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Company Overview
A.S.I. Advocates Searching for Independence LLC was establish in 2018 by Sonia Quintero. The goal of this program is to increase transition into educational, vocational, social opportunities and full citizen engagement within community access, specifically for individual with multiple disabilities with varies ages, with cross disabilities and their families. This is obtained by caring for them while improving their health, management, and transforming their lives, engaging in meaningful inclusion with dignity and respect by bridging the gap in the community through empowerment, self-determination, independence, productivity, integration, self-advocacy, leadership, citizen engagement in the community, and group support sessions.
A.S.I. serves as an instrument to increase the “Community Voice”, open doors to community access, outreach with appropriate information, training, and support them as self-advocates. They are taught skills to be outstanding citizens with values to practice self-care, obtain full inclusion, and provide intervention and support services. The gap of full community inclusion is emphasized, and strong advocacy is done to teach self-advocacy to reach equal opportunities. This is done by impacting public policy, service systems, and communities to identify service needs and modifications.
A.S.I.’s goal is to increase transition into educational, vocational, social opportunities, and full citizen engagement within community access, specifically for individuals with disabilities to comprehend the different aspects of life.
Meet the Founding Director
Sonia Quintero
The founding director of A.S.I. Advocates Searching for Independence LLC Open Doors Pre-Employment Transition Services Program. Ms. Quintero holds the Director Credential for Workplace Inclusion & Sustainable Employment Certification UNTWISE, and Employment Services Certified Supported Employment Specialist from Virginia Commonwealth University. She earned her Speech Pathology-Hearing Loss Therapist degree from Fundación Iberoamericana INPI University-Colombia, S.A.
She has over 30 years of experience fostering the engagement of young adults with developmental disabilities to improve their quality of life & abilities to reach functional independence with the support of A.S.I. trainers, families, and the community she promotes. In addition, she supports partnerships with several organizations that assist with the endorsement of hiring people with disabilities. She has provided numerous workshops nationally and internationally on disability awareness and helping under-served individuals with their transition plans into school or work environments. Ms. Quintero has served on several committees and state organizations:
- Appointed and served for eight years on the Lower Rio Grande Valley Workforce Development Board of Directors representing Vocational Rehabilitation.
- Appointed and served on The Texas Brain Injury Advisory Council.
- Appointed and served on The Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Taskforce.
- Served at McAllen Mayor’s Committee for Employment of People with Disabilities – Local Coordinator for Mentor Day.
She actively participated in the Texas Partner in Policy Making Program, and she is currently the President of the Mission Rotary Club (2022-2023). She received several awards and recognitions for dedication & leadership for her notable achievements within the community.