ANNIE’S PAGE
Lisa with Ashley and Emma (sitting)
Lisa Knott: Passionate Employment Specialist
By Craig Escudé, MD, FAAFP, FAADM
For more information on Annie Sullivan’s League—or to nominate a colleague for this award —click on: https://helenjournal.org/august-2024/helen-journals-newest-feature-annies-page
“I’ve learned that typically, children grow up and move out on their own. But this doesn’t work for everyone. The importance of having a safe, loving, and connected community of supporters is extremely valuable to many people with IDD. These types of homes and environments are a blessing to so many.” -Lisa Knott
Lisa Knott is an enthusiastic employment specialist with Visions for Creative Housing Solutions (Visions) in New Hampshire. Her mission is to support individuals in securing new jobs or maintaining the ones they already have, whether in paid positions or volunteer roles. With an in-depth knowledge of everyone at Visions, Lisa plays a key role in assisting residents with everything from job interviews and finding new opportunities, to thriving in their current roles and navigating job training. She also provides guidance when challenges arise with coworkers or supervisors.
Lisa works across various fields, helping individuals land jobs in retail settings, including merchandising and stockroom positions, as well as in kitchens at colleges and long-term care facilities. Her impact is far-reaching, supporting those seeking meaningful employment across many industries.
“Lisa gets a true thrill from celebrating successes. When she helps someone secure a job, she sees their excitement and pride in what they do.”
Lisa is passionate about empowering others and gets a true thrill from celebrating their successes. When she helps someone secure a job, she sees their excitement and pride in what they do. Beyond work, they form friendships and build valuable connections, which enhance their overall life satisfaction. Employers, too, praise employees with IDD, often noting that they are among their most reliable and dependable workers.
Lisa’s journey in helping others began in the 1990s when she worked as an occupational therapy assistant. Drawing on both her professional training and her experience as a mother of a child with a learning disability and two grandchildren diagnosed with autism, she helped students succeed in school. She later transitioned to working as a direct support professional for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, forming strong connections with many people she now works with at Visions. Although she has only been an employment specialist for nine months, she thrives in her new role, enjoying the relationships she's built. Many people she once supported directly are excited to see her when she checks in at their workplaces, which makes her job even more rewarding.
We welcome Lisa Knott as the newest inductee into the Annie Sullivan League.
About the Author
Dr. Craig Escudé is a board-certified Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and President of IntellectAbility. He has more than 20 years of clinical experience providing medical care for people with IDD and complex medical and mental health conditions. He is the author of “Clinical Pearls in IDD Healthcare” and developer of the “Curriculum in IDD Healthcare,” an eLearning course used to train clinicians on the fundamentals of healthcare for people with IDD.