Suzanne Pinto has worked her way up through the ranks at organization
Suzanne Pinto has worked at Schenectady ARC for more than 25 years and is looking forward to taking on a new position in the organization.
Schenectady ARC Executive Director Kirk M. Lewis appointed Pinto, of Rotterdam, to associate executive director at Schenectady ARC at the beginning of July after working at the organization since 1985. She started as a direct care worker at Schenectady ARC’s day programs. She was previously promoted to director of Day Treatment and most recently assistant executive director of Residential Services. In her new role, Pinto will oversee all residential programs, facilities, clinical services, and quality assurance at Schenectady ARC.
Suzanne, is an exceptionally talented individual, said Kirk Lewis, Executive Director. `Her years of experience in this field will be as great asset to the individuals we serve and to the many agencies that we work collaboratively with throughout the Capital Region.`
After Pinto graduated from the State University at Albany with a bachelors in psychology she was looking for a job and decided Schenectady ARC would be a good fit for her and she has been there ever since her original job search. She said being appointed to her new role was an honor.
`They are a good company and they take care of their staff and the people they serve,` said Pinto. `I am looking forward to the new challenges and continuing to work with a great team of people.`
She said her longevity at the company and her experience has positioned her good for the position. A goal she hopes to accomplish is to better position ARC for the future with cuts to Medicaid and the current fiscal climate of the state. Keeping the `solid programs` the organization has offered for around 50 years is important, she said.
Pinto said she enjoys `helping somebody do something they didn’t think they could do and watching them accomplish something.`
Over the years she has seen the ARC evolve and one change is a broader age spectrum is now served, compared to the mostly adult individuals when it was first formed. She said this allows people to come to one location for all of their services instead of having to go to different organizations.
`We used to serve a much older population and we have reached out to serving a wide range of people from young kids all the up to senior citizens,` she said. `It allows people to be with us through their whole life of services that they need.“
