Kean Alumna Counsels Parents of Children with Disabilities

Beth Giannobile ’09 knows the joys and challenges of caring for a child with disabilities, having spent years securing support services for her daughter, who is on the autism spectrum and nonverbal.

Giannobile, the proud mom of Dana, 31, and two other adult children, earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Kean in 2009. She combined her education and experience to become a peer support counselor with the free, statewide Mom2Mom phone program at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, a 24-7 helpline for caretakers of children with disabilities.

“I love sharing the journey and letting new moms know that it's not all doom and gloom,” said Giannobile, who has been in her job for eight years. “It’s good for them to share their innermost thoughts with people who have walked that walk.”

Giannobile also helps parents of adults with disabilities navigate the emotional and challenging process of finding programs to help resolve a looming concern: “What is going to happen to our children when we’re no longer here?”

“Beth brings out the very best in those around her,” said Jody Becker of Clark, a longtime friend of Giannobile. “She is a born leader who attracts others with her passion, strength, optimism and a hearty and infectious laugh.”

Giannobile was well into her adult life when she earned her Kean degree. It had been 26 years since she had earned her associate degree in business, management and marketing from LIM College in New York City.

“I just always wanted a fuller degree,” said Giannobile, who grew up in Cranford and now lives in Clark. “I resumed college with the intention of pursuing occupational therapy, but it was extremely rigorous, and I didn't have it in me at the time as a parent of three, one of whom has special needs. That was kind of tugging at my heart, so I went in that direction.”

Her choice to pursue a degree in social work has worked out well for Giannobile, who has devoted 15 years to assisting people in need, previously at the New Jersey Brain Injury Alliance. 

She also volunteers as a member of the Union County Human Relations Commission, which works to eradicate bias and racism, and recently helped out during Kean’s spring career fair.

“As the students walked in, we asked them if they wanted to practice their pitches on us,” Giannobile said. “The students were earnest, and we could see how they wanted help. It was fun. I would do it every year.”

Giannobile was recruited for the Kean event by Carol Ann Koert, Kean’s director of alumni engagement. 

“Practice Your Pitch equips students with invaluable skills for their professional journey,” Koert said. “Beth's friendly demeanor, paired with insightful feedback, fostered an environment where students refined their elevator pitches before meeting with potential employers.”

Giannobile said she decided to go to Kean for her studies because of its reputation and proximity to her home. 

“I highly recommend Kean,” she said. “Just walking through that beautiful Union campus proves that it’s comparable to any other big-name college.”

While studying at Kean, Giannobile gained experience through two internships, one at the Mental Health Association of New Jersey in Springfield and the other at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth.

“It took me out of my comfort zone and forced me to realize I wasn’t in suburbia anymore,” she said. “It opened my eyes to people's needs and difficulties and why we were there.”

Having been in the field for some time, Giannobile now believes that the key to successful social work is to embrace both opportunities and people.

“You've really got to love people and level with them, relate to them and be one with them,” she said. “Promoting peace, love and joy is important.”