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2023 National APSE Board Nominee: Frank Bartoli, PA
2023 National APSE Board of Directors At-Large Candidate
The area(s) that best represents your current position/experience:
Family Member of a Person with a Disability, Service Provider or Manager, Employer or Business Owner
Describe your history/nature of involvement/interest in promoting competitive integrated employment in your state. Additionally, explain why you are passionate about competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities (no more than 500 words):
My daughter, Ellie, is now almost 25. I became interested in this cause when she began to age out of High School and I saw a clear path for her to become employed in a job of her choosing. She was fully included in her classrooms and we had worked on employment skills in high school for many years. When we had the opportunity in her high school Transition program, we were able to secure her in a community-based competitive job as a receptionist at the local Chamber of Commerce. From there, we were able to secure her a job as a Receptionist at a law firm, until COVID hit. Being the founder of NEPA Inclusive, I have also worked in competitive, integrated, and customizable employment for 9 years now and was a member of The Arc of PA Board and also on the PA Governor’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities. I am fully engaged in this concept from a personal, advocacy, and provider perspective.
What relevance does/should APSE and its chapters/members have in national and state conversations regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion (no more than 350 words)?
APSE is already a leader in national and state advocacy on competitive employment. It could increase its impact on leadership through efforts in equity, diversity, and inclusion. If APSE were to increase its efforts in this area, it could have more of a seat at the table with employers bu advocating for people with IDD and Autism to be a part of the DEIA discussions and efforts. Having people with IDD/Autism at the table in leadership would improve the employment discussions as well.
What skills, knowledge or lived experience do you have that will contribute to strengthening and growing the financial health of APSE and promoting its mission to advance employment and self-sufficiency for all people with disabilities (no more than 350 words)?
There are many ways APSE can increase its financial health. With grants, private dollars, event revenues, or even program income, APSE can do more, especially where gaps exist. As an example, The Arc of PA developed an employment program through PA OVR where local providers were not present and in a program that other agencies were not using – Discovery/Customized Employment. APSE could develop its own national program, as an example, to offer to local providers and use licensing fees or program fees to generate additional income. Other opportunities exist if committed enough.
Biography
Frank Bartoli is the founder and CEO of NEPA Inclusive and Coffee Inclusive. His career spans more than 30 years of successful non-profit leadership. His disability advocacy interest and experience, and the reason for starting NEPA Inclusive, was to advocate for his daughter Ellie, who has Down Syndrome, and other people like Ellie so they can live typical lives. As a result, Ellie was fully included in her high school classroom and attended many community programs. She was the Pittston Area High School 2017 Homecoming Queen, and the Pittston Area Girls Basketball Team Manager; where she played in 2 High School Basketball Games, including the All-Star game, and became the inspiration for NEPA Inclusive. Mr. Bartoli furthered his advocacy experience as the Executive Director of The Arc of Delaware County, a member of the Board of Directors of The Arc of Pennsylvania, and the president of The Arc Community Trust. He was selected to the PA Governor’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities. His non-profit leadership experience includes multiple positions within the YMCA movement, including Executive Director/CEO of the Greater Pittston YMCA and Associate Executive Director at the Ambler Area YMCA, a branch of The YMCA of Philadelphia and Vicinity. In addition, he provides consulting and grant writing services to non-profit organizations under his private business, Bartoli Advocacy, and Consulting Services. He has taught undergraduate students at Eastern University, mentored undergraduate groups at the University of Pennsylvania, was a guest columnist for the Sunday Dispatch, founded and served as President of the Delta Nu Alumni Association of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity at Lock Haven University, and served on the Board of Directors of the Luzerne County Down Syndrome Network. He graduated from Leadership Wilkes-Barre and was named the 2002 Greater Pittston Person of the Year by the Sunday Dispatch. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania in Recreation Management and a Master’s Degree in Administration from the West Chester University of PA. He currently resides in Pittston, PA, with his wife and Great Dane, Luna.