Julie Bisi has over 25 years’ experience in the education and disability fields, teaching in various capacities in both the private and public sectors from 1994 to present. In addition to teaching, in 2010 she created her first organization called The Absolute Value of One, which was a grassroots educational program based on the concept of service-learning. Julie wrote the curriculum for the program and worked with over 500 students during its lifespan. Further, she’s served as a tutor for dozens of students, ranging from five to 18 years old, and her sweet spot has always been working with the struggling students. She enjoys watching them learn, grow and feel more confident in their abilities.
Her educational credentials include a B.A. in business management from Washington College, an Elementary Education certification from Seton Hill University, and a Master’s of Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
During her tenure at the administrative level in the disability field, she witnessed and learned about the struggles faced by the Direct Support Professionals. These challenges often led these service-oriented professionals to leave the field because it was difficult to make ends meet in addition to handling the struggles that exist from this physically demanding role. It broke her heart that people who wanted nothing more than to help others, felt forced out of service to pursue better paying, less physical positions in other industries. She also saw how the turnover among the direct support professionals negatively impacted the individuals and their families who received the services. Disruption in services and the lack of consistency in caregivers frustrated families and impeded progress.
Julie resolved to find a better way to serve those in need and knew it must begin with developing and supporting the direct support professionals – because you can’t pour from an empty cup. She determined that caring for the caregivers – providing a competitive wage, the opportunity for career growth, recognition, and the support they deserve – was the key, not only to developing an excellent staff with longevity, but also a means for providing superior service.
After crunching some numbers, Julie developed creative ways to minimize overhead and designed an organization that offers more to those who truly are the heart of this organization: OUR CAREGIVERS! She firmly believes that the better Artemis is able to meet the needs of its caregivers and to help them grow professionally, the better they will be able to meet the needs of the individuals they serve and provide top-quality supports.
When Julie’s not finding ways to revolutionize the direct support world, you’ll find her hanging out in the four-generation home which she shares with her mother, two daughters, and granddaughter. Yes, it’s a house full of women – her son moved out recently but keeps in close contact with his favorite ladies :). Their family living arrangement works well because the women have strived to remove the stereotypical parent/child roles at each level and simply be there to support one another, while still maintaining their own independence. She’s passionate about the time she gets to spend with her family and friends, working in her yard and gardens, and hiking.
Julie considers herself to be creative, a risk-taker, and a lifelong learner. In 2010, she self-published the illustrated children’s book, The House on Baker Hill, selling over 1000 copies. She enjoys and sees value in taking advantage of every opportunity she has to learn. You can find her attending workshops through the local Small Business Development Center and SCORE, in addition to a wealth of seminars, webinars and conferences specific to the I/DD and Autism field. Finally, she credits much of her success to surrounding herself with experts and geniuses, including her fellow members of the Latrobe Chapter of Business and Professional Women. Her connections in that organization, along with her family and friends, have helped her achieve the dream of Artemis by inspiring, supporting, and cheering her on since her ideas were just the tiny seeds of what she’s brought into the world.
Julie feels very honored and humbled to be able to use her skills in this way and specifically in this field, where the needs are tremendous. She looks forward to helping many Individuals and future staff find their talents, maximize their potential, and put their skills to use to make the world a better place!!
She Believes! Do you?