Tori's StoryYouth Services Specialist
Professional Experience: I have been an advocate and provider of individuals with disabilities throughout my life. I have experience as a respite care worker, a special education classroom assistant, a summer school teacher, inclusion staff, a board member for the Epilepsy Foundation Heart of Wisconsin (now known as Epilepsy Foundation of Wisconsin), and a former intern of Access to Independence. I also have family members with disabilities that I have helped support, provided resources for, and helped create behavioral plans, IEPs, and goal planning for. My interest in providing services in the disability community as a career did not begin until high school when I decided to volunteer in a special education classroom. That decision has transformed my career decision from wanting to be an undercover agent for the CIA (an unusual choice, I know) to wanting to be a Rehabilitation Psychology major. This degree has allowed me to have experiences in many areas of advocacy, goal and life planning, event planning and participation, fundraising, and learning to communicate in various ways besides traditional speaking or written communication. I enjoy working with transition age youth (individuals who are about 14-21) and helping create plans for achievable goals academically, vocationally, and personally while also looking into helpful resources for those individuals. Being able to help those transitioning to various stages in life brings me great joy, especially when I get to see everything they want and have accomplished. I look forward to being able to provide and give back to a community that has given me so many opportunities and experiences I would have not found otherwise. Personal Description: Outside of a professional setting, I am a more timid and introverted individual. I enjoy spending most days at home crocheting, reading, or playing videogames. I enjoy listening to music or playing one of my various instruments. I am most experienced in violin and piano, though I am teaching myself guitar and ocarina (a wind instrument). When I do venture outside, I love to swim, hike, and travel. I always have my camera with me on these adventures so that I can get some fun images to share with friends and family. I hope to one day travel to all 50 states and almost every, if not every, country in Europe. Outside of travel goals, I hope to publish a book and at least one song at some point in my lifetime. I also hope to have a successful crochet and/or photography business on the side. I am also an active member of my church and enjoy being involved with the various events we host. Being involved in my church allows me to not only be involved in something I love, but it is also another way for me to give back to a community and a city that helped raise and shape me into who I am. |