Created and operated successful, self-sustaining community thrift store that employed adults with IDD including autism in a unique environment enabling the employees to live with more independence as they brought home day's pay for a day's work.- Achieved store revenue target by Year 1, and exceeded revenue target for each year after that- Leveraged revenue gains to create more job opportunities for our population in alignment with our mission- Integral part of developing, administering and managing financial processes, in store accounting and budget- Oversaw all Human Resource related issues- Directed operations including incoming donations movement of suitable products to the sales floor, merchandising, vendor ordering and customer and community relations-Built strong repeat customer base; cultivated strong relationships with customers and instilled a sense of loyalty to the store and its mission- Built strong community relationships with other businesses and non-profits in order to share ideas and resources

Successfully launched non-profit thrift store including development of concept and business plan, attainment of financial backing, store branding "HANDmeUPs", location assessment, lease negotiation, employee handbook development and launch staffing- Co-leader in development and launch of HANDmeUPs thrift store to employ adults with IDD and/or autism- Developed Business Plan, calculating start-up cost and forecasting a five-year profit and loss budget- Launched an online funding campaign and raised over $10,000 for start-up costs- Raised money through speaking engagements and meetings with individuals- Led team in securing and setting up all fixtures, shelves, racks and equipment and point of sales system, as well as staging merchandise in preparation for opening- Ensured that all challenges were addressed and resolved and all employees were front-loaded and ready for store opening

Managed a team of professionals and further developed a school-to-work program for up to 60 high-school students with disabilities per semester.

Adapted the North Carolina mandated curriculum while meeting students' needs through and individual education plan.

Taught and advocated for Behaviorally Emotionally Disabled students, as well as, students with Learning Disabilities.