Maine Medical Center's Department of Vocational Services will discuss the value of inclusive hiring for local businesses as well as a roadmap to success in mobilizing an inclusive hiring strategy. Specialists will speak about what hiring from a unique labor pool of qualified candidates could mean for your business. This is an interactive training to introduce companies to the true value of hiring people with disabilities.
Presenters from Maine Medical Center’s Department of Vocational Services:
Susan Gatti, MA, CRC - Employer Relations Specialist, Cumberland County
Chris Hynes, MBA – Employer Relations Specialist, York County
About the Presenters:
Susan Gatti is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor who has lived and worked in the Greater Portland area for over 30 years. Susan’s career path has provided her with first-hand experience in, and knowledge of, the Maine labor market including direct experience working with corporations, non-profit organizations, and small businesses. Prior to her current role as an Employer Relations Specialist, Susan’s work included compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a Return to Work Coordinator and Reassignment Specialist and working as an Employment Specialist to assist people with disabilities obtain and sustain employment.
Chris Hynes is the Employer Relations Specialist for York County. He recently graduated with an MBA from the University of Vermont’s Sustainable Innovation program, where he specialized in social sustainability with a major focus on inclusive hiring practices. Previous to the receiving his MBA, Chris was an AmeriCorps VISTA, where he ran a children and families program at Emmaus Inc., a homeless shelter in Haverhill, MA.
About: Maine Medical Center of Department of Vocational Service:
With decades of experience in programs and initiatives designed to facilitate the entry or return to competitive employment for people with disabilities, Maine Medical Center’s Department of Vocational Services (MMC DVS) is a leader in the field of employment for people with disabilities. The department, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) in Community Employment Services, provides services to individuals with disabilities and also provides technical assistance and training to community rehabilitation agencies, employers, and schools. DVS helps people for whom the path to employment has been a challenge.