Disability Connection of West Michigan

Will L. Wilson

Community Supports / LEADS Coordinator

Enjoys: Working with youth and families from within my community. 

Learning to: Trust that others can take the lead. 

Thankful for: Life and the opportunities afforded to me; personal and professional. 

Driven by: GOD and my values instilled by my parents. 

Having fun with: My co-workers and getting closer as a small knit family unit. 

Looking forward to: Entering into politics to bring about change. 

Proud of: The work I have done thus far. 

Passionate about: Equality for all. 

Little known fact: Air Force Veteran (1998-2002)

Ada Linderman

Newaygo County

Program Manager

Qualifications: 30 years’ experience working with persons with disabilities in foster parenting, sheltered workshop trainer, job coach, job developer, supported employment business owner, community organizer and program manager.

Often heard saying: &^%$**&^%% when working on the computer

Enjoys: working, reading, gardening, horseback riding, spending time with

family and friends

Learning to: Use technology to my advantage.

Thankful for: good health

Driven by: inspiration

Having fun with: My new granddaughter

Looking forward to: Improved public transportation in Newaygo County/

RETIREMENT

Proud of: The job I'm doing

Passionate about: equal rights 

Deb Marsh

ETS / Mentor /

Community Resource Coordinator

Qualifications: Background in retail, sales, mentoring.

Often heard saying:  Yes when I should say NO.

Enjoys: People, humor, shopping, travel, reading.

Learning to: Be patient with my computer.

Thankful for: A job I truly love and wonderful co-workers.

Driven by: Those I work with and seeing them succeed.

Having fun with: Life period, I enjoy each day to the fullest.

Looking forward to: Moving to our new location!

Proud of: My retention rate.

Passionate about: Never putting limitations on people.

Little known fact: I am afraid of the dark.

Peter Myers

Veteran Services Coordinator

Qualifications: B.S.Psychology, M.A. Education; over 30 years’ experience in human services

Often heard saying: How does that work?

Enjoys: Sailing, computing, reading, biking, working

Learning to: Enjoy the moment, look on the bright side

Thankful for: Family, good health, friends, a full belly

Driven by: Peace on earth and goodwill among all mankind

Having fun with: teaching older folks how to have fun with a computer

Looking forward to: Peace on earth and food and shelter for all

Proud of: Taking initiative to make things happen

Passionate about: Honesty and treating all people with respect

Little known fact: Underneath a serious demeanor is just another human wanting love and respect

Yolanda Hopson

IL Supports Specialist/

Instructor

Qualifications: Friendly with a positive attitude, compassionate, great listener

Often heard saying: "Thank you!"

Enjoys: Reading, biking and spending time with my nephews

Learning to: Live a life rich in experience and adventure

Thankful for: My co-workers

Driven by: Eliminating barriers

Having fun with: The Empowerment Group

Looking forward to: Graduating from college

Proud of: Not giving up

Passionate about: Setting and attaining a range of goals

Little known fact: I was an Army Reservist for 7 years

Dave Smith

Finance

Qualifications: None to speak of

Often heard saying: “Happy to be here.”

Enjoys: Travel

Learning to: Be less grumpy

Thankful for: still being alive and mobile

Driven by: money

Having fun with: my wife

Looking forward to: traveling with my wife

Proud of: still being able to help

Passionate about: nothing

Little known fact: have been everywhere in the US

Karen Wynne

Community Supports / Nursing Facility Transition Coordinator

Qualifications: Bachelor of Human Service (BHuServ)

Often heard saying: “Just keep on pushin’ on.”

Enjoys: cooking, eating, traveling, shopping, spending time with family and being an asset to this world

Learning: Diplomacy

Thankful for: life, love, happiness, good health, family and friends

Driven by: Faith

Having fun with: motherhood

Looking forward to: world travels

Proud of: my children

Passionate about: using my experiences as a person with a disability to make a difference in the lives of other people with disabilities.

Diane Russick-Rodriguez

Independent Living Specialist

Qualifications: Liberal Arts Associate Degree, BA Business leadership, Masters of Arts in Public Administration: Nonprofit Management and Leadership

Often heard saying: “Be the miracle you want to see”

Enjoys:  “Enchiladas”

Learning to: enjoy new technology

Thankful for: all my friends

Driven by: The peace that passes all understanding, and teaching that no matter who you are, as a child of the universe, you are no less than the trees and the stars. You have a right to be here and to be treated with dignity and respect.

Having fun with: Kayaking again, sunny weather, making quilts and scrapbooking.

Looking forward to: Celebrating successes with my sons and Christmas always

Proud of: my family

Passionate about: Education, ending homelessness, hunger, and loneliness  

Little known fact:  I dislike plain chocolate ice-cream!

Susan Cloutier-Myers

Executive Director

Qualifications:  BS in Psychology from Grand Valley State University, 18 hours towards Industrial Psychology  from Western Michigan University

Often heard saying: Disability is part of the human condition

Enjoys:  Sailing, biking, kayaking

Thankful for:  My friend and spouse Peter, 2 adult children, friends, and colleagues

Looking forward to:  The day that a Center for Independent can close its doors

Passionate about:  Equal Access to goods and Services 

Martha Lamphear: (Marti) 

Director of Operations

Qualifications: BA & MA in Organizational Communications - WMU; post graduate studies in Organizational Communication - MSU

Often heard saying: “And so… what you’re saying is…?”

Enjoys: Plays, sailing, cooking, and “what if…” discussions

Learning to: Relax

Thankful for: The adventure that can be found in every ordinary day.

Driven by: My desire to do my best work possible in order to make a difference in our community for people with disabilities.

