Interview with luv Michael founder Lisa Liberatore
By Jacob Naclerio
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of speaking with Luv Michael founder (and 2022 Loukoumi Foundation Parents of the Year Award recipient with her husband Dr. Dimitri Kessaris) Dr. Lisa Liberatore. Throughout our interview, we discussed the history of Luv Michael as well as the plans Dr. Liberatore and others within the foundation have to create a safer and more accepting environment for those with autism.
After a successful 25 years in private practice as a board certified ear, nose and throat physician, Dr Lisa has committed her full time efforts to her non-profit work for autistic young adults like her son, Michael. To open, we began by discussing the inspiration behind founding Luv Michael and the intense effort it took to get the organization started. Dr. Liberatore explained how the idea for starting her own non-profit arose while at one of her son Michael’s holiday shows when he was 17 years old. Noticing the older kids at the show, she questioned what would become of their lives after graduation and immediately decided to take initiative. Because Michael loved to cook, she hired a chef who had just graduated from a culinary school in Manhattan to work with him.
Since then, Luv Michael has expanded into a professional granola-making kitchen with 13 paid employees, or granologists, all of whom are on the autism spectrum. Dr. Liberatore felt that granola was the ideal food to make as it doesn’t involve knives, it allows the granologists to work together, it is made with high quality ingredients, and it can be completed in a relatively short time so the granologists can have the satisfaction of seeing their completed work.
As the interview continued, I began to notice Dr. Liberatore’s emphasis on the importance of a faith-based supportive community. She told me about how after getting Michael baptized, they developed a close relationship with their church community, Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons, which was especially supportive when it became apparent that he had autism. Throughout his development, they always did their best to make the Liberatore family feel welcomed, which is why Dr. Liberatore asked the church about being the first faith-based supportive community in an interdenominational way. The church happily accepted, and today, Father Constantine Lazarakis serves as a board member for Luv Michael.
Today, Dr. Liberatore is working tirelessly to support her second non profit, U.S. Autism Homes. Currently, the organization has one house that consists of Michael and three of his friends as well as two more houses with seven families planning to move in this September. Dr. Liberatore highlighted the concept of U.S. Autism homes functioning ultimately as a friendship network that allows the residents to develop close relationships while learning how to live on their own in a safe and comfortable environment. Since joining U.S. Autism Homes, Michael and his friends have shown tremendous improvement and continue to progress both mentally and physically.
After the interview, I was left in awe over how dedicated Dr. Liberatore and everyone at Luv Michael is to supporting people with autism, and I am inspired to do everything I can to help move beyond the concept of autism awareness and towards autism acceptance.
