FINDING A JOB MADSS SEGMENT

MYTHS ABOUT HIRING PEOPLE WITH DS

WHAT IS MADSS?

Meet a DSAW Leader: Jennifer

Hello! My name is Jennifer Kosak and I have recently joined the DSAW-Green Bay Advisory Board. My husband, Matt and I are blessed with two amazing daughters, Isabelle (8) and Olivia (2).  We live in Suamico and have been married almost 14 years. I work as a Project Manager at Zymo Interactive. I love my job because I get to help create innovative and impactful solutions every day. When I'm not working you can find me spending time with my family and friends, traveling, and organizing anything and everything. I love to plan and organize! 

We received Olivia’s diagnosis after birth and it was not a great experience. The neonatologist who came in to deliver the news was anything but sensitive and basically told us we’d be lucky if Olivia got a job in fast food one day. Those first few days began as scary and overwhelming, along with the roller coaster of emotions and unanswered questions. It felt as though I was living someone else’s life and didn’t know how I was going to regain a sense of normalcy. We spent 28 days in the NICU with Olivia where we were connected with some remarkable doctors, nurses and members of the DSAW-Green Bay chapter who helped me to realize that Olivia was going to be whoever she wanted to be. One of the doctors told me Olivia was going to change the world and boy was he right. Fast forward 2 years and she has already changed mine. 

Over the past 2 years, I’ve finally started to see how much this diagnosis has blessed us as a family. Olivia has taught me to live in the moment, celebrate what I once overlooked and enjoy the journey.  Yes, this journey can sometimes still feel hard but it’s also indescribably beautiful. Parenting in general is overwhelming and scary but it’s also so exciting. It’s exciting to see how far Olivia has come in these last few years and even more exciting to think about where she’ll go in the future. She’s already gone from learning how to roll over, crawling, walking and now onto running. Yes, the progress can sometimes feel painfully slow but it’s in those moments that I’m reminded of the strength and determination that will allow her to change the world. 

I’m truly grateful that Olivia connected me to a whole community that I didn’t even know existed. The love, supportive embrace, and acceptance that I’ve felt from this community is like no other. It’s been such a joy to stand with other parents and champion our kids together. It’s for that reason that I wanted to get involved. I want to provide that same love, support and acceptance to others in our community. I want the opportunity to tell new parents who are receiving their new diagnosis, “Congratulations” and that your child will do amazing things and change the lives of so many. I want to be an advocate for inclusion and acceptance for Olivia and others with Down syndrome. I feel blessed to have this opportunity and look forward to the future! 

Meet a DSAW Leader: Morgan

Hello DSAW friends and family, my name is Morgan Brzank and I am a board member for DSAW-COTH-La Crosse. I currently reside in La Crosse near UW-La Crosse but I am originally from New Berlin, WI (near Milwaukee). I am about to go into my senior year of college, studying with a major in Business Management and a minor in Healthcare Analytics with an emphasis in Human Resources (a mouthful, I know!).

I always say my path with DSAW is not only unique but one of my biggest blessings, and proves you never know what will open up doors and opportunities in your life. In high school, I was on my school’s dance team and one of our coaches asked me to help coach our communities Special Needs and Abilities Poms (SNAP) team. I fell in love with coaching these girls immediately and I also met my friend, Alexis Malloy while coaching that team. Here, her family asked me to become a supporter for Alexis where I got to help Alexis with things like work, respite, healthy habits, tutoring and so on. This experience also opened up the opportunity to learn about DSAW and I began volunteering there throughout high school (I still work for her remotely). Through Alexis, I met Dawn Nuoffer and the fabulous Abby.

Through all these opening doors, I made my way to becoming a board member for the La Crosse chapter when moving to La Crosse for college. I am now the Secretary for our board and I love helping out with the volunteers in our area, having a part in the DSAW walk, and getting involved with the Self-Advocates when I can. Last summer, I had the blessing of working at DSAW Headquarters as an intern – best summer ever! I even work for DSAW Family Services from time to time. DSAW and all the individuals with Down syndrome have changed my life and I am so honored to continue my work in this community. As I finish up my last year in college and look forward to new directions, I am excited to continue being a DSAW member for La Crosse and being involved in DSAW overall!

Meet a DSAW Leader: Intern Edition

Meet DSAW’s hard working Summer 2019 Interns! We couldn’t do the work we do without these amazing and passionate individuals. Read below to learn more about Ava, Brett, Lindsey, Mariah, and Michelle!

