Bryan Gill, Program Manager

I had been away from New Danville for a few years, having accepted a job in north Texas in 2018. I worked here from 2015-2018. When I returned to work here in September 2021, I barely recognized it with all the changes. Wranglers recognized me from before though, and I knew I was home again.

I have a special needs daughter who is now a Wrangler. After I moved away in 2018, I looked for a place for her that compared to what I knew then – New Danville.  Nothing compared.  As a dad, that concerned me.  My view of New Danville is that of dad and of the employee.  I believe the perspectives serve each other. I understand what parents and guardians are going through when they ask questions or go on a site tour. There is a form of empathy that can only be gained by being in the life situation that they are in. I also understand the difference between what we offer and what other places do.

Safety is a big deal. It is to me as a dad, and I know it is to the parents and guardians of all our clients. As the program manager, I aim to protect that. The quality and engagement of the staff is incredible, which helps explain the smiles on the clients’ faces. It was impossible to not notice their expressions when I returned to New Danville for my interview. The smiles, I believe, are an indication of how the culture of respect here affects the clients. Our clients know they have a disability; they don’t need to be reminded. Our goal is to reveal and remind them of their abilities.

Even if I won the lotto, I would want to be close to New Danville. Maybe buy a house across the street or something. My daughter and I love this place that much.