Tough times don't last, tough teams do: Oakland Family Services staff recognized at annual event

This staff photo was taken before the COVID-19 pandemic at the 2019 staff appreciation celebration.

The coronavirus pandemic didn’t keep Oakland Family Services from celebrating recently the years of service employees have dedicated to the agency.

While the annual staff appreciation celebration looked different this year — as it was on Zoom and not in person — it had the same feeling of warmth and genuine appreciation for all the work employees do to deliver the agency’s mission.

During the Oct. 2 virtual General Staff meeting, five employees —  Julie Mison, Erika Alexander, Susan Eichbrecht, Kathleen Mallett, and Ira Smith — were recognized for working at least two decades at the agency! Here’s a snapshot of their journey at Oakland Family Services:

Julie Mison, vice president of Employee Engagement and Organizational Development (25 years):

Mison began her career at Oakland Family Services as an intern and moved through a variety of jobs before becoming a vice president. She has always been connected to the agency’s mission and vision and used them to guide her work. Mison’s efforts to move Human Resources from transactional to strategic has drawn praise from national consultants. She also led the charge in defining the agency’s culture, which culminated in the development of the agency’s cultural value statements.

Erika Alexander, Quality Assurance director (20 years):

Alexander was the former behavioral health director and held other agency jobs before moving into her current position in Quality Assurance. She is known as an expert in substance use disorder treatment, and the agency has received many opportunities to pilot projects largely due to her ability to make a program successful. Alexander lives Oakland Family Services’ cultural values and demonstrates them regularly.

Susan Eichbrecht, compensation and benefits specialist (20 years):

Eichbrecht meets with all benefit-eligible new hires to ensure they can make the best decisions for themselves and their family. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and payroll laws changed, she made sure the agency stayed on track by participating in webinars and undergoing training. Eichbrecht is an agency leader, having served as co-chair on the United Way Campaign and as a member of the agency’s 403b Fiduciary Committee.

Kathleen Mallett, development associate (20 years):

During Mallett’s tenure, she has held a variety of positions, including office manager. She is an ambassador of the agency’s mission, and her customer focus is second to none. As a member of the development team, her hard work has helped the agency meet its sustainability goals.

Ira Smith, assistant teacher at the Children’s Learning Center in Pontiac (20 years):

Smith has touched the lives of more than 2,000 children and families over the past two decades. She has worked to create a warm, safe and inviting educational experience for all children and has become invested in each child’s and family’s success and wellbeing.

The agency also recognized for 15 years of service Rebecca Dickinson, Day One supervisor of clinical services, and David Partlo, director of Information Technology. Celebrating 10 years of service were Katie Kiner, Specialized Services for Youth supervisor; Nicole King, Early Learning Communities instructor; Debbie Smith, Specialized Services for Youth director; and Carrie Welch, Specialized Services for Youth lead outpatient clinician. Employees with five years of service included Caroline Colburn, Pamela Coleman-Gay, Kelsea Grecu, Michelle Harris, Julie Lemay, Shimika Leonard, Amanda Lisowski, Linda Ruggirello, and Maria Tovar-Ruiz. Employees with one year of service were acknowledged as well.

Individuals also were recognized by their peers for making a difference and for exemplifying the agency’s cultural value statements. These statements detail what the staff at Oakland Family Services sets out to achieve in their work with the families we serve and with each other. Some examples of these statements include: Act with Integrity and Respect, Commit to Greatness, Connect to our Mission and Embrace and Drive Change.

Kenesia Cheatham, director of Family Preservation, received the 2020 Difference Maker Award.

Before the meeting concluded, Kenesia Cheatham, director of Family Preservation, received the 2020 Difference Maker Award. This award, which is also voted on by staff, recognizes a staff member who stood out as truly exemplifying the agency’s mission of building brighter futures during the past year.

Cheatham, who has worked at the agency for 16 years, took on the role as director just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and a few months before the Family Preservation audit. She was described by one employee as “consistently calm in the storm and steadfast in her leadership” and a leader who “increased the morale of staff 150% and strengthened her team.”

“What you have done in the department has helped keep children safe, because when you don’t have the staff that are staying, and when you don’t have the staff that feel energized, they can’t do the work,” President & CEO Jaimie Clayton told Cheatham during the meeting. “Thank you for making the difference and building brighter futures.”

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