EVANSTON — As of June 1, Bethany Shidler, who has been employed at Disability:IN Uinta County for six years, will become the new director of the organization. Shidler is a familiar face in the community as she was the coordinator of the mentoring program and interacted with many youth, mentors and businesses in the community.

“As director, I want to be able to grow and strengthen our partnership with the local schools here in Evanston and in Lyman,” Shidler said. “I am excited about our new partnership with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR).”

Shidler said that, since the mentoring program was discontinued, they have focused on the Youth Development Program and their contract with Uinta School District No. 1 to provide career readiness workshops and job coaching for students with disabilities. Job coaching involves teaching students about job responsibilities, appropriate behavior on the job and work safety guidelines.

Plans are to hold an event at the high school with employers in October to establish semester internships for students. DVR, as part of the partnership, will pay the wages for the student during the internship. Each semester the student will change to a new internship in order to gain knowledge of a variety of job opportunities.

“My number one goal as director is to create more partnerships with other agencies,” Shidler said. “As director, I want to keep doing what we are doing but with more impact. No drastic changes right away, small changes at first.”

Gina Jones, the former director, said her main reason for leaving has to do with family and that she has missed the daily interaction with other people in a job that has kept her somewhat isolated. She plans to work full-time at Suds Bros. and continue part-time at Blacks Fork Physical Therapy.

“My hope for Bethany is that people will be much more supportive of changes and less reluctant to adapt and change,” Jones said.

Shidler’s responsibilities as director include grant writing, supervision, event management, and reporting to a board of directors. She will also be in charge of creation and innovation in developing new partnerships and programs. She said she plans to interview and hire someone to fill her previous position.

Shidler earned an associate’s degree in 2004 from Northwest College in Powell. She is currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in human and family Services from BYU Idaho. Shidler is also a certified job coach through Wyoming Advanced Disability Services.