John Poulos

John Poulos Brings Passion for Networking to Lanterman’s Board

Everyone who meets John Poulos says the same thing – he loves networking and is interested in assisting others – both of which are important skills for a member of Lanterman’s board of directors, and it seemed a natural fit to elect him to the board. “I hope my networking skills can be used to benefit the Center,” notes Poulos.

Poulos’ personal characteristics and skills were identified through his participation in Lanterman’s assistive technology classes. Poulos graduated from the adult computer classes and signed up for additional classes at the Metro Skills Center. He’s also participated in leadership trainings and workshops, as well as the Lanterman Leadership Institute. As Poulos enhanced his skill base and became more comfortable with himself and his strengths, he was able to pursue a job independently in a law firm. He’s also worked at Niketown in Beverly Hills.

It’s Poulos’ first time serving on a board at the community level, and he says he’s still trying to get a feeling for the issues. His efforts on the board will focus on advocating for children with disabilities. “I want to make a difference for them, because they need more advocacy to help them get even further,” shares Poulos.

"I’m also interested in technology trends and particularly in increasing the utilization of assistive technology that is becoming more advanced each day, and will open new avenues for a lot of children and adults with disabilities like cerebral palsy,” explains Poulos.

Poulos encourages everyone to “think positive, because children with disabilities if you think positive can go even further and will believe in themselves.” He also promotes self-determination and stresses the importance of believing in yourself.

Poulos currently works for the Entertainment Industry Foundation where he manages their files and records for charitable contributions and donations. He lives in the Mid-Wilshire area and commutes by Metro to his job in the Valley, as well as around town. In his free time, Poulos likes going to see comedy and science fiction movies in Century City. He also enjoys bowling and is active with Best Buddies.

Updated July 20, 2006