Manager Appreciation Week Continues

Thank you to all our managers for everything you do for Phoenix! We could not do this without you!

Shelley Peltier — English House

Shelley is our longest-standing manager, and we are so glad she has stayed with us all these years! Shelley started as a DSP at Furness House in 1993. From there, she switched over to English House as a DSP and eventually a House Supervisor. Most recently, she took over as Program Manager at English House, when the previous Program Manager “retired” after 40 years. And Shelley was the perfect person to take over!

She is so easy to get along with and gets along so well with all the family members. She is superb at helping us with our fundraising events, like Made in the Shade and our Gertens Plant Sale. Not only that, but she helps Ted, one of the individuals who lives at English House, fundraise over $2,000 to go to camp every year. She also helps plan our Music and Art Therapy sessions and invites all the other homes to participate. And she does all this while holding another full-time job!

Shelley has been nominated for an award with our trade association, and now it’s easy to see why. Thank you for all you do Shelley! We are so glad you’ve stayed with us all these years!

Shelley's co-workers put together a short thank you video for her for everything she does! 

Michelle Tinsley — Eric's House

Evone Tinsley—Michelle as we all call her at the house—is a fantastic person, with a burst of contagious laughter when you catch it. Her dedication to Phoenix and Eric's House started years ago, and we are lucky to have her as our manager. Michelle came to Phoenix in 2015 and has worked as a DSP at Eric’s House and Howard House, House Supervisor at Howard House, and now taking on co-manager at Eric’s and Suburban houses.

Michelle is a very strong advocate for all the ladies in the house. She's always looking for ways to improve and enrich each individual's life, at times forgetting about herself, and that's when we remind her to take a break. If it was up to Michelle, she would jump in and rescue every person she could. We can always count on Michelle when we need help with appointments, outings, and covering shifts day or night. Michelle can multitask and problem-solve any situation.

Michelle is now she's a co-manager for both Suburban and Eric's houses. She has transitioned so well into her position, and staff love and appreciate her. Guardians admire her and are very happy to see her transition into her new role.  You can count on a fun-filled day and good home-cooked meals when Michelle is around! Thank you Michelle for all you do!

Tami Oswald — Foss House

Tami is our newest manager here at Phoenix! From the beginning, Tami jumped right into the Program Manager role at Foss House in June. Within her first month, she was building relationships with the other managers and family members, securing an in-kind donation to support Phoenix staff, and supporting our advocacy efforts.

And her bubbly personality is hard to ignore! Tami is a great listener and is always person-centered when meeting the needs of those she supports. She is proactive and does what she can daily to ensure her team is supported. She’s very inquisitive and eager to learn – always asking why. Within her first month, she was inquiring about our advocacy efforts and asking how she can become involved! She wants to be at the forefront of recognizing what our DSPs need and works to achieve it!

As Karen Miller, Program Manager at Carver House, said of Tami, “She’s definitely a keeper, very lively and devoted!” 

Thank you, Tami, for all you’re doing at Foss House!

Malorie Lorentz — Janet Court

Malorie has been at Janet Court for some time now. She joined Phoenix in May 2020 as Program Manager of the house and has been there ever since. She has worked through the deaths and illnesses of individuals, staffing highs and lows, and learning new individuals as they move in. Malorie continues to stay strong and supports her team and the individuals who live there with a positive attitude.

Recently, Malorie took on supporting Western House as well and the staff and individuals there. It has been a learning experience, but we are happy to see Malorie taking on new leadership roles here at Phoenix! She is excellent at taking care of what needs to be done and responding to anyone who reaches out to her. 

"Malorie is a strong advocate to her staff and those she encounters respecting one another, doing as expected, and learning from each other's mistakes," said Assistant Program Director Shawna Zechmeister. "I see Malorie as a bull in a glasshouse. She is a strong supporter for everyone to do their job, support each other, respect the individuals we serve, and assure the individuals' needs are met."

Thank you Malorie for everything you are doing here Phoenix!