Project SEARCH
Jourdan Elizabeth is an experienced educator specializing in special education and employability skills development. Currently serving as an Instructor at Project SEARCH since September 2016, Jourdan Elizabeth focuses on teaching students essential skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, grooming, budgeting, and self-advocacy, while also utilizing universal design principles to create necessary accommodations for internship settings. Previously, Jourdan Elizabeth worked as a Special Education Teacher in the South Orange-Maplewood School District. Jourdan Elizabeth holds a Master of Arts in Special Education and Teaching from Saint Elizabeth University and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Ramapo College of New Jersey.
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Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH was developed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, a research environment that fosters visionary thinking and innovation. It all began in 1996, when Erin Riehle was Director of Cincinnati Children's Emergency Department. Erin felt that, because the hospital served individuals with developmental disabilities, it made sense that they should commit to hiring people in this group. She wondered if it would be possible to train people with developmental disabilities to fill some of the high-turnover, entry level positions in her department, which involved complex and systematic tasks such as stocking supply cabinets. As a starting point, Erin presented her ideas to Susie Rutkowski, then the special education director at Great Oaks Career Campuses. Erin and Susie formed a partnership that was instantaneous, and together they launched Project SEARCH. Since its inception, Project SEARCH has grown from a single program site at Cincinnati Children's to over 600 sites across the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Portugal, Iceland, New Zealand and Australia. Project SEARCH's primary objective is to secure competitive employment for people with disabilities.