Who we are
Both Directors, and co-owners of New Beginnings for Life offer over 45 years of combined experience in the field of services to the disabled. Both women are dedicated to the goals and achievements of securing independence in this ever- changing and challenging world, for the disabled young adult. Individually designed programs from learning social skills, to activities of Adult Daily Living (ADL's) to help with college certificate and degree programs, we will be there to support and guide them along their chosen path to independent living.
Mrs. Karen Hudson
Mrs. Hudson began her career of working for The Department of Mental Retardation in 1977. A single mother with two small children, she began doing what she knew best---caring for small children. She began working with severely retarded, multi- handicapped children ages birth to 12, at a small regional center in central CT, and continued there for three and one-half years. She then transferred to adult programs in a group home setting, working mostly with moderately retarded adults with severe behavior problems. Shortly after, in 1980 she was among a few chosen staff to open the first of its kind, apartment program for moderately retarded adults who had no prior skills associated with apartment living needs. This program was highly successful in spite of the odds against them. With the closing of Mansfield Training School in the early 1990's, this "model" has become widely copied and now several apartment -type living situations are being offered to the retarded citizen. Mrs. Hudson continued to work in residential programs, serving the adult population until her retirement in August 2006. In addition to her experience in residential programs, she was also a certified instructor with the American Red Cross in C.P.R. and First Aide.
After a short one year of retirement, Mrs. Hudson was offered a position of Instructor of Art, Language Arts, and Life Skills at the Allen Institute, a program of Easter Seals, Hebron CT. When Allen Institute closed suddenly on Dec. 21, 2007, she and the Director of Allen Institute, Mrs. Ellen Young, joined forces to open New Beginnings for Life.
Mrs. Ellen Young began her career working at Easter Seals, in Hebron Connecticut, in 1992. Her first duties were as Head of Housekeeping. That soon expanded to include the supervision of the Kitchen and Maintenance Dept, and she was the Director of the Conferencing Division. Also included in her duties were the entire pool area, work schedules of all employees, supply ordering and safety committee. As part of the conferencing, Mrs. Young developed skills with financial arrangements, special dietary needs, adaptive equipment needs, menu planning, and making a safe and enjoyable experience for a variety of persons with a variety of special needs and abilities. In August of 2003, Easter Seals joined with a program from Lynn University in Boca Raton Florida. This program was a residential school for learning disabled young adults. Mrs Young began her duties as The Director, for what then became Allen Institute. Mrs. Young continued there until the sudden closing in December of 2007. It was at that point that her and Mrs. Hudson joined forces to open New Beginnings for Life LLC.
Ms. Kelly Zeitlin. L.P.N./C.S.E.C.
(Certified Sexual Education Counselor)
Ms. Zeitlin graduated from Wyckoff Heights Hospital School of Practical Nursing in Brooklyn, New York. She has a combined eighteen year nursing history in Psychiatry and Medical/Surgical/Urgent Care.
She received her "Certified Sexual Education Counselor" certificate from the State of Connecticut.
Her professional Nursing career and life experiences have demonstrated a strong commitment and sensitivity in meeting the needs of a diversified population. She has also provided:
- educational training to at-risk youths
- HIV/AIDS Counseling, with a specialty in sexuality challenges for persons with developmental disabilities
- crisis intervention for a Psychiatric population
- and has been a Special Education advocate for her own and other people's children.
Her upbringing in a socially active Quaker household (including a two year boarding High School education at Sandy Spring Friends School in Maryland) has deeply instilled in her the need to provide a humanistic approach for all individuals.