Early + Educational Background
I grew up in Fredonia New York, which is a small town in upstate New York. I attended Jamestown Community College where I received my AA in Criminal Justice. Shortly after that, I moved to California and attended El Camino College where I received my AA in Psychology.
Professional Background
While I was attending El Camino College, I worked part time for Creative Support helping a six year-old girl integrate into her after school program, which lead to a full time position with Creative Support as an Independent Living Skills Instructor.
Years + Role at Creative Support
I’ve been with Creative Support since 1997. During that time, I’ve been an Independent Living Skills Instructor, Supported Living Instructor/Coordinator, Competency Attainment Instructor, and am currently a Manager.
Why This Field
I’ve always known I wanted to work in a field where I helped others. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do until I started as a part-time employee tasked with integrating a six-year-old non-verbal girl diagnosed with Autism into her after school program. During the year I spent with her, I was able to gain her trust, form a bond with her, and get her and the other children to engage. I played games with all the children, helping the child I supported participate in the activities the other children were doing, often teaching them children’s songs and singing with them. It broke my heart to watch how frustrated the child I supported got when she couldn’t communicate her feelings, so I started researching techniques to prompt non-verbal children diagnosed with Autism to speak. I learned that playing with a microphone often encouraged children to speak, as they liked hearing their voice through speakers. I set up a microphone on the facility’s stage and had the children sing some of the songs I taught them. As soon as the child I supported saw and heard the children singing into the microphone she started grabbing for the microphone. I handed her the microphone and she sang her first words (The Itsy, Bitsy Spider). This momentous event happened to occur just when the child’s mother and grandmother walked into the room, and it was the first time they heard her voice. The joy in that room at that moment had me hooked, and I knew I wanted to work for Creative Support full time to help as many people as I could.
What is something you do with your spare time?
I spend my spare time mostly with my family and friends. We get together to cook out, go camping, hike, have game nights, or spend the day at the beach. I’m very lucky to have friends who are just as much a part of my family as if they were born into it. To me nothing is as important as family, except being the most honorable person you can be.