Staff Spotlight: Veronica Loya-Gomez

Senior Program Manager of Community Supports and Employment Support

Inside the office of Veronica Loya-Gomez, Senior Program Manager of Community and Employment Supports at United Counseling Service, there is something unique for everyone. Each corner and wall offer a collection of sensory items—the calming image of a lighthouse, noise cancelling headphones that Veronica explains are used by clients in a meditative percussion class, a diffuser that puffs out water vapor in the shape of tiny squids. Concentric circles marked with the UCS logo hang in the center of the room, spinning gently. The space is lighthearted and whimsical, yet everything is there for a reason. On her walls, she displays a rotating exhibition of client achievements. One client’s graduation certificate from a diabetes management course hangs next to a photo of another client receiving an award celebrating 20 years with his employer.  

“Community Supports isn’t about me,” says Veronica. “Instead, I have all the things that make UCS Community and Employment—the clients. When people come in, I want them to see the clients.”

Veronica oversees the Community and Employment Supports programs, in which clients of UCS’ Developmental Services division make meaningful connections and access paid employment in their communities. She also supervises the Shared Living program at UCS, which pairs individuals or families in the community with clients who need homes. Veronica’s role is to ensure clients are supported by dedicated staff and providers, as well as through opportunities to engage with their communities in healthy ways, based on clients’ personal interests. Finding opportunities in the community for her clients comes naturally to Veronica, built on experience tapping into her community as a parent of four, operating mentoring programs for teenagers, and working for the state of Massachusetts for almost 20 years.

Her free time also includes plenty of community engagement. “I’ve been enmeshed in community activities going back 30 years,” she says. “In between, I do wild and crazy things. If there’s a parade and you need a big, fuzzy, costume-wearing person—I’m that person.” Veronica has stepped in to dress as some of the most beloved characters at various community events—Tigger and Pooh, Sully from Monsters Inc., and Clifford the Big Red Dog, to name a few. Her enjoyment comes from being part of and serving the community, not necessarily being recognized by face or name.

Veronica is energized by her work serving others and approaches each day with optimism and compassion, with service dog, Lady, by her side. The pair have found a home in Vermont, a place Veronica had only heard of before she attended a wedding here last year. Her previous impression of the state was a land of ice cream and trees, an idea that’s expanded to include a heartfelt appreciation for the kindness of Vermont people. She has never experienced kickback for bringing Lady into any Vermont establishment, something she has faced in other states. Lady accompanies Veronica into clients’ homes and offers intuitive and steadfast support for anyone who needs it.

Veronica’s daily schedule is tough to pin down, as the nature of her work is fluid and depends on client and staff needs. “I own a chair, but I rarely spend a long time in it—which is not bad,” she says. From problem solving and supporting staff in their daily work to connecting with clients and planning therapeutic groups and day trips, Veronica finds fulfillment in the work she does alongside her team. “For me, this doesn’t take away from myself. For me, I go home, and my cup of love is full.”

The work is not always easy, but she loves her job. “There’s a lot to be said about loving what you do and doing what you love,” says Veronica. “A lot of times, I feel guilty, because this doesn’t feel like work. Helping somebody else have their most amazing life or day, or just the most supported hour they might possibly get, I don’t really get how that’s work.”

Veronica holds a core belief that she offers as advice for anyone thinking of entering the field of human services. “Pay attention to the first word—it’s about being human, and then it’s about the services. In this job, there’s literally no aspect of factory or corporate. The first thing is always that I am human, they are human, staff are human—never forget that you are human. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I made a mistake.’ That’s part of what makes us all equal in this whole thing. Make room to be human in human services. Policy, protocol, that’s all important, but being human is important too.”