Each Thursday, we randomly feature a medical center employee. This week, we learn more about:
- Name: Tara Harper
- Hometown: Fremont, Neb.
- No. of years at UNMC: 13 years
Tell us a bit about what you do here at UNMC.
I am the Transition and Employment Services Program manager at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. I help develop and manage transition and vocational training programs for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. The largest program we have is the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine Project SEARCH program. I would definitely consider this my dream job. It allows me to create solutions to problems and help others advocate for themselves to create change.
“Excellence” is one of UNMC’s brand values. Tell us of a time you witnessed excellence in practice at UNMC.
I see employees practice excellence a lot around here. A time that comes to mind though is when our Project SEARCH program first started on campus. I approached Cathleen Piazza, Ph.D., the director of the Pediatric Feeding Disorders Clinic, about a job opportunity for one of our Project SEARCH interns. She was willing to have our team break apart a behavioral technician’s job responsibilities to create a behavioral assistant position. After a thorough interviewing process was conducted, the Project SEARCH intern was hired. Dr. Piazza and others in the feeding disorder clinic didn’t know it at the time, but they helped our program break down major barriers to competitive employment for individuals with disabilities and pave the way for other unique job opportunities right here on campus.
What is your favorite winter activity?
Helping my kids bundle up to go outside is my favorite thing to do when it snows. They get so excited to play outdoors. It makes me smile.
List three things people may not know about you.
- For two years, I was a family trainee in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders (LEND) program at MMI.
- My husband and I went to Beijing and to my friend’s hometown of Fuzhou for our honeymoon.
- I started my career at UNMC in the Department of Family Medicine, then moved over to MMI when the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders first opened its doors.