Jen and I met waaaaay back when we were young and thought we could change the world. Jen has absolutely done her part in that regard. She has never been afraid to step out on a limb and do what needs to be done. Her ideas are creative and, more importantly, work. In 1989, Jen and I collaborated on a Training Resource Guide which shared ideas for alternatives to specific steps of selfcare and home care tasks. During that project, we kindled our mutual love for identifying resources and sharing them with whoever could benefit. She has dedicated her career to ensuring that people are able to have a life of their choosing with the support and services they need. Jen is a great friend who is always there for anyone who calls on her. We are proud to recognize Jennifer Pittam as one of our 2024 Women’s History Month Honorees.
Lori Shepard
Jennifer has been working with people with a variety of abilities and support needs for over 40 years. Her career started after agreeing to keep a friend company at a college volunteer fair. Jennifer wound up volunteering in a classroom for children with autism during the very first year they were allowed to attend public school. Being a part of many “firsts” has been the hallmark of her career.
Working with people living in group homes, she responded when several said, “this has been fine, but I want my own place like my brother has.” She took up their challenge and started providing what would eventually become “Supported Living Services.” As one of the 1st people to start working with people to live in their own homes and communities, she was one of only 3 providers in the state asked to be a part of the taskforce that wrote the very first description of SLS services and how these services would work.
After providing Supported Living Services in both southern and northern California, she was asked to work with Redwood Coast Regional Center (RCRC). There, her job was to be a part of supporting everyone served by RCRC to move home, out of the state Developmental Centers. This was accomplished by RCRC before any other regional center was able to do this – and again, Jennifer was a part of a “first” in supporting people to have valued lives in their communities.
While doing this work, Jennifer was approached to work in the Self Determination Pilot Project that RCRC was a part of. Once again, she found herself on the front edge of major changes in the lives of people with significant disabilities and their now having much more control over how they wanted to live, who they wanted to work with, and how they wanted to manage their resources.
Throughout most of her 40-year career she has frequently shared her knowledge with others through over 200+ conference presentations, consulting opportunities, and development of tools and training materials, which she has freely shared.
At this point, Jennifer now works less and does more photography, hiking, and travelling around the state for fun, instead of work. Spending time with individuals who learn and communicate differently, and supporting them to live their own lives is her passion though, and she continues to do this work (part time) and likely always will.
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