What happens when someone who has spent decades leading provider organizations moves to the other side of the partnership table?

That question is at the heart of A (Former) Provider’s Perspective, a new series exploring housing, growth, and collaboration through the eyes of a leader who has lived the realities of service delivery.

For more than 30 years, Jim Settembrino has led organizations dedicated to serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. From founding Our Own Home in western Pennsylvania to serving as CEO of Supportive Concepts for Families, Jim has worked to build programs centered on independence, dignity, and inclusion. Today, as Senior Business Developer at CIL, Jim is building partnerships from the other side.

“As a past executive in the provider sector, I’ve sat on the other side of the table,” Jim says. “I understand the pressures—balancing quality services, compliance, staffing challenges, and growth. You’re constantly asking: How do we do more for the people we serve, and how do we do it well?"

Founded more than 45 years ago by care providers and advocates, CIL was built on a simple but powerful belief: people thrive when they have a place to call home and are fully included in their communities. For Jim, that mission resonated long before he officially joined the team.

“I first met Samantha and Chris from CIL several years ago at an RCPA conference in Pennsylvania,” he recalls. “Within minutes, I knew there was something different. Their energy and creativity stood out. But more importantly, it was clear they cared about the people behind the projects.”

At the time, Jim was leading a provider organization and navigating the complex realities of housing—zoning hurdles, competitive real estate markets, tight timelines, and evolving regulatory requirements. It was in that environment that the value of the right partner became clear.

“Most CEOs or operational leaders know there are so many facets to delivering comprehensive services,” Jim explains. “If you can find a partner with the expertise to truly lighten that load, it’s a gift. It saves time. It builds confidence. And it allows you to stay focused on your core mission—supporting people.”

For Jim, effective partnership in any line of work comes down to trust.

“Regardless of the topic—housing obstacles, performance-based contracting, expansion strategy—success is built on relationships,” he says. “Trust. Transparency. Empathy. Understanding. Sometimes even love. People support people. That’s the foundation.”

He saw that foundation in action while working alongside CIL on housing initiatives in Pennsylvania. That experience—and his provider background—now shapes how he approaches his role at CIL. As Senior Business Developer, Jim focuses on cultivating relationships with providers across the mid-Atlantic region, especially in Pennsylvania. But for him, business development isn’t about transactions. It’s about alignment, values, vision – the stuff that usually lines up when you have the right people tackling the work.

“Once you have the right people at the table, most challenges can be overcome,” he says. “That’s what drew me to CIL. It’s not just about real estate. It’s about people who serve people—and the individuals whose lives are changed because of it.”

In this new series, Jim will share insights from his years as a provider—on partnership, growth, and the evolving landscape of disability services. But if there’s one theme that runs through his journey, it’s this:

“It all starts with good people,” Jim says. “Get that right, and everything else becomes possible.”

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