Spotlight on Steve Verba - Region Director of Southern New Jersey

Steve Verba has been with Community Options for over two years and in his time with the company, he has been promoted and works to advocate for people with disabilities moving from developmental centers and running The Daily Plan It.

We recently conducted a question and answer session with Steve and this is what he had to say!

What do you like most about your job?

The aspect of my job which I enjoy most is probably the fact that each and everyday is different than the last. One day I will get to spend a day in the office fulfilling administrative duties, and the next I will be at the Beachwood Municipal building with my wonderful staff and clients planting flowers. It is a very hands on position, yet at the same time has a lot of administrative responsibilities attached to it. It is a great balance for me, and makes each day enjoyable. I also have a varied set of responsibilities. I get to practice my business prowess with helping to run the Daily Plan-It, I get to work on my customer service skills when I interact with parents and guardians, I get to attend meetings with the Division of Developmental Disabilities and learn about funding streams. It is an extremely diverse role that I have, and that helps to keep things interesting.

What are some challenges about your job?

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges that I face is changing the mindset of the community at large in regards to people with disabilities and deinstitutionalization. It is difficult when trying to secure a volunteer or program site and we are turned down because of closed-mindedness. However, it is also extremely rewarding when you are able to change someone's opinions and show them the truth.

You are based in one of our Daily Plan It's so you have direct contact with the
small business community that we have service agreements with - what is
that like?

It truly is a remarkable experience. We are able to deliver a great business product in our office space at a relatively low cost. The Daily Plan-It has benefited from these economic times because many people are now trying to start their own businesses due to the reduced rates of hiring and they need affordable, quality office space, which we are more than happy to provide. I have met lawyers, psychologists, software consultants, magazine designers, real estate agents, and many more professionals who have all utilized our product. It has been a productive
networking experience to say the least.


You were the first employee of Community Options to participate in the program at
KEAN university for your masters degree. what has that been like and how
would you encourage others to participate?

Honestly, this has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. All of the courses have been insightful, engaging, and relevant to my career in Community Options and as a human rights activist. I have met some brilliant people from all walks of life and the professors that I have worked with have been wonderful. While some of the courses do require a good deal of reading and writing, and the ensuing balancing act between work and school can be a lot to handle, I have learned a great deal about the world, as well as myself. I would highly recommend this Master's program to anyone who is interested in making their world a better place and who love to learn. I am extremely grateful to have this opportunity, and want to once again publicly thank Community Options for making it a possibility.

Keep up the great work Steve!

Photo Caption- Steve with his Ocean County Option Quest program planting flowers at the Beachwood Municipal Complex.