Jack Butler
(he/him)Jack Butler, B.A., is the Director of Person-Centered Supports at Achieva. Jack has worked at Achieva for 27 years providing a continuum of services, including direct care, human resources, training, and engagement in person-centered thinking, planning, and action. He is an Ambassador of Charting the Lifecourse framework. One of his most recent professional achievements has been working to end the practice of paying people piece rate and subminimum wage. Achieva has shuddered and sold 7 of 7 previously operated sheltered congregate settings and shifted supports to 100% community-based.
Credentials & Education
- Bachelor of Arts: Psychology, University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC)
- Associate of Arts: Westmoreland County Community College
- Certifications: QM Certified Professional, SWTCIE Team Facilitator
- Affiliations: Charting the LifeCourse Ambassador, National Leadership Consortium Graduate
Community Involvement
- Business Leadership: Vice President of the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce
- Emergency Services: Certified Interior Firefighter
- Athletics: Ultra-marathon runner, competitive powerlifter, and coach
Core Philosophy & Influences
Jack is deeply inspired by prominent leaders and advocates in the disability services sector, shaping his work around their foundational frameworks:
- Dr. Herb Lovett: Jack looks to his legacy as a constant reminder that isolating people with disabilities avoids what society fails to understand. He actively fights institutional segregation and the “comfort of segregation.”
- David Hingsburger: Jack incorporates Hingsburger’s vital philosophies on abuse prevention, sexuality education, and self-advocacy, rejecting patterns of power and control in caregiving.
- Michael Smull: Jack applies Smull’s definitive person-centered thinking tools, balancing what is “important to” a person with what is “important for” them to achieve true inclusion.
- Lynne Seagle: Jack aligns his mission with Seagle’s groundbreaking work at the Hope House Foundation, advocating that individuals should live life on their own terms in their own homes.