Having fun with: Our adult children “hanging out” at our house

Proud of: Our children and their joy of life.

Passionate about: Life, living, and finding the positive in difficult situations

Frank Minor

Independent Living / Sensitivity Specialist

Qualifications: DEPENDABLE-ARTICULATE-LEADERSHIP.

Often heard saying: Have a Blessed day

Enjoys: Playing Chess, Walks on the beach on the pier at late sunset and long rides in a vehicle in the country. Jazz. Candlelight meals with soft music.

Learning to: Look at each situation as an opportunity to enhance my perception, understanding, and knowledge.

Thankful for: The opportunities and individuals in my life that allowed me to regain Hope and the strive to continue.

Driven by: The need of providing a system that is not unjust for those with a disability and in poverty.

Having fun with: Being silly with my children.

Looking forward to: Becoming financially self-sustainable and finding someone to share it with.

Proud of: My Children.

Passionate about: Helping others HELP themselves .

Little known fact: I have completed training into the Ministry and have received certifying License of Ministry.

Sue Harris

Administrative Specialist

Qualifications: Over 10 years of Office work – Proficient in Microsoft Office.
Enjoys: Cross-stitch –Drawing – Reading
Learning to: be more tolerant
Thankful for: my daughter
Driven by: the need to keep busy
Looking forward to: another road trip with my daughter
Proud of: the fact that I do a good job (I hope)
Passionate about: doing a good job
Little known fact: I was in a “Bagpipe Band” for 13 years

Mark Pierce

Director of Community Development

Qualifications:  I have worked with Disability Connection as a facilitator for peer support groups and empowerment.  Over the seven years I have worked here I have been involved with program coordination, grant supervision, programming, veterans programming, and supervising staff.  My areas of expertise are group facilitation, mentoring, planning, and program coordination.

Often heard saying: “A heart attack is just a heart attack until it’s your heart.”

Enjoys: I enjoy grilling meats and vegetables and making homemade barbeque sauce.

Learning to: be more competent at my job in order to serve people more efficiently.

Thankful for: I am always thankful to God for my wonderful family and good health.

Driven by: a desire to think of innovative ways to help those who are unable to help themselves.

Looking forward to: the day when having a disability will not be viewed as a hindering quality but a helpful asset.

Proud of: The relationship I have with the Muskegon community and the opportunities they have offered me.

Passionate about: Finding innovative ways to complete or handle old and new problems.

Lore Stoakes

Community Supports / Nursing Facility Transition Specialist

Qualifications: 10 years of experience working with persons with disabilities. Holds a certificate as an Employment Specialist and is starting in her 2nd year as a Nursing Facility Transition Specialist.

Often heard saying: It's not what you "can't do"... but what you "CAN DO" that matters.

Thankful for: The opportunity to be blessed with such a meaningful job.

Driven by: My passion for people to be treated equally. I suffer from depression and anxiety disorder due to incidents in my youth, and my disability has taught me true passion for others.

Having fun with: a newly built in-wall 210 gallon saltwater/reef fishtank.

Looking forward to: The growth of our CIL

Lisa Sullivan

Transportation Coordinator / Newaygo County

Qualifications: Associates in Human Resource Management. First-hand experience as a user of paratransit, taxis, rides from friends and strangers, etc.

Enjoys: Finding creative solutions to problems, learning new things, computers(when they cooperate), playing music, and napping.

Learning to: Speak from knowledge instead of emotion, and to better organize my time.

Thankful for: My family and friends, my job, the technology which gives me access to so much information.

Driven by: The desire to improve access for everyone to everything. The desire to become as independent as possible and to help others do the same.

Having fun with: Learning new songs with our new band. Trying to find ways to improve the travel voucher program.

Looking forward to: SUMMER!! Visiting my brother and dad in Arizona in March. Working with the Newaygo County Transportation Needs Assessment Study to promote awareness of the need for accessible public transportation in Newaygo.

Passionate about: Faith, family and helping others.

Little known fact: The average human blinks approximately 25 times per minute, each blink lasting about 1/3 of a second.

Deb Wright

Independent Living Supports Specialist / Instructor

Qualifications:   Human Services has always been my chosen career path. I have been a teacher. I also started tutorial programs at the local community college. I was a site manager for the Mason Office of West Central Michigan Employment and Training for five years, conducting intakes, assessments, job training, and placement. I did the Job Clubs for both Oceana and Mason DHS offices. In the last few years, I have assisted those with handicapping conditions in moving into the work force as an Orientation Worker for MRS. Because I am a person with a back disability, I understand the motivations of someone who wants employment but needs some accommodations for success.

Often heard saying: You’ve told me that forty trillion times.  (Said often to my husband)

Enjoys: I love to read, mainly mysteries, and I am an avid crossword puzzler.

Learning to:  I have been perfecting the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle.  That can be a brain strain.

Thankful for: I am so thankful for my husband.  My life would not be as full and happy without him.

Driven by: I could say I am not driven as I drive a Cadillac. However, I am driven by a need to make the lives of those I touch better, happier, and more content. I strive to make the world totally accessible for everyone.

Having fun with:  I am constantly having fun with my four grandchildren.  They always make me smile.

Looking forward to:  I can’t wait till this summer when my husband and I will take the train to Arizona and visit the area of the Navajos.

Proud of:  I am proud of my two girls who have done so many wonderful things in their lives.

Passionate about:  I am passionate about the Washington Redskins.

Little known fact:  When I had a severe car accident in 1988, I met my angel who held out his hand to me and asked me if I wanted to go with him.  I realize that this would have meant that I died.  I told him I couldn’t go right then so he touched my hair and told me everything would be fine.