Jack Hodges is the Research Administrator and Fiscal Officer at IMPART Alliance, where he has been contributing his expertise for the past year. A proud Michigan State University graduate, Hodges earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2019. After gaining experience in retail, he returned to MSU in 2021 to work for MSU Extension, where he spent three years before transitioning to his current role at IMPART Alliance.
Hodges was drawn to IMPART Alliance by the opportunity to grow professionally and contribute to an organization with a meaningful mission. He is passionate about the work IMPART Alliance does to support Michigan’s direct care workforce, particularly through retention and training programs that help elevate the field.
“I like the message that we’re sending. I like the work that we’re doing. I think it’s important to raise up the prestige, and also flood the workforce with direct care workers,” he explains.
Hodges recognizes the significant challenges that direct care workers in Michigan face, including low wages, lack of benefits, and personal barriers to maintaining employment, especially in home, and community-based settings. IMPART Alliance is addressing these issues by providing training, working toward accreditation, and advocating for higher standards to make direct care work a more attractive and sustainable profession.
For Hodges, the most rewarding part of his career has been the opportunity to work alongside talented and dedicated colleagues. He is especially excited about IMPART Alliance’s upcoming mobile training initiative, which involves outfitting a retrofitted bus into a mobile training unit. This innovative project will bring hands-on training to communities, ensuring more individuals have access to the skills needed to provide high-quality direct care.
Through his role at IMPART Alliance, Hodges remains committed to strengthening Michigan’s direct care workforce and ensuring that those who rely on care receive the best possible support.
