Robert Maher, Jr. is graduate of the Class of 2006, President of WPSD Alumni Association and President of Pittsburgh Association of the Deaf.
Robert “Bobby” Maher grew up in Blue Knob, near the Altoona area. He comes from large family of WPSD graduates, his dad, Robert Sr. (1980), mother Nancy (Dysard) (1984), his uncle James, (1966), aunt Rita, (1972), aunt Betty (1975), and aunt Louise (1978).
Robert was enrolled at WPSD as a residential student at age four and graduated in 2006. After graduation he worked for 5 years in the auto body and then construction industry before joining WPSD on the night shift housekeeping staff. After a year and half, he transferred to the maintenance department. He says that being on the WPSD maintenance staff was one of his dream jobs when he was a student at WPSD. He is proud to be part of the WPSD staff.
Robert has been the president of Greater Pittsburgh Community Center for the Deaf at Pittsburgh Association for the Deaf (PAD) for two years and recently was elected as the president of WPSD Alumni Association and Pittsburgh Association of the Deaf. He was also a major contributor to the planning and building of the new Alumni Pavilion that was built on the WPSD campus in 2011.
A self described work-aholic, he can be found working on the rental properties he owns in the area or at one of his several other jobs, when he is not at WPSD. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife, Angel and collecting antique vehicles.
Robert thanks WPSD for all the experiences that helped prepare him for life, challenges and opportunities that showed him what he could achieve! His advice to future generations of WPSD students:
Figure out what you love to do, then follow it through and choose a career around that. If you love what you do, you will never really work a day in your life. Look at me… I love what I do and I am always busy and happy. You see it as work… I see it as my passion!!
‘Get your hands dirty’… Meaning do not just sit back and learn from others, get involved in what ever activity will help you learn! There are many ways to learn, best way is to participate in the process. Don’t wait for it… do it.
Always try your best to find ways to be a leader. That doesn’t always mean telling people what to do, it means listening to others, getting feedback, promoting teamwork and communication. When you act in this way… many things can be accomplished!
Source: The Western Pennsylvanian, Volume 128 Number 1 – Fall 2014