Judith L. Drew, Chief Learning Officer, Seven Hills Foundation
Drew
The Worcester-based Seven Hills Foundation recently hired Judith Drew to run and expand its training programs. Drew previously worked for the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and has held jobs in a variety of educational and social service capacities for more than 25 years.
Vital Stats:
Residence: Cumberland, R.I.
Education: Ph.D., The Ohio State University
Previous job: Private practice in vocational expert testimony, career counseling, disability case management, training and consultation, and adjunct faculty at two Southern New England colleges
Start date at new job: February 2009
Q. How are you settling in at your new office?
A. I am enjoying my work with Seven Hills. The staff and senior leadership of the organization are open to and ready for many opportunities for professional and personal development.
Q. What's the biggest surprise you've had in starting the job?
A. I am not surprised, but I am very pleased to learn that the staff and senior leadership are just as warm and welcoming as they were during the interview process. After a series of interviews, I left each one feeling that folks here may sometimes disagree about how to get things done, but their vision and desire to provide quality services to people with disabilities was a common value and mission. I am pleased to learn that my first impressions were accurate.
Q. What challenges do you see in your new position?
A. There are many challenges ahead. The corporate college was originally more focused on providing the core and mandatory trainings required by our accrediting bodies. Together with my staff and the support of senior leadership, we are expanding the range and type of trainings we are offering. The new directions will include a broader range of management development opportunities, frontline supervisory trainings, increasing professional knowledge and skills, and personal development that will include wellness initiatives, as well as a seminar in the fall on coping with aging parents. One of our greatest challenges at this time is to continue to offer quality educational experiences that will help our staff stay motivated in times of economic uncertainty.
Q. How different is this job from your previous position?
A. My private practice work involved consultation and training, disability case management, vocational expert testimony, vocational assessments, career counseling and school to career program development. Rather than this work being different, it is complimented by my range of professional experiences. My prior work has involved providing many of the services that Seven Hills currently offers. Therefore, I understand the mission and values of our organization and some of the challenges in providing quality services.
Q. How close is this to what you imagined in high school you'd end up doing?
A. Believe it or not, it is what I knew I would do. I knew that I wanted to work with people with disabilities from the time I was sixteen. That summer I met a 5 year old boy with mental retardation at a summer youth program. He was non-verbal, had some behavioral issues. No one else in the program would work with him. I decided I would do it. By the end of the summer he was talking in simple one and two word sentences and could play with other children. I knew then that I wanted to make this work my career.
Q. Where's the best place to get lunch near your new location?
A. The Palace Pizza, I think. First, because the owner has Rhode Island connections like me, since he graduated from Johnson & Wales University in Providence. Second, because his pizza, salads, and subs are great!
Q. What do you hope to be doing 10 years from now?
A. I hope I am still here with Seven Hills creating new and different ways to meet the educational and professional needs of our staff. I love my work and wouldn't want to be doing anything else, except a little more overseas travel.
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