Darcell Fleeman-Malone
Malone, Director Vocational Training and Youth Programs
Darcell joined BCI in 2020 as a Vocational Instructor and in 2021, assumed responsibility for coordinating our summer employment program for young adults. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Lindenwood University and a long history of diligently preparing people with disabilities for competitive employment. In April of 2024, Darcell was promoted to the Director of Vocational Training and Youth Programs. Previously, she worked for the Center for Specialized Services and the St. Charles School District where she developed transition programs for individuals with disabilities. Darcell cherishes her students and their expressions of pride and accomplishment.
Michele Bowen
Director of Competitive Employment
Michele joined BCI in 2023 as Transportation Manager but today is the Director of Competitive Employment for Illinois. With a background in education and non-profit management, she began her career as a Special Education Teacher and holds a degree in Education from Missouri Baptist University. Previously, Michele worked at Human Support Services in Waterloo, IL, in various roles. Her philosophy on inclusion centers on ensuring equity and accessibility, treating all individuals with respect and dignity, and empowering them to reach their full potential. Michele’s passion for inclusion is deeply personal, inspired by her experience as a parent of a child with an intellectual disability.
BCI Skills Center
www.boonecenter.com
About
Alignment to the conference theme and track(s): Hiring individuals with disabilities isn’t just about compliance – it’s about building an inclusive workforce that benefits everyone. This session, aligned with the Professional Development track, explores how structured prescreening ensures job candidates with disabilities are matched to roles that are aligned with their skills and abilities. We’ll also introduce Support Summaries, a tool that helps supervisors understand how to best support their employees, fostering inclusive leadership and equitable workplace practices.
Videos, hands on activity, take aways: Accommodations Resource, Support Summary
Learning Objectives:
1. Enhance Inclusive Hiring Practices – participants will be able to identify at least three key factors in an effective prescreening process that improves job matching for individuals with disabilities.
2. Implement Supervisor Support Strategies – attendees will learn how to develop and apply a Support Summary by reviewing case studies and creating a sample summary tailored to a job scenario.
3. Develop Inclusive Leadership Skills -participants will be able to list two or more ways supervisors and HR professionals can proactively support employees with disabilities to improve retention, engagement and workplace culture