- 20-year Technology Expert Joins Nonprofit to Help Lead Technology Initiatives- June 4, 2026Baltimore - Penn-Mar Human Services, the region’s leading provider of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), is proud to announce the appointment of Audra Hurd as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). As CTO, Audra will join Penn-Mar’s...
With a background spanning direct support and technology, Amie Newton is making assistive technology more accessible and impactful. [caption id="attachment_16218" align="alignright" width="300"] Aime Newton (left) helps coworker Allis Kensing demonstrate an Assistive Technology tool.[/caption] For Amie Newton, technology has always been about solving problems. At Penn-Mar, that curiosity is connecting...
Corina Gartland helps Saar Fanjoy speak for herself. [caption id="attachment_14893" align="alignright" width="300"] Saar (left) and Corina (right) take a selfie.[/caption]When Direct Support Professional (DSP) Corina Gartland first met Saar Fanjoy, she found her using a binder with Velcro tabs to communicate. Being non-verbal, Saar would sometimes...
By Michele Jacobs, Penn-Mar Parent  Before moving from Baltimore City to Parkton, MD in 2012, our family prioritized finding a human services provider that could continue offering one-to-one support for our eldest son, Scott, now 35.Scott is non-verbal and sometimes experiences behavioral challenges related to communication difficulties....
This article was originally published in World of Possibilities Magazine's Fall 2024 edition. It was written by Allis Kensing, Enabling Technology Manager at Penn-Mar.My first experience with Assistive Technology (AT) solutions was in 2016 while working for a provider to find employment opportunities for people...
- Funds Will Be Used to Equip 30 Residential Homes with Smart Home Technology -May 2, 2025Baltimore – Penn-Mar Human Services, the region’s leading provider of services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), is delighted to share that the organization has received a...
By Allis Kensing, Penn-Mar Enabling Technology Manager The funds will go to standardizing 40 homes with Assistive Technology. The Covid pandemic was the catalyst for Penn-Mar to reevaluate the way it was delivering its services to the people we support with intellectual and developmental disabilities. During a time...
Future curriculum to consider broader audience with diverse needs and experience.When the Baltimore County Public Library Hereford Branch was considering developing a digital literacy program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, its Librarian and Adult & Community Engagement Coordinator, Cynthia Webber, reached out to...
In his role as Job Developer for Penn-Mar, Court Dudek regularly receives referral opportunities from the Maryland State Department of Education Division for Rehabilitation Services (DORS). The leads connect students he supports in the Work-Based Learning Experience (WBLE) to job training opportunities that will help...
 [caption id="attachment_9827" align="alignleft" width="225"] Julia Quarles is gaining valuable experience using her tablet, which her mother Janice purchased for her last March as a tool to support her passion for books and reading.[/caption]Julia Quarles loves to read. You’ll seldom find her without a book, magazine...