Twilla Makes a Fresh Start

When Twilla Green came to The Chicago Lighthouse’s Employment Services Program, she didn’t know what to expect. Having lived with Retinitis Pigmentosa her entire life, her vision reached a point where she could no longer continue her job as an administrative assistant at a local union office, and she wasn’t sure what the future would hold.

Working with Employment and Rehabilitation Services Senior Vice President Martha Younger-White and Transitional Employment Specialist Brittany Davis, Twilla learned to use adaptive equipment like ZoomText and began brushing up on her keyboarding skills. She found support and camaraderie with others in the program’s Job Club and other support sessions.

“I was encouraged, and I was encouraging others,” Twilla says. “I pushed them, and I shared my experiences.” When Twilla heard about an opportunity to get a certification as a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant via The Lighthouse’s partnership with Moraine Valley Community College, she jumped at the chance.
Through the 16-week self-guided program, Twilla learned about medical billing and coding, skills she puts to use as a dermatology and neurology medical scheduler in The Lighthouse’s UI Health contact center.

“I wanted to learn everything I could,” Twilla says. “I didn’t know I was going to be in this field, and now that I am, I want to be as successful as I can be in it.”

Twilla’s triumphs – along with the many others you will find in our Annual Report – are made possible thanks to contributions from friends like you.