Shandi Hill learned about the CCS Independent Living Program (ILP) while training to become a CASA volunteer. “I knew it was something I would enjoy,” Shandi says. “When a position opened up, I applied immediately.”
Since 2018, Shandi has been making a difference in the lives of youth and young adults by advocating for their health and well-being, “Recently we received a grant that will allow us to pay for ILP youth to get braces,” she says. “This is life changing for many of our youth and young adults, especially those who have aged out of the foster care system.”
Chief Quality Officer Lori Simpson says, “Shandi is a valued, creative, and dedicated supervisor for the Independent Living Program (ILP) team. She is fiercely dedicated to serving current and former foster youth while also supporting her team to provide excellent service to the youth and young adults in the program.”
Working with troubled youth can be hard but Shandi says, “Be yourself, be flexible, and be open minded! Things are so far from black and white in the work that we do, and you must be willing to step out of your comfort zone.”
Before Shandi became a superhero in ILP, her passion was in music recording. She worked in Nashville and could be seen at music festivals and red carpets for four years before moving back to Oregon.