The Extraordinary Staff Among Us
Let's give a hand for all the managers, support staff, and nursing team who were nominated!
Managers Nominated:
Shawna Zechmeister - Assistant Program Director of Northeast Group
"I’d like to nominate Shawna Zechmeister for Employee of the Year. I’ve been so impressed with her continued commitment to the organization, her staff, and the individuals she works with. This past year has been tough for Shawna. She has had multiple manager turnovers in all her homes, but she continues to move forward and train every new manager that comes in with a positive attitude. I commend her for her unwavering commitment and loyalty to continue pushing through, despite the circumstances. Many people would give up if they were in her shoes, but no, not Shawna! She’s here to make sure we get the right people in the right positions and that they are trained properly and thoroughly."
You can read all of Shawna's nomination here.
Hilda Momanyi - Assistant Program Director of East Group
"I would like to nominate Hilda, because any time I need help with stuff or looking for something in SharePoint, she always makes sure I can find it. Hilda has three houses she has to make sure are running right, and I feel she does a very good job in running the houses. She is a very caring person when it comes to the residents and will come in when things aren't going as they should. That's why I nominated her; she is the best APD."
Shonte Curtis - Furness House
"I nominate Shonte. She just became a supervisor and she's doing a very good job. Shonte has learned a lot in the short time she has been in her position, and she takes her title seriously. She cares about the residents; she's always taking them on outings to the main office for parties. She is a very good person; I'm happy to have her by my side in the office."
Lisa Plaster - Float Program Supervisor
"I would like to nominate Lisa Plaster for Manager of the Year. Since the very first day I started with Phoenix, Lisa has demonstrated above and beyond care for the residents and staff of Ludden House. She has endured great difficulty at Ludden House but always seems to come with great positive energy. She comes to work with compassion and a loving spirit every shift she works, even when she's not feeling the best. So, my nomination for Manger of the Year goes to Lisa Plaster!"
You can read all of Lisa's nominations here.
Shelley Peltier - English House
"I would like to nominate Shelley Peltier from English for Manager of the Year. Shelley is amazing, the total effort she puts in every day. Shelley has great rapport with families, staff, and day programs. She is always available for her staff to answer any of their questions. When it comes to the folks we serve, she attends the majority of their appointments and communicates to all parties and Shelley makes sure that all the folks are getting out in the community. Shelley makes English House a home!"
Mat Beconovich - Howard House
"Mathew has been part of the Phoenix family for more than a decade. He has been in his supervisor position for over a year now, and in that time, he has been a driving force in achieving equilibrium at Howard House. He has juggled annual meetings and medical emergencies simultaneously and is the safety net we needed to ensure our staffing requirements are met and our individuals are adequately cared for. Matt has an abundant wealth of knowledge that he applies to his work, and he takes the time to give instruction and guidance to those willing to learn. Even as a manager, he enjoys cooking for our clients, and will often call his special efforts a "labor of love." Thank you Mat for being my teammate."
Marcus Taylor - Lydia House
"I'm nominating Marcus Taylor from Lydia House. Although I have not worked at Lydia very much, Marcus was kind and caring to his residents. He spoke to them with care and treated his staff very nicely while I was there. He is someone I look forward to working with!"
Support Staff & Nursing Team Nominated
Laura Linnemeyer - Staff Development
"I would like to nominate Laura for Employee of the Year. She uses her many superpowers in many different areas of the company. When state is there and you are stressed, Laura is who you call. She will swoop in with the magic answer among the mountains of training documents that she receives. She can tell you the history of the organization and what has worked and not worked for your training needs, while still being open to change. Her superpowers stand out when you are stuck on how to write that positive support plan and are out of ideas, or if you are trying to obtain a grant and just can’t get it within the word count. She can be very persuasive with staff when it comes to training and helps support managers in getting it done. She may fill in at the front desk to greet people. One of her goals is to make sure that each new employee has a positive experience. She is willing to do what it takes to make this happen. Thank you Laura for supporting us all!"
Nikki Bechel - Human Resources
"Nikki has a very unique and challenging role at Phoenix. Since I have met her, I have seen her maintain her poise and grace in challenging situations - not only in isolated instances, but quite literally in her daily schedule. She is often the face of our company when ethical dilemmas arise, and she nurtures our most valuable resource - our staff! She is objective and informative and shows emotional fortitude. I was very impressed by her problem-solving skills when attending her Thriving Leaders training session and have implemented many of her suggestions at Howard House with positive results. Thank you Nikki for all you do!"
Alan Berner - Vice President of Community Services
"Alan took over for Sarah Boone while she was on leave, and he always made an effort to communicate with me about my schedule changes. He helped me navigate what houses I needed to work at, and he helped make my transition into this company very smoothly."
Dean Blomgren - Appointment Coordinator
"I am excited to nominate Dean for Employee of the Year in the role of Appointment Coordinator. Dean has consistently demonstrated outstanding organizational skills and a strong commitment to maintaining efficient scheduling processes. His attention to detail and proactive approach to managing appointments have significantly improved our operational workflow. Dean's ability to communicate effectively with both clients and team members ensures seamless coordination and enhances overall satisfaction. His dedication and professionalism make him an asset to our organization."
Brandi Sterry - Nursing Team
"I'm nominating Brandi Sterry. She has been open and receptive to any questions about medications, the residents' care, and things of that nature. I met Brandi at the training in the main office and at the Made in the Shade event, and she was very interactive with all the residents. She even went to get oxygen for one of the residents who did not have hers packed."