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Authors Posts by Carol Ferenz

Carol Ferenz

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The Office of Developmental Programs is pleased to announce TaWanda Jackson as the new Chief of Staff. TaWanda brings a wealth of experience and will begin her new role October 31, 2022.

TaWanda Jackson, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is an energetic professional with a passion for helping others. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Robert Morris University and continued her education and received her master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

TaWanda began her career in public service at the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging. She then joined the Commonwealth as an Income Maintenance Caseworker, and for the past thirteen years, she’s been with ODP in various roles. Most recently, TaWanda served as a statewide lead for the Quality Assessment & Improvement Process. She has participated in the development and implementation of the QA&I process since its inception and provided her knowledge and expertise to ensure that stakeholders understand the overall processes and procedures and adhere to federal and state regulations and requirements.

TaWanda is an alumnus of the Office of Administration Emerging Leader Program and the Department of Human Services Leadership Development Institute. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with family playing games, cooking, reading, being active in her church, and watching the Pittsburgh Steelers. TaWanda lives in Lancaster County with her husband Bobby and two children.

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In 2018, Governor Wolf signed a bipartisan bill with unanimous support from the General Assembly into law. Act 36 of 2018 is known as the Employment First Act [PA Law 229]. The purpose of the Employment First Act (Act 36) is to “ensure that individuals with a disability be given the opportunity to achieve economic independence through jobs that pay competitive wages in community integrated settings.”

In an effort to reach this goal, the PA Employment First Oversight Commission was formed. Stephen Suroviec, Commission Chair, is President and Chief Executive Officer of Achieva and an RCPA member. Other RCPA members, including RCPA President and CEO Richard Edley, also serve on the commission. The commission was charged with:

  • Establishing measurable goals and objectives governing the implementation of the Act;
  • Tracking the measurable progress of public agencies in implementing the Act; and
  • Issuing an annual report that:
    • Details the progress made on each of the measurable goals and objectives during the preceding fiscal year, and
    • Includes recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly for effective strategies and policies needed to support the implementation of this act.

The annual report from the commission details the progress toward these targets. You can view the report here.

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