There were drumrolls, trophies and smiles galore as Oakland Family Services staff gathered for the agency’s 2022 Staff Recognition and Celebration Event on Sept. 23. The annual meeting is a staff favorite and a time to celebrate the dedicated individuals at the heart and soul of the agency.

This year, staff was also joined by Board Chair Ron Hillard, Vice Chair Brian Newman, and members Ted Willet and Kathleen Lynd.

Employees were recognized for their years of service, devotion to building brighter futures and commitment to the agency’s cultural values.

“Every year I talk about how this is my very favorite meeting of the year,” President and CEO Jaimie Clayton told staff. “And that’s for several reasons. Primarily because I, as your CEO, get to celebrate all of you. … Our work is hard. The last few years have been harder than usual. However, every one of you has stepped up. You have stepped up in your own role. Every one of you has risen above and beyond the occasion. You have all stayed committed to the work and passionate for the mission. You make me so proud. You are better for the work that you do, and OFS is better for having you.”

Several staff members were celebrated for reaching milestone work anniversaries:

20 years

• Shirley Brogan, Day One clinician

15 Years

• Mary Burns, Day One Walled Lake office coordinator

• Esther Lee, Early Childhood Services specialist

10 Years

• Sandy Hensley, Early On evaluator/service coordinator

• Julayne Magee, Day One program coordinator for PRISM: Project Recovery Intensive Services for Mothers

• Julie Tillman, Parents as Teachers lead parent educator

• Glenda Vidosh, Specialized Services for Youth certified parent support partner/community liaison

5 Years

• Rebekah Birch, foster home licensing consultant

• Sarah Dagastino, foster care and adoption case manager

• Heather Eason, Specialized Services for Youth hospital liaison/crisis clinician

• Ali Fareed, lead IT help desk specialist

• Brittany Kenerson, Parents as Teachers parent educator

• Wanda Nixon, Day One Mission Re-Entry case manager

• Ashley Polinski, Day One clinician

• Du Xiong, foster care case manager

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.

Difference Maker Award

Katie Henwood, engagement and special events coordinator, was awarded the 2022 Difference Maker Award, which recognizes a staff member who went above and beyond to build brighter futures during the past year.

Katie joined the agency in August 2021 and is a key member of the Development team. When the pandemic made in-person gatherings unsafe, she came up with creative ways to keep volunteers and donors engaged to continue building brighter futures, including leading a modified Adopt A Family program that minimized contact between donors and families by providing gift cards instead of wrapped gifts. With the return to in-person events, Katie jumped head first into coordinating the agency’s second annual Fun Run and 100th anniversary gala. Next up on her list is coordinating the 2022 Adopt A Family program — with a return to the traditional format of wrapped gifts!

Runners up

Tiffany Bacon, Specialized Services for Youth home-based clinician

Alison Desmone, foster care and adoption lead case manager

Debbie Smith, director of treatment services

Victoria Schwager, Specialized Services for Youth home-based clinician

additional Cultural Difference Maker Awards:

• Focused on the Customer: Shannon Blevins, office assistant

• Team Player: April McNeill, Specialized Services for Youth outpatient case manager, and Haley Kotwicki, communications specialist

• All About Solutions: Kim Grefka, Early Learning Communities supervisor

• Inspiring Others Toward Greatness: Pam Coleman-Gay, Early On evaluator/service coordinator

• Motivating to Deliver Exceptional Results: Debbie Smith, director of treatment services

• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion: Jack Rodriguez, Specialized Services for Youth outpatient clinician; Krista Kirkpatrick, director of impact and evaluation; and Suanne Hunt, talent acquisition manager

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

• Displays Passion for our Mission: Alison Desmone, foster care and adoption lead case manager

• Oakland Family Services Ambassador: Glenda Vidosh, Specialized Services for Youth certified parent support partner/community liaison

• Wellness Champion: Christina Meli, Early On evaluator/service coordinator, and Emily Stefanic, physician assistant

• Seeks to Learn Something New Each Day: Mary Morosky, Early Learning Communities instructor, and Paige Prudhomme, Early Learning Communities instructor

• Gives Benefit of the Doubt: Kerri Gentry, vice president of program operations

• Tells the Brutal Truth: Brittany Kenerson, Parents as Teachers parent educator, and Chelsea McKeever, lead preschool teacher

• Embraces and Drives Change: Dave Partlo, director of IT

• Does Whatever it Takes: Stephanie Atwood, early childhood education site manager, and Toni Paramski, Early On lead evaluator/service coordinator

• Manages Up: Elizabeth Beck, early childhood education site manager

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