Welcoming New Staff Member Valerie Smith
We are thrilled to announce that The Arc-JCCGC has expanded its team, with Valerie Smith joining us as our new Innovation Projects Manager!
Excitingly, we are welcoming Smith back to our team as she returns to The Arc-JCCGC after several years. Smith first joined our team in 2010 and served in several roles over the course of more than a decade, including overseeing memberships, helping set up our database, and serving as Director of Communications & Outreach. In her new role as Innovation Projects Manager, she will be helping to lead the work on an exciting new project designed to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in building their independence. The project is in its first stage right now, and we’re looking forward to sharing more information soon! Keep an eye on our newsletter for more details about this brand-new opportunity.
The Arc’s mission is personally meaningful to Smith, who grew up with a brother who she believes was on the autism spectrum. “I think if there had been an Arc to help him understand himself better and to help my parents understand him better, he would maybe be alive today,” Smith said. “When I took the very first job at The Arc in 2010, I so quickly fell in love with the mission and seeing the impact that our work has on people’s lives. Interacting with self-advocates and families is what I loved most about my previous roles, and that is also part of this new job, which is so rewarding.”
In her free time, Smith enjoys doing yoga, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.
Welcome to the team, Valerie!