Ava Landmeyer, Social Work/Programming Intern:

My name is Ava Landmeyer and I am so excited to be interning with DSAW this summer! About 8 months ago, I began volunteering at DSAW’s Tween Nights after hearing about DSAW through the Breathe Respite Program a couple years back. I’ve always felt a pull towards working with individuals with special needs, and I’ve been lucky enough to learn just how much I love this type of work through a few different opportunities, such as working as an assistant Irish dance teacher, Best Buddies club, Breathe Respite, and now DSAW! It’s been such an amazing experience getting to know everyone at DSAW and getting more involved in some of their amazing programs. Besides working with DSAW and similar organizations, I also spend my time Irish dancing and working as a Certified Nursing Assistant.  I am so looking forward to the opportunity to work with DSAW and all of its fantastic members.

Brett Braza, Marketing & Communications Intern:

Hello! My name is Brett Braza and I am the Marketing & Communications Intern here at DSAW. Although I have only been working here for a year, I can say with confidence that this incredible organization has changed my life. I have been lucky enough to meet so many inspiring self-advocates, many of whom I would call my heroes. These self-advocates have proven that just because an individual has a disability does not mean they are limited in life—they are capable to do anything! I plan on bringing that perspective to school and throughout the rest of my life. Speaking of school, I just finished my freshman year at the University of Minnesota! I absolutely love the Twin Cities area and will be excited to be back up there again in August. I am studying Marketing and Non-Profit Management through the Carlson School of Management, two fields of study greatly inspired by my work with DSAW!  In my free time, I enjoy running, traveling Up North, and watching movies, specifically Pixar and Marvel movies! I am trying to improve my cooking skills this summer as I will be living in an apartment next year in the Twin Cities. But, that is a work in progress! I am so excited to be at DSAW for the summer!

Lindsey Clark, Social Work/Programming Intern:

Hi! My name is Lindsey Clark and I am a Social Work/Programming intern at DSAW in West Allis. I am currently a senior at Marquette University studying Social Welfare and Justice and Gender and Sexuality Studies. I am originally from Detroit but have loved living in Milwaukee these past three years. After I graduate, I plan on pursuing my Masters in Social Work and hope to work to support individuals and impact my community. I wanted to be involved with DSAW, not only to gain experience working with the programming of a non-profit, but also to join the strong community that advocates for the dignity of all individuals. Although I am only in my first month of interning here, I have quickly grown to love the people and mission of DSAW. In my time as a DSAW intern, I can't wait to learn, grow and become a part of this amazing community. 

Mariah Ganyo, Social Work/Programming Intern:

Hello! My name is Mariah Ganyo and I am apart of the programs internship at DSAW for the summer. I just graduated this spring from The University of Wisconsin- Stout with a bachelors of science degree in Human Development and Family Studies and a concentration in social work. I grew up in a suburb outside of the twin cities in MN and my next door neighbor who is one of my best friends is a person with Down syndrome. Him and many of his friends helped me find my passion for helping others. In my free time, i enjoy being outside, reading a book, out shopping with friends and family, or inside trying to cook a delicious recipe off of Pinterest. I am so happy to be apart of DSAW and can’t wait to get to know all of you!

Michelle Dieckelman, Nonprofit Management & Event Planning Intern:

Hi! My name is Michelle Dieckelman and I am the Nonprofit Management and Event Planning Intern for DSAW. I am a junior at UW-Madison, double majoring in communicative science & disorders and communication science & rhetorical studies. My career aspiration is to be a speech pathologist in the NICU. I am from a family of 5 – my parents, a brother, and a sister. At UW – Madison, I am involved with the Special Olympics of Wisconsin, Moment of Magic, and Badgers Give Back. All of these experiences have brought me down the path of working at DSAW. I participate in flag football and volleyball with the Special Olympics of Wisconsin and it has brought me so much joy and great friendships. With my Moment of Magic organization, I get to dress up as a female superhero and help children to feel “brave, strong, and fearless.” DSAW is a great organization and I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to work as an intern for the summer. I can already see the impact this organization has on the community and I cannot wait to be part of this amazing organization and team.

Meet a DSAW Leader: Garrett

Hello! My name is Garrett Lancelle and I am a DSAW-Central Wisconsin Board Member. I am also a proud husband and father to three wonderful children (JJ (1), Isabelle (4), and Gavin (6). I am also a sibling to Max, Katie, and Joe and son to Paul and Nancy. I have worked as a special education teacher for the last 9 years throughout Central Wisconsin (Edgar, D.C. Everest, and Wausau School District). My family and I reside in Weston, Wisconsin. 

My journey to DSAW stemmed from being a part of a family who lived by the motto of "putting the FUN in DYSFUNCTIONAL". More than that I lived in a family of love.

My siblings, Max and Katie, have Down Syndrome. My parents were amazing advocates. My brother Joe and I can attest that we are the people we are today due to being the siblings of Max and Katie. Max and Katie helped us to understand how to conquer fears, fight through adversity, and fight through the most difficult of task that life presents.   

