---
title: "Get To Know Crystal Hayes: CIP Long Beach’s Program Director"
description: Our new, In-Focus blog feature highlights a staff member as a way to learn more about the incredible professionals we have across CIP.
---

[CIP Blog](https://info.cipworldwide.org/blog)

# [Get To Know Crystal Hayes: CIP Long Beach’s Program Director](https://info.cipworldwide.org/blog/cip-longbeach-program-director)

 Written by [College Internship Program](https://info.cipworldwide.org/blog/author/college-internship-program) | Nov 19, 2021 8:24:02 PM

Our *In-Focus* blog feature highlights a staff member as a way to learn more about the incredible professionals we have across CIP. For this In-Focus, we hear from Crystal Hayes, Program Director, CIP Long Beach.

 

We asked Crystal a few questions about her role, her CIP experience, and what she does when she’s not at the Center.

 

**What’s your most memorable CIP experience?**

Watching a student pull out her checkbook and put a deposit on her first apartment while her mom sat in awe, and in tears, learning that she had saved up for the occasion. 

 

**What have you most learned in your time at CIP?**

I have learned to embrace the “big picture” - to keep *purpose* as the priority. When the whole team keeps the purpose, vision, and values at the heart of each task and interaction, we *feel* value and *add* value, we tackle challenges together and with a positive attitude, and we have more FUN! 

 

**How has CIP helped you grow in your career?**

I went from being a serial job-hopper to beginning a career when I first joined CIP as an advisor in 2015. CIP has provided me with the right balance of challenge, opportunity and encouragement, to keep me growing and learning from each experience.

 

**What’s your favorite thing about working at CIP?**

It’s simple - the people! The opportunity to really connect with colleagues, students, families, and the community is life-giving and brings me so much energy throughout the day. 

 

**Tell us a fun fact about yourself.**

Between the years 2006 - 2010, I worked for Carnival Cruise Lines as a Showband Trombonist.  I made my living playing music, traveling the world, and establishing myself as a table tennis champion!

 

**Is there anything your colleagues don’t know about you that you’d like to share?**

One of my colleagues recently asked what I do for self-care -- here are a few!  1) I commemorate significant events and/or changes in my life by changing my hairstyle (as some of you have witnessed over the years!). This gives a boost of confidence and a fresh way to start a new chapter.  2) I schedule an international vacation every three years with a good friend, and 3) I go fishing!  Deep-sea fishing is a fun and exciting way to spend a day on the water.

 

**What do you think are the biggest challenges currently facing young adults with autism and learning differences?**

A prevalent challenge that our students face in the midst of a global pandemic often relates to the inability to remain internally and externally motivated for sustained periods of time in order to achieve a goal. This process takes diligence, perseverance, and education around the pattern of behavior change which I fully intend to reinforce utilizing my experience as well as CIP’s continuum of growth.

[View full post](https://info.cipworldwide.org/blog/cip-longbeach-program-director)

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