 Jon Schorsch, a successful attorney and retired Seattle law enforcement officer, served until recently as a public defender in King County. Currently, Jon Schorsch co-mediates conflicts at the Volunteers of America dispute resolution center in Everett, Washington.
To compliment his professional work, Mr. Schorsch enrolled in the Human Resource Management Certificate Program at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech). which currently offers 91 professional certificates, each of which signifies completion of a specialized technical training program. Students can obtain either a certificate of completion (CoC) for programs less than 45 credit hours, or a Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) for programs greater than 45 hours. The human resource (HR) management certificate program is designed for working professionals interested in an HR career, or those currently working in the field who wish to advance. The program provides students with strategies to improve employee communication in addition to enhancing their skills in employee management and operations. Moreover, the HR certificate program enhances students’ employee-development skills, and allows them to participate in the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). For additional information on the HR management certificate program, visit www.lwtech.edu.
0 Comments
 Jon Schorsch is a former Port of Seattle Police sergeant and church deacon who recently acquired a juris doctor and a master in public administration from Seattle University. As an attorney, Jon Schorsch has completed programs at the King County Department of Public Defense and the Starbucks Corporation Diversity Mentorship Program. Currently, he serves as a mediator at the Volunteers of America Dispute Resolution Center in Washington.
Outside of his professional work, Mr. Schorsch actively supports charities, including the United Way and Sight Connection, where he served on the board of directors. Sight Connection is a community service organization that helps individuals with vision impairments maintain their independence. The organization also sells a variety of supports and resources to alleviate issues associated with vision loss, which is commonly a result of medical conditions, such as cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that occurs when high blood sugar levels in people with diabetes cause blood vessels in the retina to become damaged. There are two stages of diabetic retinopathy. The first stage, non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), causes macula swelling, tiny blood vessel leaks, and a condition called macular ischemia, which causes blood vessels to close off. The second stage, proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), occurs when the condition has advanced beyond NDPR. The retina grows new blood vessels that result in bleeding that can block vision and cause scar tissue. In severe cases, PDR can lead to problems, including blindness, macula issues, and detached retinas.  After serving as a sergeant with the Port of Seattle Police Department for more than a decade and gaining experience in legal mediation, Jon Schorsch remains active with the department's Benevolent Association. Jon Schorsch has never let his blindness restrict him, and maintains membership in the United States Blind Golf Association (USBGA).
Founded in 1953, the USBGA enables individuals with visual impairment or blindness to play golf and compete in tournaments for the sport. Those eligible for membership in the association include those with sight below 20/200. Each year, the USBGA hosts a variety of competitions for its members, who play with guidance from a coach with sight. The association encourages members to attend events such as the annual ISPS Handa U.S. Open. This event takes its name from Dr. Haruhisa Handa, who has achieved success in areas ranging from business to the arts. A noted philanthropist, Dr. Handa believes in enhancing the lives of others, especially through the “power of sport,” such as competing in golf tournaments. The 2019 ISPS Handa U.S. Open Blind Golf Championship will take place April 4-8 in Green Valley, Arizona.  Over the course of his career, Jon Schorsch has been engaged in public service. An experienced law enforcement officer, Jon Schorsch served 14 years as a police sergeant for the Port of Seattle Police Department.
The Port of Seattle Police Department provides primary law enforcement services to the Port’s seaport properties. The department is committed to, among other things, providing professional law enforcement services. To meet this commitment, the department offers a Police Training Officer (PTO) program to newly hired officers, whether entry level or lateral. The PTO program establishes a training team for all recruits consisting of two PTO trainers, a sergeant, a commander, and an evaluator. During the program, the new recruits evaluate themselves and their performance on the job, learn from their mistakes, and journal everything they have learned to solidify their learning experiences. New recruits go through a 17-week PTO program while laterals go through an 8-week PTO program. During this time, the recruits monitor and evaluate their progress in 15 essential competencies and their PTO evaluators add comments to these written evaluations. During the final week, a board meeting takes place where recruits are asked a number of questions before being informed of the PTO cadre’s decision.  A graduate of Seattle University with a master's degree and a law degree, Jon Schorsch spent many years with the Port of Seattle Police Department, serving as a sergeant and leading marine operations for boat and dive missions. Jon Schorsch now serves the National Federation of the Blind as a self-defense instructor.
Empowering people with visual impairments, the National Federation of the Blind operates under the leadership of individuals with vision loss. Through personal experience, the organization's leaders support others who have lost their vision and assist them in achieving their goals. The National Federation of the Blind has advocated at a federal level for legislation to support people with vision loss. Recently, the organization announced success on this front after six years of effort. On June 28, 2018, the blog of the National Federation of the Blind featured a post on the United States Senate's consent to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. Approval of the new legislation requires modifications to current US copyright law to allow people with vision impairments to have access to printed works  A former police sergeant, Jon Schorsch spent more than a decade with the Port of Seattle Police Department before he earned a juris doctor at the Seattle University School of Law. An active member of the community, Jon Schorsch has volunteered with numerous nonprofit organizations and currently serves as a deacon at Mill Creek Community Church.
