SSB's director, Natasha Jerde says that her work combines two of her passions: the joy of serving people, and the satisfaction of hard work. As part of the Senior Leadership Team of DEED (the Department of Employment and Economic Development) Natasha reports to Deputy Commissioner Evan Rowe. Natasha has been a part of SSB since 2008, and served in many capacities before becoming director in 2019. Natasha is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stout, earning a Master of Science in rehabilitation counseling and vocational evaluation and a Bachelor of Science in vocational rehabilitation counseling. She holds a certification in DeafBlindness from Northern Illinois University.
Natasha says, "There is a reason I have spent my entire professional career at State Services for the Blind. I love everything about this agency: our mission, the people we serve, our partners, and the staff. Mark Twain says, "If you find a job you enjoy doing, you will never have to work a day in your life." That's why, for me, serving as SSB's director has always been not so much a job as an honor."
