KRA operates the PGWorks Employment & Training Program for the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services (DSS)…the last place Dawn Quinn, a community-college student, gainfully employed for 20+ years, imagined she would be visiting.
“After high school, I worked at odd jobs until I found a career I enjoyed, as a school-bus driver. Then, in 2019, I injured my back and wrist and was unable to return to work. Unexpectedly, my employer’s WC Insurance Provider denied my claim, and 1 month later, I was unemployed.”
In January 2020, after applying for TCA, SSDI, and SNAP, Ms. Quinn received a DSS letter instructing her to enroll in the KRA Job Readiness Academy, facilitated by Mrs. Gina Brotherton Mayo.
Throughout 2020, her situation became increasingly stressful. Still recuperating from her injuries, Ms. Quinn was coping with her DSS-directed PGWorks requirements, home schooling her 7 year-old daughter, finishing her AA degree online—and the deaths of her mom and her step- mom.
Mrs. Brotherton Mayo, with co-workers Melody Daniel, Program Manager and William Vinson, Career Agent, provided the critical guidance, motivation, and support Ms. Quinn needed during this time. “They were my KRA points of contact when I had a question about something or just needed someone to talk to.”
As for 2021, she reports, “In March, I completed my degree and landed a job as the Assistant Manager of a public-storage facility. The General Manager left a few weeks later, and I was managing the site by myself. The owner recognized my performance and potential, and promoted me to the GM position!
It’s been a long journey, but I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for KRA. This program helped me move toward the light at the end of the tunnel, throughout my darkest times.”
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Dr. Boone’s 20+ years’ experience in the industry is extensive and her expertise in private-, public-, and non-profit sector workforce-services organizations is unparalleled, particularly in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan area.
