Module 4 How to be a Sexuality Educator: Strategies for Teaching Sex Education
Presenter Bios
Necole Mills Necole Mills oversees program development and implementation of Anixter Center's Residential, Day Program and Employment services. Ms. Mills brings 20 years of non for profit experience in developing programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other challenges, to achieve self-sufficiency through education, coaching and employment. Prior to joining Anixter Center, Ms. Mills served as the Vice President of Community Programs at Community Support Services, Inc. During her 10 year tenure with the organization, Ms. Mills served on statewide rate, employment, inclusion and transition planning committees. She played an integral role in developing the agency's first all abilities learning facility that would house community based programming, with an emphasis on Art Therapy, to individuals with and without I/DD in a shared learning environment. She was also instrumental in expanding the agency Supportive Employment program by 300 percent in her role as Manager of Vocational Services and grew the Bogard Specialized Services program by 50 percent under her leadership. Ms. Mills has also managed workforce development programming at Central States SER Jobs for Progress, Inc., which included SER Transitional Jobs, Job Start and DHS welfare-to-work programs. She spent 10 years at Avenues to Independence where she held multiple roles and responsibilities throughout the organization.
Leanne Mull
Leanne has been supporting people with I/DD to achieve their dreams since 1998 when, after her work as a corporate trainer, she hired someone with a job coach to work in a store she managed. She spent the next 15 years at a traditional agency in a variety of roles including employment services, QIDP and self-advocacy. Leanne believes that the key to meaningful lives for people who receive services is to encourage, empower and enlighten the staff who work for them. Currently, Leanne fulfills that purpose as a co-director of Blue Tower Solutions, Inc. and as a Quality Enhancement Specialist for CQL.
Module 4 How to be a Sexuality Educator: Strategies for Teaching Sex Education
Presenter Bios
Anne Thurston
Anne Thurston has been active in the self-advocacy movement in Illinois since Illinois Voices started in the early 2000's! Anne appeared in several of the videos produced during the Illinois Voices project and is an accomplished speaker. Anne's passion is for people with disabilities, their staff, and employers to understand that all people are equal and that people with disabilities are conquering and are here to stay. When she is not presenting at conferences, Anne enjoys her job as a fitting room monitor at Goodwill. Anne is extremely proud of her Life Achievement Award, received from the Arc of Illinois.
Linda Sandman
Linda Sandman, MSW, LCSW has 35 years of clinical experience working with adults with disabilities, including mental health, intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Linda was trained as a sexuality educator and began overseeing sex education groups at the Developmental Disabilities Family Clinics at UIC from 2007 - 2016. She has advocated for access to sex education for people with IDD at local, state and national levels and is grateful to work alongside self-advocate leadership in promoting this issue. Linda is bilingual (Spanish/English) and bicultural. She is a member of the Sex Ed Implementation Oversight Committee and co-chair of the Curriculum Committee.
