When Jodean Hudson started working for Goodwill of Orange County 30 years ago, she didn’t expect to stay as long. As a 23-year-old college student, she began her journey at Goodwill OC as a Senior Employment Training Specialist for Supported Employment, Goodwill OC’s workforce development program for adults with disabilities. She quickly fell in love with Goodwill OC’s mission and the joy of helping people. Her unwavering dedication to our mission, program participants, and employer partners has been instrumental in shaping the success of the organization’s initiatives over the past decade, not to mention the hundreds of lives she has impacted and the career pathways she has helped form.
In her current role as Director of Job Placement Services for Supported Employment, Jodean oversees numerous Mission Services programs that help with career assessments, job placement, and workforce development. In addition, she has earned a Master’s degree in Social Work, which provides her with better insight into the people she is helping.
“Some of my relationships with participants have lasted for as long as 30 years; there is just so much good that goes on here,” Jodean exclaimed.
The programs Jodean and her team provide are funded by grants, the Department of Rehabilitation, the Regional Center of Orange County, and other sources. These programs are designed to support youth, individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health diagnoses, and young adults with former justice involvement on their personal journeys to sustainable careers and greater independence.
“We know work gives purpose, dignity, and pride,” Jodean said. “Our common goal is to help people work, get a better job, advance at work, or stay at a job they love.”
The Supported Employment team not only helps individuals connect to jobs but also advocates for their participants to get them the best opportunities suited for them. It’s all about finding the right match – the right job for the ready individual.
Jodean’s continued motivation for this work comes from the tangible impact she sees daily in the program participants and their families.
“I have a tremendous team, and I’ve watched so many of them grow into their positions,” Jodean recalls. One of her biggest accomplishments at Goodwill OC was joining an eight-person team and watching it grow into a 100+ team, supporting nearly 300 participants.
Goodwill OC continues to utilize the group model, with full-time job coaches to help employ multiple individuals at the same time. This tried-and-true model allows more individuals to match with great jobs and enjoy the camaraderie of working alongside other program participants.
Jodean says it simply, “We are the best service provider in Orange County, and we need to stay there and keep being the best.”
Jodean’s passion, commitment, and perseverance over the last 30 years have helped Goodwill OC grow into the leading nonprofit workforce development program provider in the county. Thank you, Jodean, for committing your career to creating a brighter and more inclusive Orange County for all.
Learn more about Supported Employment and other programs at ocgoodwill.org/workforce-development/.
