Jan Dougherty grew up in Canton and later moved to Jackson Township along with her husband Pat and two sons, Matt and Ryan.
She stated her members of the family are her most important motivation for her continued success each personally and professionally.
One of many profitable facets of her life has been her volunteer work the place she has given her time and abilities to advocate for folks with disabilities and for his or her proper to reside, work and luxuriate in life of their communities. She is co-president of Ohio APSE (Affiliation of Advancing Individuals Supporting Employment First). It’s the solely affiliation that solely helps employment first for folks with disabilities.
“Being a board member of Ohio APSE is essential to me,” Dougherty stated. “I’ve been a board member for over 10 years. Our older son has a incapacity and when it got here to start out fascinated with employment for him, there simply weren’t many choices for him to contemplate.”
Meet Kelly Williams:Group engagement coordinator at Mission REBUILD
Meet Zac Adams:Operator of The Inkeeper’s Tattoo Parlor
What’s your typical workday like (actions and duties)?
My volunteer function as co-president of the Ohio APSE chapter, together with the opposite board members, is to broaden employment alternatives within the common workforce, providers and outcomes for folks experiencing obstacles to employment.
The Ohio APSE board helps Ohio’s employment area by means of coaching and data on the significance of labor for folks with obstacles to employment. This work is achieved by means of participation in workgroups to advance finest practices round employment.
As well as, we work to extend legislative efforts to introduce payments that may impression the outcomes of individuals experiencing obstacles to employment.
We have now been engaged on Home Invoice 716 to remove the apply of paying folks with disabilities under minimal wage, which by Ohio Revised Code is permissible. We’re at the moment searching for state consultant Republicans who consider all folks with disabilities ought to be paid a minimum of minimal wage for the work they carry out to help Home Invoice 716.
Why is being a board member of Ohio APSE and Nationwide ASPE so essential to you?
Most individuals didn’t consider our son could possibly be employed. The one possibility after he graduated from highschool was to go work at subminimum wage.
In my thoughts, not working was higher than being paid lower than minimal wage.
Right this moment, he’s working efficiently at Aultman Hospital. It was throughout this time that I discovered about Ohio APSE. The mission and imaginative and prescient of Ohio APSE are in step with what I believed about folks with disabilities working in the neighborhood.
Being round like-minded folks with a shared imaginative and prescient and who helps you helps you retain transferring in the proper route.
Would you share a few of the different points and organizations you help now or have supported prior to now?
Two teams that I help the work of are the Olmstead activity power and the Breaking Silences Advocacy Committee.
Each these of teams have missions and visions that align properly with Ohio APSE. They consider in, as Ohio APSE, advocating for the proper to reside, work and luxuriate in life of their communities.
Olmstead is the identify of a Supreme Court docket choice stating that pointless institutionalization is discrimination in opposition to folks with disabilities. Two girls received their lawsuit and received once more on enchantment to the US Supreme Court docket, that folks with disabilities have the proper to reside in the neighborhood.
Breaking Silences advocates that the voices of individuals with disabilities are heard and revered in any respect state ranges of presidency, together with the Ohio Division of Medicaid and Ohio Division of Developmental Disabilities.
What are a few of your favourite locations to go to in Stark County?
We get pleasure from supporting native eating places in Stark County and occasions held in downtown Canton at Centennial Plaza and Corridor of Fame occasions.
Would you share what or who motivates you in your work and your private life?
My motivation comes from challenges and success to do a very good job. Figuring out that my arduous work and perseverance will assist me obtain higher skilled success is what retains me going. Once I know my efforts are following the proper path, it encourages me to push extra.
In my private life, my household motivates me, plain and easy. I can depend upon them as my strongest supporters and encouragers. My husband is the supply of calm confidence. Figuring out precisely the place to push arduous and the place to gradual me down. He’s my equilibrium. Members of my household stay as my go-to folks once I’m feeling a bit much less motivated.
Editor’s notice: 5 questions with … is a Sunday function that showcases a member of the Stark County group. If you would like to suggest somebody to take part, ship an e-mail to newsroom@cantonrep.com.