Oakland Family Services recognized staff for their years of service, resilience and commitment to the agency’s workplace culture at its annual Staff Recognition and Celebration Event on Oct. 1.

“We can’t serve the families and individuals who need our programs and services so much without appreciating our staff for the hard work that they do,” said Director of Human Resources Kristy Eisenberg. “Every day, our staff commit to the mission of the work that they do, providing their amazing talent, skills and professionalism to the agency along with their passion and dedication to building brighter futures.”

The coronavirus pandemic has presented many challenges to Oakland Family Services’ employees over the past year and a half, including a temporary pivot to fully online services in 2020 and, more recently, a shift toward hybrid/in-person work. Eisenberg said staff recognition has always been and will always be important to the agency, but it is especially significant now, as employees continuously adapt to the new and changing challenges of the pandemic.

“We're currently faced with a new challenge of worker shortages — especially in the helping professions, such as social work, behavioral health and early childhood education,” she said. “So while employee appreciation and recognition has always been a priority to Oakland Family Services, it is even more important now, so we can continue our long history of people choosing to stay and grow with us professionally to continue to work toward our mission and vision.”

In her opening remarks at the Staff Recognition and Celebration Event, President and CEO Jaimie Clayton thanked staff for their resilience and shared optimism for the year ahead. She said the agency is on excellent financial footing and well-positioned to move into its second century of building brighter futures, and these sentiments were echoed by Board of Directors Chair Ron Hillard and Vice Chair Brian Newman.

“The world is upside-down, but we are not,” Clayton said.

In the midst of the agency’s 100th anniversary, several staff members were celebrated for reaching milestone work anniversaries.

40 Years

Human Resources Coordinator Bobbie Parham was recognized for 40 years at Oakland Family Services. Parham was first hired as a clerical assistant in 1978, when Oakland Family Services purchased another counseling agency she had been working for. Then just 18 years old, Parham went on to work as a secretary, head of clerical, administrative assistant and executive assistant before landing in Human Resources. She is now the agency’s longest-running employee.

25 years

Two employees were recognized for 25 years of service: Vice President of Quality and Planning Natalie Marchione and Lead Facilities Technician Jay Wilson.

Marchione was first hired in 1996 as a therapist and later worked as director of Behavioral Health in Berkley, then director of grants and contracts management/recipient rights advisor until she became a vice president in 2019. Award presenters noted that her knowledge of Oakland Family Services’ programs over the years is unparalleled.

If Marchione is the memory keeper of the agency’s programs, Wilson is the memory keeper of its Pontiac location. He knows the building inside and out and can readily point out remnants of its past life as an Elks Lodge.

20 years

Oakland Family Services President and CEO Jaimie Clayton is celebrating her 20th anniversary with the agency, a journey that began when she was hired as a therapist at the former Farmington office in 2001. Since then, she went on to become director of the Walled Lake and Farmington locations, director of Behavioral Health, interim vice president of Early Childhood and Behavioral Health, vice president of program operations from 2007 until 2014, and finally president and CEO.

Other milestone celebrations included:

10 years

• Kristy Eisenberg, director of Human Resources

• Carolyn Moody, lead preschool teacher

• Marcela Nava, Information Technology systems manager

• Teresa Spong, foster and adoptive home recruiter

5 Years

• Tiffany Bacon, Specialized Services for Youth home-based clinician

• Rob Beam, facilities and grounds technician

• Chelsea Cook, billing assistant

• Jennifer Hurst, Day One lead clinician

• Rebecca Marzloff, foster care and adoption case manager

• Teresa Pfenninger, Specialized Services for Youth outpatient supervisor

• Elizabeth Thomas, assistant preschool teacher

“I think it speaks volumes that we have so many talented professionals at Oakland Family Services who have dedicated their service for 5 years, not to mention all of those staff we recognized and appreciated at this year's staff recognition event who've celebrated 10, 20, 25 and even 40 years of employment with Oakland Family Services,” Eisenberg said. “We will always keep looking for new and innovative ways to appreciate our staff for their service to the agency,”

Cultural Difference Maker Awards

The agency also presented its peer-nominated Cultural Difference Maker Awards to employees who exemplify Oakland Family Services’ cultural value statements, which detail what employees set out to achieve in their work with the families they serve and with each other.

Susanna Taylor, early childhood program outcomes coordinator, was awarded the 2021 Difference Maker Award, which recognizes a staff member who went above and beyond to build brighter futures during the past year. Susanna has been with the agency since 2019 and is known for her can-do attitude and willingness to jump in wherever a pair of hands is needed.

Winners of the other Cultural Difference Maker Awards were:

• Focused on the Customer: Shannon Blevins, office assistant

• Team Player: Amy Hostinsky, Day One clinician

• All About Solutions: Krista Kirkpatrick, Specialized Services for Youth program coordinator

• Inspiring Others Toward Greatness: Kris Kasperski, director of Early Childhood Services

• Motivating to Deliver Exceptional Results: Emily Mandigo, Day One clinical supervisor in Walled Lake, and Kenesia Cheatham, director of Family Preservation

• Lives and Breathes Oakland Family Services Culture: Kristy Eisenberg, director of Human Resources

• Displays Passion for our Mission: Alison Desmone, Family Preservation lead case manager, and Jack Rodriguez, Specialized Services for Youth home-based clinician

• Oakland Family Services Ambassador: Jennifer Hurst, Day One clinician

• Wellness Champion: Emily Stefanic, physician assistant

• Seeks to Learn Something New Each Day: Catherine Johnson, Parents as Teachers parent educator, and Mary Morosky, Early Learning Communities instructor

• Gives Benefit of the Doubt: Katie Kiner, Specialized Services for Youth home-based supervisor

• Tells the Brutal Truth: Ira Smith, preschool teacher

• Embraces and Drives Change: Suanne Hunt, talent engagement specialist

• Does Whatever it Takes: Angela Liegghio, early childhood education program coordinator, and Dave Partlo, director of Information Technology

• Manages Up: Jackie Chaney, preschool teacher

Interest in joining the Oakland Family Services team? Learn more and apply at oaklandfamilyservices.org/careers!