Taking steps to expand its six-decade mission of supporting employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, Hudson Community Enterprises is building a new team to provide training and job placement services for the deaf and hard of hearing.
“The goal of our incredibly experienced new team is multi-pronged,” said HCE President Joe Brown. “First, we are heavily focused on outreaching to our many stakeholders to ensure they are aware of the training and job placement services we can provide. Those audiences include school administrators, students and families that want to explore our services to this community.
“Our outreach also includes businesses throughout the tri-State area who are looking to bring the deaf and hard of hearing into their workplace, and the services we offer to help those businesses reach that goal,” added Brown. “We are also working to advance several new social enterprise businesses that will offer job opportunities for the people we are training.”
HCE services will include vocational assessments, job readiness training, and job placement and coaching. Each of our new team members will be focused on creating welcoming and inclusive work environments in HCE’s Social Enterprise Businesses, and expanding work opportunities for these populations. The new team members include:
Daniela Rivera, Vice President, Program Development, brings over a decade of experience working to advance and expand vocational rehabilitation services. In her new position at HCE, Rivera will oversee the development of innovative and scalable programs that further the economic inclusion of individuals with hearing and/or vision loss. She holds a Masters in Business Administration from Capella University, Magna Cum Laude, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration — Leadership and Management from Capella University, Cum Laude. For more information, visit here.
Angela C. Gargano, Manager of Deaf Services, brings over seven years of employment services experience to our organization, along with a Bachelor of Science in Deaf Studies and Human Services from Towson University, and an Associates in Art: American Sign Language and Deaf Studies from Union County College. For more information, visit here.
Lauren Weishaar, Director of Community Impact, comes to the organization with a lifelong experience as a Deaf woman, Bachelor of Arts from New Jersey City University, Magna Cum Laude, and has over 10 years of employment services experience working with the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deafblind, and blind populations. She will be focusing on program growth, strategic planning, and business innovations. For more information, visit here.
All of our new team members are fluent in American Sign Language. More information about the services and job opportunities and additional new team members will be available on our website in the coming weeks.
