Patricia, UCSF

Patricia, a native San Franciscan and mother of three, had a solid job until the recession hit. She witnessed her office shut down piece by piece when operations – and her job – moved overseas. Initially, she was not worried; she was a Navy veteran with over 25 years of work experience. But three years later, she was still unemployed.

JVS was her job coach, advocate and connector. Through a training program for UCSF medical administrative assistants, Patricia learned new skills, built confidence and impressed her colleagues during a 4-month paid internship at UCSF. A self-professed “slow and steady” learner, Patricia reinvented herself with strong determination and tenacity. Today she is a proud Senior Secretary at UCSF’s School of Dentistry.

“Life was difficult for me and my boys for a while, but JVS gave me what I needed to lift myself up and find work. My work is so much more than a job — it’s my lifeline.” – Patricia