Zhanna Ukrainskaya is a vocational apprentice in graphic design at the Ohio Department of Aging.
Moments after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was sworn into office, he signed Executive Order 2019-03D, establishing Ohio as a Disability Inclusion State and Model Employer of Individuals with Disabilities, requiring all state agencies to increase recruitment, hiring, and advancement of people with disabilities. His 2020-21 budget supports this effort through the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) vocational apprenticeship program for OOD participants to gain valuable work experience and exposure through paid apprenticeships with state agencies. The goal of the program is to prepare apprentices for permanent positions in state government upon completion of the apprenticeship.
Zhanna Ukrainskaya is the first participant in the vocational apprenticeship program, working with the communications team at the Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) since June 2019.
Originally from Ukraine, Ukrainskaya lost her hearing from a high fever when she was two years old. She grew up enjoying art, particularly painting, as her father is an artist.
Ukrainskaya chose graphic design as her major at the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus. After graduation in 1997, she held several positions that were focused on marketing and advertising design. However, due to communication barriers, her attempts at employment were not successful.
Ukrainskaya came to OOD and worked with Pamela Schneider, OOD Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and Kristen Berry, OOD Job Developer, for more than a year on communication skills. In addition to being deaf, Ukrainskaya also had a foreign language barrier.
Earlier this year, as part of the budget roll-out, OOD Director Kevin Miller introduced the vocational apprenticeship program to state agency directors. Knowing her agency was in need of a part-time graphic designer to assist in the communications department, ODA Director Ursel McElroy was excited for the opportunity to host an apprentice.
OOD staff worked with ODA human resources to create the parameters for the apprentice position at ODA. When resumes were collected, Ukrainskaya’s rose to the top.
Zhanna Ukrainskaya (right) with Melanie Ayotte, ODA Project Administrator (center) discussing a new project. Left: Jane Allinder, American Sign Language Interpreter.
A sign language interpreter for Ukrainskaya is provided when needed. She also uses the Purple Communications Relay Program (which uses a webcam to provide a sign language interpreter) to participate in meetings with coworkers. The ODA communications team frequently interacts with Ukrainskaya through email, instant messaging, and a large screen to display typed communication. They have also recently added a computer with Dragon software to assist in their communications. “As communicators, it has been a positive challenge for the team to explore communications methods with Zhanna and find ways to make projects work,” said Beth Gianforcaro, ODA Communications Director. “I was fortunate to have worked in the past with OOD and have familiarity with successful approaches.”
“The staff at the ODA is honored to be the first to host an employee with its apprentice program,” said ODA Director McElroy. “Zhanna has been working within the communications team and directly with program staff on a variety of assignments and priority projects. Her transition has been smooth and a learning experience for our employees and leadership. We are happy to have her on board.”
“This pilot apprenticeship showed what could be done,” said OOD Director Kevin Miller. “The Governor was firm in his commitment that he wanted more people with disabilities working for the State of Ohio, and now an initiative is in place.” Dennis DeYoung, OOD Business Relations Specialist, is currently working with 30 candidates to apply, interview, or onboard at various state agencies. Two more apprentices start this month and one is scheduled to start in early December. Several more offers have been made with start dates pending.
Zhanna Ukrainskaya with Cecil Field, ODA Senior Human Resources Analyst, sharing a keyboard and screen during a meeting.
Ukrainskaya has provided graphic design work for several major initiatives at ODA. One project focuses on public health and the expansion of farmer’s market programs for Ohio seniors, and the other involves updating all policy forms for the human resources department. She works alongside ODA’s senior graphic designer with more than 30 years of experience.
“Zhanna has been involved in projects from the beginning concept through the finished product,” said Gianforcaro. “She has also played an instrumental role in turning many of our documents into online, fillable forms, and she has become the agency expert in this area.” She has also been working on several logos, newsletters, signs, and other graphic designs.
Ukrainskaya designed the logo used for the ODA “Well Beyond 60” booth at the 2019 Ohio State Fair
“When someone gives me a project, I like to create and design instead of doing the same thing over and over,” said Ukrainskaya. “I find inspiration in each project.”
“It has been amazing to watch Zhanna flourish during her internship,” said Schneider.
