Meet InControl Wisconsin board member, Cindy. She has been involved in self-determination in various ways for many years. She’s passionate about work that focuses on partnering and collaborating with people who receive services and community stakeholders. She loves seeing self-advocates speak up about what’s really going on. We’re so fortunate to have her as a member of the Network!

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

Cindy currently works for AssuranceSD focusing on growth and development in the companies that are part of the AssuranceSD family. In Wisconsin, this includes LKiChoice and Premier.  Her approach to this work is centered on relationship building and partnering.

Before working at AssuranceSD, she worked at GT Independence where she was the Chief Talent Officer responsible for employee engagement, learning and development, language access, and culture and belonging; and at TMG, where she held a variety of roles from Director of the IRIS Consultant Agency to Senior Director of Organizational Performance and Development.   

“I am passionate about work that focuses on partnering and collaborating with individuals receiving services and community stakeholders,” she tells us.

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

Cindy explains that she has been involved in self-determination through the work that she does, though more importantly, through the relationships she has developed over the years with self-advocates and families.  “I am deeply grateful for these relationships and feel passionate about continuing to have self-directed options for people,” she says.

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

The most exciting thing for Cindy is to see the power of the self-advocates. She’s inspired to see them speak truth to power in many settings.

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

Cindy shares that there is a resource that will be launched this fall by InControl and available on the InControl website.  The project is called Caring Across Cultures and was part of the ARPA funding that the State of WI provided. She explains that the focus of the resource is on the relationship between employers and their direct care staff, especially when there are cultural differences.  “I think this is a great resource for anyone who might be self-directing,” she says.

What are some of your hobbies?

Cindy enjoys time with her family, sitting around a fire in the backyard, hanging out with her granddaughter, reading a good novel, and brewing kombucha.

***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.