Team Member Spotlight of the Month
We love to feature our team members for their quality of work and assets they bring to the Partnership. Check back each month for a new team member spotlight.
Jackie B. Robinson Brock
Program Specialist
What is your role at the Partnership?
I have a number of roles at the Partnership. I am the new Early Childhood Content Team leader. I work on a number of grants related to early childhood and health as a director. A lot of the early childhood grants that I work on are related to infant and early childhood mental health. I also serve as the Assistant Director of Virginia LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities). Last but not least I also work on a project that addresses abuse of adults with disabilities.
How long have you been at the Partnership?
I started working at the Partnership in 2011 as a masters of social work student. The Partnership was my masters field placement so I was there for the fall and spring semester. When I graduated in 2012 I started working on the I-CAN! Accessibility Project which is a partnership between the school of social work and the Partnership. In 2013 the Partnership was awarded a large grant for early childhood professional development and I was brought in as the Director of that project. I have been here ever since!
What does your job entail?
Every day is a little different depending on the needs of the projects that I work on. As a director I am responsible for mapping out project timelines, making sure that we meet the funders deliverables, overseeing staff, meeting with stakeholders, and implementing the various aspects of the program.
What do you like best about your job?
I love that the work we do at the partnership is centered in the needs of the community. The staff at the Partnership are talented, dedicated, and an overall wonderful people!
What is one thing you would like for everyone to know about the Partnership?
We are engaged in so many different amazing projects that serve children, families, and adults with disabilities. Much of the work we do is prevention oriented like training and providing the community with resources to better meet the needs of people with disabilities.
How do you define success?
Being able to influence systems change and make the world a more equitable place for people with disabilities and their family members.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by people who think outside of the box to find ways to address problems.
What is one new thing you learned in the last month?
Children with disabilities experience homelessness at a greater rate than children without disabilities.
What is one step that everyone can take to foster inclusiveness?
Find ways to include people with lived experiences in all aspects of the work that I do at the Partnership.