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Association Management Member
Professional Bio
Co-founder, Gabi’s Powered by Special Abilities
Mary is co-founder of Gabi’s Powered by Special Abilities, a nonprofit that provides workforce training, education, and other support programs to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to help them secure employment, contribute to society, and live a purposeful, rewarding life.
A personal experience led her to form Gabi’s Powered by Special Abilities with her co-founder and daughter, Gabi. After high school graduation, Gabi was unable to secure employment. Literally no one would hire her. Not one person could see her special abilities, just her Down syndrome.
Mary and Gabi were determined to help shift the conversation from disabilities to special abilities, neuro-diversity, and the power of inclusion to help create employment opportunities for people in the IDD community.
What began in 2017 as a small coffee company (Gabi’s Grounds) has now grown to include a full-scale packaging, assembling, labeling, and shipping company (Gabi’s PALS), as a business solution for mid-to-large manufacturing and logistics companies. In addition, there is a drop-shipping solution for local, smaller companies.
Today, Gabi’s Powered by Special Abilities is an award-winning nonprofit organization and has a team of more than 45 people with special abilities including blindness, autism, Down syndrome, and more. Gabi’s Grounds continues to provide pop-up shops at local businesses and markets, and offers Gabi’s Coffee Club, a subscription membership to businesses and coffee lovers everywhere.
Mary is dedicated to the empowerment of the special abilities community and to help educate the world about the power of diversity and inclusion. She travels with Gabi to speak at corporate events and conferences and help inspire people to see the superpowers in all of us.
Mary is co-founder of Gabi’s Powered by Special Abilities, a nonprofit that provides workforce training, education, and other support programs to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to help them secure employment, contribute to society, and live a purposeful, rewarding life.
A personal experience led her to form Gabi’s Powered by Special Abilities with her co-founder and daughter, Gabi. After high school graduation, Gabi was unable to secure employment. Literally no one would hire her. Not one person could see her special abilities, just her Down syndrome.
Mary and Gabi were determined to help shift the conversation from disabilities to special abilities, neuro-diversity, and the power of inclusion to help create employment opportunities for people in the IDD community.
What began in 2017 as a small coffee company (Gabi’s Grounds) has now grown to include a full-scale packaging, assembling, labeling, and shipping company (Gabi’s PALS), as a business solution for mid-to-large manufacturing and logistics companies. In addition, there is a drop-shipping solution for local, smaller companies.
Today, Gabi’s Powered by Special Abilities is an award-winning nonprofit organization and has a team of more than 45 people with special abilities including blindness, autism, Down syndrome, and more. Gabi’s Grounds continues to provide pop-up shops at local businesses and markets, and offers Gabi’s Coffee Club, a subscription membership to businesses and coffee lovers everywhere.
Mary is dedicated to the empowerment of the special abilities community and to help educate the world about the power of diversity and inclusion. She travels with Gabi to speak at corporate events and conferences and help inspire people to see the superpowers in all of us.
Organization
Gabis
Association Management Member