40 Under 40" program, now in its eighth year, honors exceptional individuals under the age of 40 who excel in their field and improve the quality of life in Oakland County and beyond.
“It feels great to be recognized, but I am even more excited that OUCARES’ autism programs will be shared with more people in the community who can benefit from our services,” Rohrbeck said.
Rohrbeck is a Farmington Hills resident with an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in developmental psychology from Ohio State University. As director of OUCARES, she serves over 2,300 people impacted by autism spectrum disorder in southeast Michigan with more than 100 annual programs.
In 2018, Rohrbeck, led the development of a partnership with the Ted Lindsay Foundation, which resulted in a $1 million gift to grow OUCARES programs to support teens and adults living with autism spectrum disorder. She also developed an employment readiness skills program for adults, which results in more than 30 adults either receiving jobs or continuing their education to reach career goals.
“I am constantly looking at trends in the disability community to try to improve the quality of life for families that I serve, as well as future generations,” Rohrbeck said.
Along with Rohrbeck, this year’s “40 Under 40” class also features OU alumnus Nicholas Kristock, chief executive officer of Empathy 313, and Madelyn Rzadkowolski, director of curatorial services for Meadow Brook Hall.