Nonprofit mentoring agency Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley has announced the hiring of Jill Wentz and Keneley Bautista as Program Specialists.
In their roles, Wentz and Bautista will screen and interview prospective volunteers to become Big Brother and Big Sisters. They will also interview children waiting to become Little Brothers and Little Sisters, along with their parents, to determine areas of interest. Using the information from both sets of interviews they will identify matches and coordinate introductions between Big and Little. They will then provide coaching and supervision of the matches through regular phone and in-person meetings.
After receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Pennsylvania State University, Wentz attended Marywood University where she received a Master of Social Work degree. Her career has included a Victim Advocate with the Crime Victims Council, a Case Worker with Lehigh Valley Health Network, and a Social Worker and Personal Care/Memory Care Manager with Presbyterian Senior Living.
A graduate of Lehigh Carbon Community College with an Associate Degree in the Science of Psychology, Bautista is currently enrolled in the City University of New York School of Professional Studies studying Psychopathology. Her work history has included Mental Health Aide with Valley Youth House, and Early Intervention Instructional Assistant/Paraprofessional with Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Until #21. She also volunteers as a Big Sister.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. For over 40 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley has partnered with parents/guardians, schools, corporations, and others in the Lehigh Valley to pair children (Littles) with qualified, trained volunteers (Bigs) and monitor these one-to-one relationships throughout their course. www.BBBSLV.org