Meet Anna. This coffee-loving author believes anything can be done by taking one step at a time. She has many outstanding achievements that she’s proud of and continues to strive to do more. We’re so fortune to have Anna as a member of the Network! 

What's your story?  Tell us a little bit about yourself.

 Anna is originally from a small town in northern Illinois; she moved to the Madison area for grad school nearly 10 years ago. She explains that her ultimate life goal has always been a two-parter—1. to work (preferably) in a job she finds meaningful and she feels she’s uniquely gifted at and 2. to live independently in the community.

“Living in Wisconsin has been an exciting journey, one characterized by many moments of achievement as well as quite a few learning experiences (a.k.a. failures!),” Anna says. She’s proud to say she graduated with she master's degree in rehabilitation counseling and has had the privilege of working in social services. She has worked in a couple different positions over the years, but all having the common thread of assisting people with disabilities in reaching their employment goals.

Anna shares that she’s grateful to have accomplished some of her goals and she has learned a lot. While she has been able to continue living in the community, she’s not currently in a situation she would call "independent." After 10 years, she now has the benefit of a better understanding for how to make strategic progress towards the future she envisions. “It's not always possible to achieve everything all at the same time, but slow and steady wins the race. Anything can be done one step at a time,” she says. 

How are you involved with self-determination? Why did you join the SD Network?

Anna was able to attend and present at the Wisconsin SD Conference for her job a couple of years ago. She’s excited to be a part of this Network to learn about all the possibilities for future growth and to assist others with their goals. 

Tell us some good news - what's the most exciting thing happening for you (or in Wisconsin) in terms of self-determination?

Anna recently wrote a book! She explains that it's a collection of essays about her experiences, observations about the world, and the people who have influenced her the most. This is something she has been working on for a long time and she’s really excited to share it. You can learn more about it here. 

What tip or resource would you like to share with people who want to be more self-determined?

 YouTube and Audible are both essential resources for Anna and have really helped her get through quarantine. “There's so much information out there and cool people to learn from,” she says. She likes watching interviews of people on YouTube that she finds motivating like Oprah Winfrey and Taylor Swift. Sometimes, she will have videos of them playing in the background while she’s working on other things. Right now, on Audible, she’s starting to move through a list of books written by and about US Supreme Court Justices. 

What are some of your hobbies?

Anna enjoys drinking coffee and hanging out with her teacup chihuahua, Coco. When she’s not working, those are her two main priorities in life. She’s also hoping to downsize her belongings, so she will probably be spending much of her time cleaning in the early part of 2021. “Wish me luck,” she exclaims! 

***We love hearing the views and opinions of Network members. We need to mention that the views and opinions expressed on this site are those of the person who is sharing them. They do not necessarily reflect InControl Wisconsin or any of our supporters and funders.