St. Pierre to use disability knowledge
in new position
CARIBOU — Officials with the Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC) have announced the hiring of Natalie St. Pierre as a part-time business outreach coordinator for the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) program.
Natalie St. Pierre 
is based at the Presque Isle Career Center with disability resource coordinator Kent DeMerchant.
In addition to working with businesses to promote the hiring of people with a disability, St. Pierre will also help to expand the Ticket to Work program in Aroostook and Washington counties.
Ticket to Work is an employment program for people with disabilities who are interested in going to work. It is part of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999; legislation designed to remove many of the barriers that previously influenced people’s decisions about going to work because of the concerns over losing health care and coverage.
“Being a person with a disability I know how frustrating it can sometimes be to navigate and work through a system that is not always the easiest to understand from either an individual or potential employer point of view,” said St. Pierre. “I’d like to be able to help businesses to view disability as ability versus liability or risk. Not only would this help individuals in our region with disability or limitation become more independent it also helps promote both business and community.”
“Natalie possesses drive and determination,” said Ryan Pelletier, director of economic and workforce development at NMDC. “She will be a terrific advocate for people with disabilities and a valuable resource for our business communities in Aroostook and Washington counties.
St. Pierre, of Presque Isle, is currently obtaining her MBA from Husson University and has a bachelor of arts in English from the University of Maine Presque Isle.
