MISSION
OBC promotes cross-disciplinary collaboration to develop and implement fresh, practical and creative tools for empowering people with disabilities to build the kinds of lives they envision for themselves. Through training, coaching, research and networking, we build bridges across the gaps that marginalize diverse career seekers, responding to the increasing call for diversity in the 21st century workforce.
VISION
We envision a world where equity and inclusion improve not only the lives of marginalized career seekers, but also the communities and economic power of companies. We believe that every worker has a right to the dignity of risk, supported by professional mentors outside and inside their employment contexts. As a result, we create champions, connections and positive cascading experiences, the cornerstones of our philosophy and the best practices we share. By working together in a consortium, passionate professionals will help each other help the people we serve, in the process building a more diverse and compassionate society.
MEET YOUR GUIDES
Our founding members are George Tilson, Keith Bosco and Carol Burbank. Each of us brings a unique set of skills and experiences that spark synergy, encourage looking at challenges from unusual angles and promote collaborative solution building. We like to use tools and strategies that build practical supports for career-seekers and the people who support them. Innovative, interdisciplinary, and inclusive, we believe a renewed focus on equity and diversity is vital in this era of worldwide, unprecedented events. We invite you to explore with us.
George Tilson
George Tilson, Ed.D. sees OBC as a vehicle for bringing together people of diverse thought, experience, identity and culture – to reflect on challenges in the world and finding often unusual ways to solutions. Since 1975 he has served as a public school language arts/special educator, career counselor, job placement specialist, program evaluator, project manager, university instructor, and consultant to stakeholder groups across the spectrum of education, human services and business. As a produced playwright, lyricist and composer, George has discovered the productive intersection between the arts and sciences.
"We are in an era of misery and magic...
...pain and possibility. How will we respond in ways that lead to equity and shared well-being for everyone?”
“Anytime people of diverse life experience and background come together, there is a natural tension. I like to think of that tension as a space that holds promise for building shared well-being and true equity.”
Keith Bosco
Keith Bosco sees OBC as an opportunity to bridge the gap between ideas and action. He brings creative thinking and practical employment resources to the table, with trainings and strategies that propel students, professionals, and programs forward. He is the Director of Operations for one of the largest supported employment providers in the state of Delaware.
In addition, he specializes in job development strategies and techniques, building relationships with employers and community partners, and setting/leading goals for job coaching and long term support. He has developed and grown transition partnerships to better serve students with disabilities and the professionals who support them. Finally, his career as a children’s book author and publisher grows out of his ability to communicate valuable lessons in simple terms, essential when supporting diverse learners.
"The goal is to always be growing...
...Best practices today will be outdated tomorrow. We must be committed to changing and adapting with the times while standing firm on core values in order to achieve the best results.”
Carol Burbank. Ph.D.
Carol Burbank, Ph.D., sees OBC as a collaboration to build cutting edge new equity practices with practical strategies for creating communities of learning and possibility. She specializes in coaching, educational research, leadership development, and teaching, building bridges between theory and best practices in K-12, and university programs. Recently, she worked with the National Alliance Pipeline for Equity to design curriculum, research, and trainings for CTE educators building equity for students with disabilities, in Delaware’s pilot PIPEline program and in support of NAPE’s expansion as an organization to serve all marginalized individuals in CTE/STEM. Her creative projects include a personal development and mastery system, Storyweaving, and a children’s book that helps K-3rd graders adapt creatively to social distancing.
"It takes courage to face change...
...and explore new solutions that really make a difference. It also takes a supportive team that honors each person’s unique gifts. Anyone can be a real-world leader if they embrace experimentation, take risks, and learn new things in a community of passionate collaborators.”
