Early + Educational Background
I grew up in a small city in northern CA. I was always fascinated by science, biology and especially how the human body worked. I planned to pursue the field of medicine but once in school, I realized that I no longer had the passion I previously felt. I followed the advice of a family member to take a Psychology course and was immediately enthralled; I found that the human mind was even more interesting than the human body! I received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), a Master of Arts in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach and completed a post-graduate program in Behavior Analysis at the California State University, Los Angeles.
Professional Background
I have extensive experience with this population; most of my professional experience has been working at CS for over 37 years. Prior to that, while attending UCLA, I became involved in a program for children with autism; I provided 1:1 behavioral therapy for several years and became a supervisor. I absolutely loved working with them; it was so inspiring to see how much they learned despite having significant challenges and working with this population really prepared me for the work we now do.
Years + Role at Creative Support
I am the Executive Director and have worked at Creative Support since 1981. Initially, I provided direct services as a Vocational Counselor and an Independent Living Skills Instructor and I was asked to direct the agency within two years.
Why This Field
Although challenging at times (I love a good challenge!), working with this population is extremely fun and rewarding. Seeing the people we support blossom, lead happy and healthy lives, increase their independence and become productive members of our communities is incredibly fulfilling.
What is one cause that you feel passionately about? Why?
I’m passionate about health (mind, body and spirit) and provide ongoing training to CS staff to provide information they can apply in their lives and more importantly, provide this information to the people we support. I believe that through healthy nutrition and exercise, people can maintain their health and often offset conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. A significant number of the people we support and staff have improved their health and well-being over the years; some no longer require medication for conditions they previously had. It’s a wonderful feeling to empower people through education to promote a healthy lifestyle.