TEAM
MEET OUR
Margo, aka “Aquagirl”, loves creating all kinds of art. Right now, she's into ceramics, printmaking, and of course sewing. Margo’s favorite items to stitch are tote bags in bright colors with lots of patterns (Fun fact: Margo collects purses & tote bags).
Why is Margo’s nickname “Aquagirl”? Well, she's a Special Olympics super-swimmer! She’s competed in Special Olympics USA Games twice and even went to Greece for Special Olympics World Games! Hello GOLD medals!
Margo
Tyff is the very first designer trained at Inspired-Threads & she LOVES her job! But she doesn't stop creating when she's off the clock. She'll head home to her apartment to crochet or sew gifts for friends.
Tyff stays active all year, training and competing in Special Olympics sports like bowling, soccer, snow-shoeing, basketball, rowing, and track & field. She just took home a GOLD in shotput! YAY Tyff!
Fun fact...she’s a collector of all things Snoopy!
Tyff
Creative Superstars
Studio Sunshine Coordinator
Meet the heartbeat of our creative space: Lauren.
She stepped into Inspired Threads as an intern and quickly became
a central part of our Inspired Threads family.
Lauren is currently wrapping up a beautiful chapter of her life at The
College of New Jersey. With a degree in Special Education and
Math on the horizon this May, she's certainly on an exciting path!
In our creative studio, Lauren ensures everything hums along
perfectly. Her positivity and creativity breathe life into our vibrant
designs and warm-hearted community.
Lauren
Passionate Disability Advocate & Grant Pro
Maggie
Maggie, with her heart set on fashion design since she was a kid, found a much deeper calling. She comes to us with a toolbox full of knowledge from her studies in Sociology and Disability Studies and has become an incredible advocate, working hard to make the world a more inclusive place for everyone!
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Now as a key member of our Inspired Threads family, Maggie is revisiting her first love of fashion while thriving as our Grant Writer.
She pours her heart into each proposal she writes, helping us continue to spread joy and positivity. With each application, she helps us reach new heights and make more dreams come true, all while standing strong for disability rights.
Digital Dream
Team
Bryan
Zena
Bryan studies at William Paterson University and is aiming to become a graphic designer. Art has always been a part of Bryan's life; growing up, he was always being creative, drawing, and making mini play-dough figures. Bryan loves creating digital artwork, playing video games on his Nintendo Switch, and has a major soft spot for all kinds of birds. Bryan owns an all-white parakeet named Pearl. Bryan is one half of a duo that uses his creative brain to create and add wonderful designs for the success of Inspired Threads.
Zena is a fun-loving individual whose passion is in creating and designing all things digitally. She is currently enrolled within the William Paterson University art program and aspires to become a 3D animator. She spends her days working with her two loving cats, Mr. Casper and Ms. Mara by her side. Please feel free to ask her for photos of such cats, as she has many at her disposal. She also loves playing her switch and watching netflix dramas. Zena is the other half of the duo excited to contribute all she can to the dream and success of Inspired Threads.
Lead Dream Weaver & Co-Founder
After a long workday about 6 years ago, Jeanene and co-founder, Susan, shared a life-changing "aha" moment while looking at some unique gifts Jeanene had made from old fabric and t-shirts. Connecting that to their frustration with the crazy barriers to employment they were seeing among their friends and families with disabilities, Inspired Threads the idea was born.
With 15 years of rich experience working in the disability community and non-profit sector, Jeanene knows just how important meaningful employment is for everyone, especially for those facing difficulties in securing jobs. That's when Inspired Threads took flight, transforming not just fabric and t-shirts, but lives too!
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Jeanene now leads the way, driven by her clear vision for Inspired Threads: to build a strong, inclusive community grounded on the principles of equity, opportunity, purpose, and dignity. Every day, with every bit of fashionable trash turned into a beautiful object, she is contributing to an empowered workforce that can truly flourish in their roles!
Though Susan has stepped back, she still stands as an honored co-founder. They both laid the initial threads of our vibrant community, intertwining their shared dreams and aspirations. Today, Jeanene carries forward this mission, leading us to create even more opportunities and weaving brighter futures for every member of our Inspired Threads family.
Jeanene (Executive Director)
Mission Champions
Board of Trustees
Eileen
Eileen is a Professor of Art at William Paterson University. She uses printmaking and papermaking to help people around the world find their creative voices.
Monica is the Director of Behavior and Clinical Services at ARC of Mercer. She's an energetic advocate for the disability community with a mission to help disabled people find the hope and courage they need to live life to the fullest.
Monica
Randi
For most of her career, Randi has worked with organizations focused on sustainability and is currently Director of Development for Isles, Inc. Now she's super excited to work with the team at Inspired Threads, too!
Jessica
Jessica is the founder of FabScrap and a self-described "Trash Nerd." She's passionate about waste prevention & committed to community outreach and education.
Mike
Mike has spent over 30 years in the corporate world focused on financial management and is excited to be a part of the Inspired Threads journey. He helps us manage all aspects of finance and is great with a calculator!