Located in the Seattle suburb of Mill Creek, the Mill Creek Community Church has been teaching Christ’s gospel of reconciliation through an inclusive community since 1989. Since its humble beginnings in a rented office space, the church has expanded and evolved into a prominent congregation that offers a range of worship, community, and ministry services. Among the church's programs is a local chapter of Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), a ministry that brings together mothers of young children for support and encouragement. The MOPS group meets twice a month at the church for coffee, tea, and community activities. Childcare is provided.  After more than 14 years of work in law enforcement and management, Jon Schorsch went on to earn a master’s degree in public administration and a juris doctor from Seattle University. In addition to his academic and professional achievements, Jon Schorsch is active in numerous organizations that advocate for people with impaired vision, including Sight Connection in Seattle, Washington.
Founded in 1965 as Community Services for the Blind, Sight Connection is a leading private vision rehabilitation agency committed to helping people with vision loss enjoy an active and independent lifestyle. In addition to a low vision clinic, the organization offers independent living training programs, counseling and education services, and support for people who rely on assistive technology. In cooperation with the Seattle Art Museum, Sight Connection offers "Art Beyond Sight" tours of the museum’s collections to people with vision loss. Docents, specially trained to make artwork come alive for people with vision impairments, lead participants on an examination of portions of the museum’s collection. Docents describe the physical attributes of each piece of artwork, such as its size, colors, and objects featured in the work. The guides use vivid, poetic imagery to help participants picture the art in their minds. By hearing the historic, technical, and artistic context of the works, participants are better able to grasp the artwork’s import and effect.  A retired sergeant from the Port of Seattle Police Department, Jon Schorsch served as a legal professional for the King County Department of Public Defense in his most recent professional role. Active in his local community outside of his professional endeavors, Jon Schorsch is a longtime supporter of the United Way of King County.
In 2017, the United Way spent more than $9 million nationwide to help address the issue of homelessness. In Washington State, the organization is striving for new budget allocations that will help provide vouchers, grants, and other assistance to help individuals who are homeless transition into home-based living rather than become dependent upon the shelter system. It’s part of the United Way of King County’s lofty goal of reducing the number of homeless individuals by at least 50 percent in the immediate future. In addition to funding avenues, the organization has a Jobs Connect program to help match individuals with employers who have jobs they can fill. The United Way provides a way for these individuals to clean up before work, have a hot breakfast, and get a ride to their jobs as well. To learn more about the United Way of King County’s efforts in the fight to end homelessness, visit www.uwkc.org/ending-homelessness.  A longtime police sergeant with the Port of Seattle Police Department, Jon Schorsch retired from the force in 2007 and went on to earn his law degree from the Seattle University School of Law. Focused on employment law, Jon Schorsch is particularly knowledgeable about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
First passed in 1990, the ADA contains provisions to protect those with disabilities in a wide range of situations, including on the job, in school districts, on public transportation, and in many other areas. The legislation and related laws have been tweaked and re-worked at various points over the past 30 years, including a significant definitional overhaul in 2008. Now, the United States Congress may be set to make another major change. In February 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the ADA Education and Reform Act, which puts restrictions on the timing of lawsuits related to ADA violations. Under the new bill, plaintiffs who desire to sue a business for violating ADA rules must first deliver a written warning. Businesses would then have 120 days to develop and implement a plan to rectify the violation. Supporters of the bill, such as retail shopping associations, state the changes will reduce the number of frivolous lawsuits over ADA violations, while critics claim that it will make it easier to discriminate against those with disabilities. As of April 2018, the Senate had not taken action on the bill.  A medically retired police sergeant, Jon Schorsch most recently served as a legal professional for the King County Department of Public Defense. A leader with experience in organizational culture and vision, Jon Schorsch also volunteers as a self-defense instructor for the National Federation of the Blind and supports the United Way.
Founded more than 125 years ago, the United Way has grown to become a leading charitable organization in the United States and worldwide. Working to improve quality of life, the organization consists of local branches in close to 1,800 communities and over 40 countries. The United Way’s efforts focus primarily on education, finances and economics, and health. For example, the organization operates a support program known as 2-1-1. Available in the United States and Canada, 2-1-1 provides free and confidential information and links callers to local resources. The program, which is available 24 hours a day, is staffed by community resource specialists who can provide information in areas that range from food and homelessness programs to health care services and domestic abuse supports. In 2017, the program triaged more than 14 million calls, texts, and emails. |
AuthorPublic Administration Professional Archives
August 2018
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