My experiences as a sibling, son, and special educator have led me to being a part of DSAW. I have seen the impact our community has on families and look forward to our growth in the future! 

Meet a DSAW Leader: Roxy

My name is Roxy Pryes and I am one of the board members for DSAW-Green Bay.  My husband, Craig and I live in Casco with our two children, Ollie and Tori. I attended my first DSAW Awareness Walk back in 2012 when Ollie was just under 3 months old. I was in awe of all of the wonderful people I met that day.  Our next DSAW sponsored event was a monthly play date where the other moms went crazy over Ollie. (Now that Ollie is a little older I get to be one of the moms going crazy over the new babies).

Over the course of the next few years my family attended play dates, parents nights out, and of course more walks.  I knew from early on that I wanted to volunteer with DSAW but I was not able to right away due to balancing work and raising two young children.  In 2017 I was able to help the rest of our newly forming board plan the Awareness Walk.  Since then I have loved the brainstorming, planning, sleepless nights, and friendship that has come along with being part of the DSAW-Green Bay Board.  In my free time (what is that?) I enjoy spending time with my family, camping in the summer, and reading (can't remember the last time this didn't involve a book with more pictures than words).  I also enjoy my second job (first one is being mom to Ollie and Tori) working at a local clinic as a patient service representative.  I absolutely love planning new events for DSAW Green Bay.

Meet a DSAW Leader: Ryan

My name is Ryan Mattson.  I am a fresh member of the DSAW Central Wisconsin Board and this is my AMA… oop, sorry wrong website, this is my Meet a DSAW Leader.  My wife and I live in the Wausau area along with my step daughter Halena.  On July 2, 2016 my wife and I had our first baby together, her name is Emma.  I knew immediately that she had Down syndrome and upon questioning the nurse and Doctor, we were met with a refusal to acknowledge.  Like many, we had some difficult times over the weeks to follow between being passed around to Pediatricians, trying to learning about this new world we’d stumbled into, waiting for official test results (they said I’m sorry), and wondering if Emma had any health issues.  That said, Emma came away clear of the initial major health issues and is a joy and a wonder.

The DSAW Central WI Chapter was just being formed when Emma came along and we’re grateful to have been able to meet so many others with similar experiences in the local area.  My wife and I have both recently transitioned from full-time corporate world jobs to each running our own businesses.  This has allotted us some extra personal time to spend with the kids, attend events, and now also put some time into this chapter of DSAW.

 In my personal life, I am constantly on the go and my list of projects seems to grow faster than it gets shorter.  I like physical labor and I dabble in all trade skills, sometimes more out of necessity than enjoyment.  When I have some spare time I like to read, play video games, collect memorable toys from my youth, and fiddle with photography.  As a family we spend a lot of time outside, often bicycling/walking/running, eating ice cream (I’m working on obtaining my Briq’s 100lb club membership), and of course Emma also keeps us on the go.

Meet a DSAW Leader: Lauren

Hello, my name is Lauren Dewey and I am the new Chapter Relations and Marketing Coordinator at the DSAW State Headquarters! I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2015 with a BA in Communication and shortly after moved to the Milwaukee area. The last two years I was the merchandising assistant of fitness apparel for an e-commerce company. While I enjoyed the merchandising field, I didn’t feel it’s what I was meant to do. That’s what brought me to the nonprofit sector! I started the graduate program in Nonprofit Management and Leadership through the Helen Bader Institute at UW-Milwaukee this past fall. I strived to really connect with people, be fulfilled, and have an impact on society. Hence how I ended up at DSAW! In the short amount of time I’ve been here, I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many amazing, driven people all working towards the same goals. It’s truly inspiring and has sparked so much passion in me. 

When I’m not buried in textbooks, I’m usually enjoying my time with my three dogs Alfie, Bama, and Cannoli, whether it be hiking or snuggling on the couch. Otherwise you can find me at a country music concert or exploring new food spots in Milwaukee with my fiancé, Kurtis. I also currently serve on the board of Friends of MADACC, the nonprofit that serves Milwaukee’s local animal control and adoption facility, MADACC. I’ve continued to pursue my passion of merchandising to raise awareness and funds for our animals by maintaining and growing the inventory of FOM merchandise and apparel.  

I am so thankful DSAW came into my life. Working with people with Down syndrome and the hard working, dedicated employees and board members has truly brought joy and fulfillment into my life. DSAW’s mission has resonated with me and inspires me every single day. That being said, if you’re interested in joining an existing chapter or creating a new chapter in your community, please reach out to me at lauren@dsaw.org!