Sheryl Smith joined the JFK, Jr. Institute in 2006. As Career Development Specialist for the CUNY Youth Transition Demonstration Project, she prepares youth with disabilities to transition from school to the "world of work" and helps empower them to become successful individuals. Before joining the JFK, Jr. Institute, Ms. Smith worked as a Disability Program Navigator (DPN) for Hire Disability Solutions, LLC to ensure that the New York City Workforce 1 Career Centers were universally accessible and that people with disabilities received the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services to which they were entitled. In addition, through the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Ms. Smith worked as an Employment Coordinator for the New York WORKS Social Security Administration, a program that encourages people receiving social security benefits to gain or return to work. She also worked at the Center for Urban Community Services as a Vocational Services Specialist and as a Case Manager for the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health. Ms. Smith will graduate from Pace University with a bachelor's in Liberal Studies and hopes to later pursue a master's degree.