Who We Are: West South Central Work Incentives Planning and Assistance
Donald "Ray" Leger
Project Manager
Donald “Ray” Leger works as the Director of West South Central Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WSC-WIPA), an initiative in the Transition, Employment, and Careers area of HDC’s focus. Ray started employment with HDC in December 2006. Prior to that, he worked for more than 18 years consecutively in the television news industry, the Arc of Acadiana, and the Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs (GODA). He came to know HDC during his tenure in GODA because his trainer, Lloyd DeMers, was an HDC employee at the time. Ray has truly been welcomed and supported by HDC family throughout his tenure at HDC.
Ray is living the dream of being of service to others in need and more so, those whose lives are affected by how others perceives them because of their disabilities. He likes to think he helps to champion them in ways that other Social Service organizations aren’t able to. The HDC’s commitment to serving persons with developmental disabilities as a UCEDD organization aligns with Ray’s goals to see persons with disabilities live lives on equal footing as persons without disabilities, in wages, housing, etc.
Ray is happily married to his lovely wife of 25 years, Marie Jack-Leger, and we have two beautiful daughters, Teliyah (20) and Leilani (7). His upbringing was always centered around God first, family, and service to others. Ray wants others to know that if anyone takes anything from their contact with him, he hopes that it’s apparent to them that that is who he is.
Rose Angelocci, Ph.D., CRC, CWIC
Benefits Planner
Rose Angelocci is a benefits planner with the Human Development Center’s West South Central WIPA Program. Since 2018, Rose has provided benefits counseling for Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities as they explore employment sometimes for the first time or are returning to work following the onset of a disability. Dr. Angelocci assists beneficiaries in navigating various benefit systems (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, housing, etc.) so they understand the impact of earnings on the benefits they receive and the guidelines under which changes can be expected. Rose is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and a Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC).
Kristine Carrier
Benefits Planner
Kristine Carrier has been involved in a life-long career in disability-related employment and enjoys sharing her own experiences to help people make positive changes in their lives.
Her 21 years of work and advocacy in Sheltered Employment, and Supported Employment, and 18 years of Competitive Employment through Ticket to Work, helped her create efficient and effective strategies to help people discover the employment they love and to achieve their goals.
Now as a CWIC with the HDC’s WSC WIPA Project, Kristine continues to support Social Security beneficiaries through Benefits Counseling to learn how they can not only find and maintain work but become financially sufficient while working.
You might find Kristine taking nature photos in her free time. She also enjoys Contemplative Photography and writing Haiku Poems based on her nature-inspired experiences.
“She rejoices in the hymns of nature that will never be found in any book."