Elise Hansen
Story Update
Elise Hansen's resilience through 30 surgeries, coupled with her dedication to quality standards, propelled her career from assembly work to customer service roles. Hansen's outgoing personality and commitment to helping others earned her celebrity status, which she used to advocate for people with disabilities, securing support from influential figures like Senators Orrin Hatch and Robert Bennett and Representative Rob Bishop for the AbilityOne® Program.
The Full Story
Elise Hansen has bounced back from 30 surgeries, manages a successful job, enjoys public speaking, and inspires others with her “can do” attitude. She has advanced both professionally and personally and remains a star advocate for the AbilityOne Program.
In 2000, Hansen began working for PARC on the assembly of Marine Corps Cold Weather Infantry Kits and quickly learned the necessity of meeting precise quality standards. Her attention to detail ensured that she was able to advance her career and move into employment in the community. Considering her outgoing personality and her desire to help people, customer service seemed to be a natural career path for Hansen.
Hence, since 2004, she has been working part-time at Walmart in addition to continuing work with PARC’s Employment of Choice Program.
“She was always willing to assist an overloaded mother or a person using a wheelchair. She would also go out of her way to help customers get their purchases out to their vehicle,” said Merri Ann Perkins, public relations and business development manager for PARC.
Hansen—who was separated from a conjoined twin soon after birth—has become accustomed to “celebrity status” but has used it to open doors for people with disabilities. She was instrumental in getting Sens. Orrin Hatch and Robert Bennett, and Rep. Rob Bishop, to become AbilityOne champions.
