- MassAbility
Born with Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (SEDc) in Boston and raised in the small town of Ashburnham, Massachusetts, Noelle grew up in an environment with limited diversity and little understanding of disability services. During her freshman year of high school, a medical condition forced her to miss 81 days of school. When she returned, she found her circle of friends had shifted, leading her at the start of a journey to find where she belonged.
After high school while working as a full-time cashier for a large grocery retailer, management and peers similarly failed to understand her disability. When she requested a simple stool to alleviate the physical discomfort of standing for long hours, the company transferred her to a role with fewer responsibilities. To make matters worse, she faced patronizing remarks from coworkers and customers such as, “Oh, it must be nice to sit all day.”
Finding a Pathway
Noelle felt exhausted and angry from constantly fighting for basic accommodations without knowing what resources existed. MassAbility stepped in. Noelle began working with a MassAbility Career Services Counselor, who quickly connected her with Steve Stephen, an Independent Living skills trainer for Your Access Advocates, (formerly known as the Center for Living and Working), a MassAbility partner and Independent Living Center in Central Massachusetts.
Stephen vividly recalled their first meeting, which occurred just after Noelle underwent surgery. “It was obvious she didn’t want to be there,” he noted. However, with the steady support of Steve and her mother, Noelle began to open up. When she shared how the grocery retailer mishandled her request, Steve immediately validated her experience. That’s an accommodation...they can’t give you a hard time about that”
The Turning Point
This knowledge transformed Noelle’s outlook. She began to understand the resources available to her and how to advocate for herself. When describing challenges to Stephen, he pushed Noelle to reflect, adjust, and persist by asking a simple question: “What did you do about it?”
This mindset propelled Noelle over every hurdle in her academic journey. She earned her Paralegal Degree in 2014, followed by a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Fitchburg State University. In 2022, she achieved her proudest milestone yet: a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. Earning this degree brought her journey full circle. “Now I'm working with the people that helped me get to where I am today. As an Independent Living Program Manager and a Certified Rehab Counselor, I’m able to provide those services with other people and give them the confidence to do something”.
Stepping into Leadership
Her relentless drive caught the attention of everyone around her. Her Counselor Christie recalled: “Noelle always put in 110% effort… I didn’t feel like I have had to chase her down”.
Recognizing her talent, Your Access Advocates hired Noelle as a full-time employee. Today, Noelle serves as the Independent Living Program Manager for Your Access Advocates, overseeing multiple initiatives, including youth programming, nursing home transitions, and options counseling. “I supervise the people in the job I used to do,” Noelle explains. “I understand their frustrations because I’ve been there.”
Looking back, Noelle recognizes how vital early support is. “Until my 20’s, I had no idea about disability services, like until I found MassAbility and my local independent living center. If I had these services earlier, I think my trajectory would have been completely different.”
Noelle has no plans to slow down: she is just getting started. To anyone navigating disability and independence her message remains clear and resolute: “You can do it.”
