National Leadership Program, Summer 2015
Janie Klein was a Policy Fellow with RespectAbility during the summer of 2015. She cites her older brother as her inspiration for wanting to work with people with special needs. He had ataxia telangiectasia before he passed away. Through Eye-to-Eye Organization, Klein has worked as a mentor and guide to underprivileged middle-school children who have learning disabilities through an arts-based curriculum.
Klein is studying for her Bachelor’s degree in Human and Development Engagement at Temple University. She is currently an education intern for the summer at The National Museum of American Jewish History. Later this year, she will also intern for the School Distrcit of Philadelphia’s Office of Family and Community Engagement. She is a mentor and tutor to a student with special needs at Temple University through the Institute of Disabilities, where she is also a receptionist. She was previously the new student engagement chair at Hillel. She founded a Best Buddies chapter at Temple University to create one-on-one friendships for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.