Have you ever felt a burning desire to change your path or try something new, but you didn’t know how to start?
That’s where I found myself a few years ago. I spent the first decade of my career in the nonprofit sector, first in recreation therapy and then in fundraising. Although I was relatively content at work, I was also feeling a bit too comfortable. I felt an urge to try something radically different. I wanted to get more deeply involved in my community, and maybe even change my career track, but the thought of starting anew as a mid-career professional was terrifying. I didn’t have a very deep network outside of my small professional community, and I wasn’t sure how to find people outside of my field who were willing to help me.
That was when I learned about the Institute, a year-long leadership development program for individuals with disabilities. Although I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, the opportunity sounded like a way to expand my horizons. Submitting the application turned out to be the best decision I could have made at that pivotal moment in my life.
As an Advancing Leadership (now called Disability Lead) Fellow, I got to meet leaders and professionals from a variety of fields and sectors: corporate, government, nonprofit, civic and community. I connected with incredible, caring people who believed in me and were truly interested in helping me succeed. As a Fellow, I developed my networking skills and met new people, I was challenged to think intentionally about how I wanted to lead, both personally and professionally.
Ultimately, I transitioned into a new career in healthcare as a Project Manager for Lurie Children’s Hospital. I also started an MBA program, joined the board of Friends of the Forest Preserves, and was appointed to the ADA Advisory Committee for the Cook County Forest Preserves. None of this would have been possible without the support, encouragement, and connections I received from my [Disability Lead] community. I leveraged the power of the Members Network which I’m proud to be in alongside other 100 leaders!
Networking can be scary for anyone but navigating professional circles can be especially intimidating for people with disabilities. When I was growing up, I didn’t see very many examples of people with disabilities who were college-educated, employed, or in positions of leadership. It’s time for us to change the statistics and change the conversation about what people with disabilities can do. Now that I’ve built my skills and found my seat at tables of power and influence, I can advocate for myself and others. Now I can share what I’ve learned and model what disability leadership looks like for the next generation.
Diana Helt is a Senior Project Manager at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. She serves on the Board of Directors of Dare2Tri, the Chicago Rowing Foundation, and Friends of the Forest Preserves, and she is also a member of the ADA Advisory Committee for the Cook County Forest Preserves. Diana graduated from Slippery Rock University and received her Project Management Certificate from Loyola University Chicago. She is an M.B.A. candidate (2021) at the University of Illinois.