Leila has over eight years of experience working with children and families in both non-profit and corporate settings. She earned her Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree in the Humanities with a minor in English from Fairfield University.
After leading a volunteer program for a local non-profit daycare in college, she went on to work in an established center as an early childhood educator for four years before transitioning to an early intervention position where she provided in-home Birth to Three services to children on the autism spectrum. She joined the LifeCare team as a Parenting and Education Researcher which has allowed her to provide a wide range of support services and resources to families in need.
Leila currently resides in Black Rock, CT with her boyfriend Taylor. In her free time she enjoys camping, photography, craft beer festivals, and searching for local flea markets and farmers markets.
Q: How do you approach research?
A: I start off my research process by reading through the case and writing down the key points, goals and specifics that are important to the member.
Q: Why is finding the right matches for members so important?
A: It’s so rewarding to provide a member with a variety of providers that offer services that match their family’s needs. Finding the right match means providing a sense of relief and peace of mind for our members.
Q: What is your goal for each case?
A: My goal for each case is to provide the member with thorough information specific to resources and providers in their area that can support their and their family’s needs.
Q: What are some memorable cases you’ve worked on?
A: I’ve had some really heart-wrenching cases involving infants and new parents facing medical issues and/or financial difficulties. I am always eager to provide these members with as many resources as possible, often times searching for local community support services that can provide emotional, mental and educational support in addition to the standard providers required to fulfill the case.
One case in particular that I’ll never forget involved a little four-year-old boy who was battling liver cancer and was in need of a liver donor. I was able to find resources that would support the boy’s parents in spreading their son’s story so that they could get it out there to more people in hopes that it would inspire someone to volunteer as a donor.
Q: What is the best part of your job?
A: I’m able to come to work every day knowing that I have the opportunity to provide support and resources to families all around the country. I have learned so much about educational services, family resources and school options and the vast difference that 100 miles can make in cost, availability and general services.
Q: How do you work with your team as a whole?
A: The Parenting and Education team is constantly communicating, sharing ideas, providing advice based on our own experiences with previous cases or in our own lives. Each member of our team comes from a unique background with their own experiences and specialties and we are always happy to share our expertise and ideas to help to support each other.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who doesn’t know if LifeCare can help them?
A: Let us try. Even if a member is unsure of exactly what they are looking for, I would encourage them to share their story with us and let us try to find them some helpful resources. Often times with child care, new parents are unsure of the style of child care that they want to invest in. This is a perfect example of us having the opportunity to educate a member and share insight on the different options that they have in hopes of making the decision process a bit simpler.
Q: In your opinion, what makes your role/team so special?
A: As a Parenting and Education Researcher I am constantly collecting invaluable information and insight that allows me to not only better serve our members, but also informs my own decision making for my future.
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