Assisting those with disabilities
Shannon Zawiski '06
Sixteen years ago, Shannon Zawiski ’06 began working at Independent Living, Inc. (ILI) in Newburgh, N.Y., a role she started just two days after graduating with her bachelor’s degree in Human Services and Psychology.
After several promotions and opportunities to grow, Zawiski (formerly Morris) is the Chief Operating Officer for ILI and Independent Home Care (IHC), community-based organizations that provide support and services to individuals with disabilities and their families.
“When I first started, I figured I would stay here for a few years until I got more experience,” said Zawiski. “After a few months, I planned on staying until retirement. I have had the good fortune to be able to grow with the organization over the years.”
She added, “One thing that struck me during my first couple of weeks was something that our CEO, Doug Hovey, said — ‘Only 15 percent of individuals who have a disability were born with that disability. The remaining 85 percent acquired their disability.’ This really made me realize that anyone, at any time, could need our services.”
Before becoming an administrator, she worked with service recipients directly, assisting these individuals by identifying and executing plans to help them live as independently as possible.
“I worked with a young lady who did not have a very peaceful or safe living situation with her family,” Zawiski explained. “By working together and with other service providers, we were able to secure a new living situation. The situation was very complex and took time, but, in the end, it was worth it to see how much happier and healthier she is today.”
Since assuming her current role in 2017, Zawiski has been overseeing the company’s 35-plus programs and services across seven counties and helping to create new ones. Most notably, she has been implementing electronic health records across both organizations, oftentimes entering previously handwritten documentation into these systems. Although a long and difficult process, it has allowed the organizations to be more efficient with documentation, reporting, billing, and monitoring.
Zawiski credits the Mount’s Career Center with preparing her for her various roles at ILI and IHC. As a student, she was connected to a pair of internships, which she found invaluable. These internships helped solidify that she wanted to work in human services.
Recently, Zawiski returned to her alma mater for the Women’s Leadership Forum, where she and other inspiring Mount alumnae who are making their mark in business, shared their experience with the next generation of students.
“In my career, I have been fortunate enough to have several women in the field who mentored me. I am always happy to have the opportunity to share that wisdom with others,” she said. “I was also eager to participate because women should be supporting other women to grow within their selected fields as much as possible.”
Reporting the news
Alberto Gilman '19
When Alberto Gilman graduated with his Communications degree in 2019, he had no idea that his career would bring him back to Newburgh. Now, Gilman is a full-time reporter for the Mid-Hudson Times, covering numerous community and municipal events and functions for the local publication.
Following the completion of his master’s degree in Journalism from Emerson College in Boston, Mass. in 2020, Gilman began working in retail while applying to several reporter positions. A year later, he was contacted by the Mid-Hudson Times to write several freelance stories before officially becoming a staff reporter a few months later. In his current position, he has written more than 200 news articles.
“Working as a journalist, here in the City of Newburgh, I sometimes say to myself, ‘I’m a steward of the story, and a student of the city,’” Gilman explained. “I believe that learning never stops and my hope is that my articles create communal interest, lead to discussions, and continue to highlight the communities I work in.”
Gilman credits much of his success to his alma mater, and in particular, to Regina Pappalardo, associate professor of Journalism.
“It was in her class that she tested my creativity, tested my writing, and gave me the necessary reporting tools to seek out noteworthy stories,” explained Gilman. “All of these experiences from the Mount have helped me develop and grow into the hardworking professional I am today.”