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Success Stories
Kristofer Peterson
Kristofer Peterson lives in one of the Independent Living Services (ILS) apartment complexes in San Jose. He has gone through the Community Options circle of employment and living services and is now a Support Specialist for the San Jose Integrated Work program. Recently, he flew to San Diego to be a speaker on a five-person panel during a “Reinventing Quality” Conference on February 14, 2006. His panel was titled, “Individuals and Families Helping to Improve Quality” and he was the only person with a disability on the panel! He discussed his perspective on self-advocacy and talked about his work as a surveyor using the Life Quality instrument adopted by California Area Boards. It was the first time that he flew by himself and stayed in the hotel where the conference was held and he did very well. He was truly excited and grateful for the whole experience. In his own words, he shares with you the opportunity he had to be a part of the conference.
“Valentine’s Day 2006 will be an everlasting memory.....I woke up at 6:40 a.m. and got clean shaven for the presentation that I was to give at 9:00 a.m. that morning. I then met my moment of truth when I met with my panel and watched the auditorium filled with, what seemed to be endless amounts of people, filling in the seats. I was speaking on the first panel in front of 500 PEOPLE! So I was understandably nervous.
I spoke on the panel that was during the breakfast hour. I then took the audience on a flawless 15 minute tour of the Life Quality Assessment project. I even had the Executive Director for the State Council on Developmental Disabilities come up and tell me that my presentation was so “fabulous.” I was so full of pride with all the congratulations that I received. I had a recharge in my love for what I do for Community Options.”
Caption: Kudos to Kristofer for Speaking at “Reinventing Quality” Conference!
Independent Living Housing Complex at Viviente
- Quality
- Innovation
- Customer Satisfaction
- Integrity
- Vision
- Professionalism
Employment & Community Options provides services in five counties of California including San Diego, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Alameda.