Career Readiness is an inclusive job-readiness program that addresses barriers to employment for youth and young adults with disabilities via a three-tiered curriculum involving academic learning, real-world experiences, and mentoring. Over the past year, our program has expanded and seen some new faces. Let’s meet the team!
Lindsay Alperin, Career Readiness Program Director
Lindsay is passionate about supporting the development of career readiness skills and increased independence for youth with disabilities in an inclusive setting. In her role, Lindsay provides oversight of all aspects of PYD’s Career Readiness program. Lindsay has worked with individuals with disabilities across their lifespan in a variety of settings including schools, homes, and hospitals as an occupational therapist. Her background and hands-on experience are critical for this role as she has witnessed first-hand the barriers individuals with disabilities and their families face in everyday activities. Lindsay received both her Bachelors of Science in Health and Science Studies and her Masters of Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, exercising, cooking, reading, and being outside.
Becca Cronin, Pre-Employment Administrator
Becca began working at PYD in 2019, but prior to that she was a pre-k teacher and special education aide. Outside of work, she loves listening to country music, going to concerts, traveling to Plymouth during the summer, and spending time with her four-year-old brother.
Olivia Harris, Pre-Employment Program Specialist
Originally from Florida, Olivia says she can never appropriately dress for the cold. She has a twin sister, bread is her favorite food, and she loves to travel, cook, run, and go on walks with no particular destination. Olivia has experience working in the early education field alongside individuals with disabilities and is excited to continue serving.
Emma Kahn, Career Readiness Specialist and Partnerships Administrator
Emma works with high school youth to help support and prepare them for future workplace experiences and internship opportunities. Emma can speak three languages and has been to five continents! During her undergraduate studies, she majored in Osteology, which means that she can name and identify all the bones in the human body.
Mehdi Raoufi, Pre-Employment Specialist
Mehdi is originally from the Washington, DC area. He teaches music and plays the guitar and piano. Mehdi loves live music, cooking, biking, and playing with his two senior dogs, Maggie and Coltrane. Mehdi worked for about a decade as a director and sound designer in theatre and was a teaching artist, director, and playwright for an inclusive theater company. He then moved to Boston and earned his Expressive Arts Therapy graduate degree. Mehdi tries to bring fun and creativity into our Career Readiness workshops. He believes every single person on the planet is creative, and there is always space for your creativity.
Darryl Sanchez, Career Readiness Coordinator
Darryl was born in the Philippines and grew up in California. He served in the US Marines after high school and served in the Peace Corps in Moldova after college. He worked intensively abroad in SE Asia and Eastern Europe focusing on economic and youth development. Darryl speaks Filipino, Japanese, and Russian. He loves to play guitar, dance salsa and bachata, and travel. As the Career Readiness Program Coordinator, Darryl teaches professional and life skills to our youth with disabilities in the Boston Public School system. He loves his job because he enjoys connecting with young people. He often tries to help students believe they are not limited by their disabilities and reminds them that an open mind and motivation are keys to success.
Olivia Umoren, Outreach Coordinator
Olivia is a public health professional passionate about supporting the overall well-being of low income and minority populations both at community and policy-based levels. Olivia has 10 years of community engagement and event planning experience. As our outreach coordinator, Olivia develops partnerships with local businesses and community organizations to provide guest lectures and job shadows for PYD students. Olivia received her bachelor’s degree in nutritional science from Penn State University and is currently pursuing her Masters of Public Health at George Washington University in Washington, DC.