OLS Bellevue College Welcomes New Workforce Development Manager

Please join us in welcoming Jessica D’Aquila as the new Workforce Development Manager for OLS Bellevue College.

portrait of young woman with long brown hair smiling and wearing a jean jacket

Prior to joining OLS, Jessica worked for two years as a special education teacher for Lake Washington School district for middle school and high school aged students with moderate to severe disabilities. She led a classroom that focused on functional life skills which supported students in gaining independence. Jessica grew up on the East Coast and received her Master’s in Special Education from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. While working towards her degree, Jessica worked as a graduate assistant at both the university’s Disability Services Center and the Marywood SOAR program, a unique post-secondary program for young adults with Autism that focused on life skills for independent living and employment. In addition to her master’s, Jessica holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Scranton in Scranton, PA. 

Jessica has a passion for working with young adults with disabilities and is a firm advocate for the value of neurodivergent individuals in the workforce and beyond. Jessica looks forward to joining the accomplished OLS team and supporting the program’s growth. She is most excited about creating positive relationships with students and encouraging them to live happy and fulfilled lives.

In her free time, Jessica enjoys cooking, baking and being outdoors with her soon-to-be husband. She recently moved to Washington in 2020 and loves exploring exciting new places (and restaurants)!  


Occupational & Life Skills (OLS) is an associate degree program for adults with learning disabilities. In our uniquely supportive skills-based program, students apply academic knowledge through community activities, service learning, and social experiences. Students identify a career pathway, gain marketable, workplace-ready competencies, develop better interpersonal skills, and complete an internship in alignment with their career goals.

To learn more, register for an upcoming Information Session.

Last Updated July 26, 2022