Heroes Helping Heroes: How One Hopebridge Team Expands Care to Thousands of Families

A Closer Look into the Advocacy Efforts of the Physician Liaison Team

In every organization, there are hidden heroes working behind the scenes to help make the magic happen. At Hopebridge, the teams in our home office in Indianapolis, IN work tirelessly to support our centers across the country.

One of these branches of Hopebridge includes our physician liaisons. The team members who hold this role spend their days spreading awareness and access to the autism therapy services that we offer. This amazing team travels around the country to speak with the pediatric physician community; teaching them about the early signs of autism in children and connecting them with Hopebridge to provide the appropriate plans of care moving forward.

This team of four is dedicated to furthering the Hopebridge mission and ensuring more families are able to get compassionate, quality care for their children. We spoke with tenured liaisons, Julie Roumeliote and Kim Wiseman, to learn more about their day-to-day routines as integral parts of the Hopebridge team.

How long have you worked as a physician liaison with Hopebridge?

Both Julie and Kim have been dedicated to the Hopebridge team for a long time. Julie has been working as a physician liaison for eight years; working with Hopebridge for the past five of those years. Kim is approaching her six-year anniversary with the company, and we can’t wait to celebrate that milestone with her. Their expertise helps to further the Hopebridge vision of serving communities around the world. 

How would you describe your role in one sentence?

As experienced as she is, Kim still says “the liaison role is a rewarding, yet challenging role.” Despite her demanding position, she says “I thrive knowing we are the faces of Hopebridge in the communities that we each serve.” Community advocacy is never finished, and this team knows that all too well. Julie shares that she loves and embraces the “opportunity to spread awareness and access to needed therapy services amongst the pediatric community.” For the physician liaison team, sharing helpful and educational information about autism therapy resources is impactful and exciting.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Knowing that you make a positive impact in the world is important when pursuing a career. The physician liaisons have no shortage of connection with the impact that they have on families and children in the autism community. Both Kim and Julie share that their favorite part of their job is being active in the community and meeting with families and pediatricians. They continue learning every day and share that knowledge with others. Knowing that they are making a difference for children and families around the country is more than enough to make them very passionate about their careers at Hopebridge.

What is your why? What inspires you to come to work every day?

Julie and Kim both agree that their why is “helping people,” specifically those in the autism community. Julie says that she knows how effective ABA therapy can be for children with autism and understands the impact that our services have on families. Both take pride in educating caregivers and ensuring that they are aware of the available assistance to help families live life to the fullest.

How were you introduced to the ABA world?

Kim’s previous occupation as a pediatric nurse exposed her to families with special needs. She saw first-hand the need for the resources that Hopebridge offers and is now so grateful to be part of sharing those resources with families in need. As a preschool teacher, Julie says “I had a child in my preschool class who was diagnosed with autism. It inspired me to become an ABA therapist in 2004. I knew eventually that I wanted to step into a role that could provide even greater impact for the autism community.” Their backgrounds in pediatrics and ABA therapy just fuel their passion for educating physicians and caregivers.

What emoji would describe you best?

Kim says that the smiley face or sunshine emoji ☀️ would describe her best. Keeping a positive attitude, no matter the circumstance, is her secret to success. Julie shares that the upside-down smiling emoji 🙃 describes her best because “even when it’s a little mucky, it is important to be positive.” Clearly these ladies love to maintain an upbeat and happy team! This amazing team continues to impress us with their dedication to the autism community and extending care to as many children as possible. Their positivity and kindness spreads across several departments and to many families and physicians in their communities. If you would like to join an awesome Hopebridge team like this one, please visit our careers page to learn more about our open positions across the country. If you’re a physician looking to submit a referral to Hopebridge on behalf of a family, visit our Physician page to learn more.

Blog content courtesy of Kaitlynn Coffman.

*Informed consent was obtained from the participants in this article. This information should not be captured and reused without express permission from Hopebridge, LLC.