Her Story
About Virginia
My journey into special education began very personally - I have a son with autism, and that experience led me to become a special education advocate. That advocacy work naturally evolved into my current career with Ideal Hire, where I work in business development for special education staffing. In my role, I focus on communication with new clients and selling our services, connecting candidates to those hard-to-fill positions so that students can complete their IEPs and receive all the services they're entitled to. All the services students are entitled to have to come through special education staff, and that's where we provide them. One of my proudest achievements has been being able to expand our reach in key states like Georgia, New York, and Florida. I've been working in the special education field for about 18 years now, and I'm passionate about impacting lives - which is my main core value here at Ideal. I believe that everyone has the opportunity to impact a life positively, especially in special education.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Virginia
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be true to your values. Follow your instinct on what you think the correct thing to do is. That's the best career advice I've ever received, and it's guided me throughout my journey in special education. I believe that when you stay aligned with your core values and trust your instincts about doing the right thing, you can make a real difference in people's lives.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Learn as much as you can so you can be part of the team. Usually in schools, there is a whole IEP team of professionals, and this is especially important for parents. You need to be well educated in what you're requesting so you can make a difference. The more knowledge you have, the more effectively you can advocate and contribute to helping students get the services they need.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There are a lot of budget cuts happening right now, and the dismantling of the education department is making things harder. It's more difficult for school districts to get funding, and there are fewer grants available. These budget constraints are creating significant challenges for providing the special education services that students are entitled to receive.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Here at Ideal, we have core values, and my main core value is impacting lives. I believe that everyone has the opportunity to impact a life, a different life, positively, especially in special education. This value drives everything I do, both professionally and personally. Being able to make a positive difference in the lives of students and families is what motivates me every day.
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