In 2023, the Viscardi Center (VC), a statewide nonprofit helping persons with disabilities find jobs and succeed in the workplace, assisted James Schaefer in securing a position at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) as a cage washer technician. Over the past two years, Schaefer has not only become proficient in his position but also begun training to take on more complex tasks and responsibilities.
“The job is giving me experience working generally with animals,” Schaefer said. “I want to move up to larger animals, but working here has helped me also learn more about the workplace and working in a professional environment.”
Schaefer, alongside colleagues from the Lab Animal Resources (LAR) team, recently accepted a 2025 National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) award from New York State’s Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCESS-VR) program.
ACCESS-VR Business Relations Representative Doreen Nobile was on hand to present the award. She said the awards are given to organizations that showcase inclusivity and advance employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
CSHL’s LAR team has worked closely with Schaefer and VC Senior Job Coach Treavor Rattansingh for the past two years. That’s included providing Rattansingh with hands-on lab experience so that he could translate vital knowledge into a work plan that would help Schaefer gain greater confidence and proficiency at his job.
“Our most important resource is our people,” said LAR Director and Attending Veterinarian Rachel Rubino. “Allowing extra time and resources for training is worth it.”
Katherine Atehortua, CSHL’s performance management coordinator, added that the team is currently developing a plan to enable Schaefer to become a lab technician. “Part of the job is having good attention to detail, which he is really good with,” Atehortua said. “He is dedicated to the job and was putting in the effort, so we felt it important to give him a hand as much as possible.”
Written by: Lisa Cruz, Vice President, Communications | cruz@cshl.edu | 516-367-6846