If you have a disability and would like to work, visit www.oodworks.com. To learn more about apprenticeships with the State of Ohio visit https://ood.ohio.gov/Programs-Partners/Programs/vocational apprentice-Program.
Maria Noble, OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and Leonard Vonderhaar.
Leonard “Len” Vonderhaar is an 81-year-old farmer in Preble County. Thanks to a partnership between OOD, Ohio AgrAbility, and Easterseals Serving Greater Cincinnati, Len received equipment that supports him in continuing the work he enjoys.
Maria Noble, OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, explained: “I do not get the opportunity to serve a lot of farmers, but when I do, it is always a rewarding experience. The accommodations we provided Len will help him stay independent, be successful, provide for his family, and remain a viable agricultural asset to the local community and economy.”
Watch a video by WKRC to learn more.
In recognition of October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, OOD hosted five job fairs across the state to connect OOD job seekers with employers, as well as recognize businesses who are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce. During the month, 782 job seekers participated in the job fairs, and a total of 172 unique employers were on hand to recruit (some employers attended multiple job fairs). OOD staff were joined by 199 job developers from 78 agencies to support job seekers.
Following each of the job fairs, employers anonymously shared their feedback about their experience at the event. Overall, positive feedback reflects the hard work and passion OOD staff put into the job fairs. Watch a video to learn more.
Representatives from of all the teams at DDD who have contributed to a year of success. Back row, left to right: Art Freeman, John DeWeese, Mike Johnson, Mary Lowery-Nelson, Raymond Rhone, Tammy Polter, Virginia Hollatz, Greg Harber, Randall Hicks, and Isaac Sneed. Second row, left to right: Heather Morton, Krystal Norman, Brittany Crump, Deb Meeks, Samantha Girscht, Suzanne Hazlett, Michael Harrison, Katie Holbrooks, and Margaretta King. Front row, left to right: Jaime McVay, Kim Price, Yvette Caslin, and Nicole Martin.
Congratulations to OOD’s Division of Disability Determination (DDD), which assists individuals with disability benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA).
“As another year came to a close, the DDD staff met every established workload target, and in many cases, exceeded those targets,” said Rhonda Tanner, DDD Deputy Director. “As a team, our staff provided 160,346 Ohioans with disability determinations. What a great accomplishment!”
Federal fiscal year 2019 began with 37,417 pending claims. During the year, staff received an additional 157,888 cases to process. DDD staff determine disability for new filings, review appeals in place for previous disability determination findings, and review the current disability status of designated cases.
Quality Reviews performed by SSA of determinations produced by DDD staff throughout federal fiscal year 2019 consistently exceeded the 97% Net Overall Accuracy threshold.
“Our staff processed disability determinations so efficiently, that we ended the year with approximately 2,000 fewer Ohioans waiting for a determination, than were waiting when the year began,” said Thomas Melfo, DDD Assistant Deputy Director.
“In the end, the numbers tell us how we are serving our customers. Are we keeping up with our service obligations? It is how we grade ourselves,” continued Melfo. “We are exactly where we need to be right now. We serve a lot of people, and we serve them well, thanks to the collaboration, planning, and assistance from staff, consultants, and partners.”
“I do believe we have the best staff and consultants in the nation,” said Tanner. “We will have a lot to accomplish in this upcoming year, but I am confident we will achieve those goals together.”
Tune into episode 8 of OOD Works - the Podcast, as OOD Director Kevin Miller discusses the communication disability law.
Any individual with a medically diagnosed communication disability, who drives or regularly has someone with a communication disability in their vehicle, can voluntarily enroll in a database that connects to the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS). The law enforcement officer can then be made aware that the driver or a person in the vehicle may have difficulty communicating and can approach the vehicle with awareness to reduce any potential misunderstandings or problems.
Find the episode now wherever you listen to podcasts by searching "OOD Works." Transcripts and MP3 files are available at https://ood.ohio.gov/Podcast.
The Autism Certification Center is currently offering a free 1.5-hour video to help anyone who lives with, educates, or supports a person with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The video provides information about the characteristics of ASD, dispels common misconceptions, and offers suggestions. To view the free video, visit www.autismcertificationcenter.org.
Happy Thanksgiving! The OOD Works e-Newsletter will return on Friday, December 6. Stay tuned!
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