I am an experienced professional in the fields of social services, behavior support/intervention and education. I am passionate about helping individuals advocate for themselves, acquire new life skills and find their own definitions of success and fulfillment in their lives. Helping individuals achieve their full potential and empowering them to advocate for themselves is my main goal in any position I hold. In my professional experience I have worked with various populations to include families, students, and children with diverse needs. I desire to bring my distinctive experience and my understanding of behavior, social issues and mental health care to my employment.In my previous positions as a special education aide at the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA), I supported the academic, social, and behavioral needs of students with identified special education needs. I collaborated with the academic staff and the special education team to deliver differentiated instruction, implement behavioral interventions, and collect data on student progress and behavior. I also ensured student safety, compliance with school safety regulations and encouraged advocacy of special needs students. I have also held positions as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), substitute teacher, case manager for individuals with psychiatric/developmental disabilities and mental health technician in an inpatient psychiatric hospital.In addition to my professional experiences, I also invest heavily in continuing my own education and competency. My educational background includes an associates degree in liberal arts, bachelor degree in psychology with an emphasis in research, graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis and an Me.d. in Special Education. I intend to continue my education by earning an MSW and pursuing my licensure in social work. I believe this will allow me to continue to expand my outreach and to upgrade my competency in the social services field.Aside from my employment, I am also a passionate volunteer for the military community and consistently donate my time to social outreach. I currently donate my time weekly at the Airman's Attic, a military installation based program that processes and provides donated items to military personnel free of charge in a thrift shop type setting. I aid in processing donations, provide customer service to individuals inquiring about our services and ensure store stock is rotated and organized. I love being able to assist families and help provide them with items that would otherwise be cost prohibitive.