Our CEO Stars prior to 2017…
October 2016
Kimberly Burton, Operations Program Specialist
“Kimberly is a breath of fresh air, always willing to lend a helping hand. She works diligently to keep meetings, trainings, and other gatherings facilitated by Operations running smoothly. She is a pleasure to work with and puts her heart into everything she does.”
Zach Case, Custodian
“Zach is an excellent employee. He is always attentive to our department to ensure that everything is taken care of. No matter, a change in his schedule or job responsibilities, our offices are always well cleaned. Also, when we have special circumstances, such as fallen ceiling tiles or moving furniture, he is always willing to help us with a “can do” attitude. He does all of this with a smile. We really appreciate his work ethic and positive attitude. We look forward to seeing him every day. There is a cloud when he is not around.”
Darixa Rivera, Toddler Teacher, CRC
“Darixa is very engaging with the children at all times, even while she is eating at the table. She makes the children in her classroom very excited about coming in knowing her and the other teacher are there with them. Every day they go outside, have water play, or walks, and sing. Darixa is organized, helping the children become organized and self sufficient as well. You see the bond and happiness in the room whenever you visit.”
September 2016
Jamie Larson, Vendor Liaison, WIC VMA
“Jamie goes out of her way to help boost morale and keep a positive, inclusive, work environment. She is a great team player who exemplifies the WIC VMA #807 values. She always has a positive attitude and provides exceptional service to vendors.”
Keith Place, Weatherization Manager
“Where to start? Keith is our “go to” guy for Weatherization and Housing. He responds to our questions and requests with a positive attitude and a willingness to assist us, which makes our jobs much easier. He is very approachable and works well with each member of our department, which is not an easy task 🙂 ! He has an appreciation for deadlines and is always willing to assist us when the funding sources change their processes and/or requirements. The programs he manages are recognized for their stellar performance statewide and we believe this is attributable, in part, to Keith. While his workload is extensive, he coordinates with us to ensure that the program and CEO goals are achieved. He epitomizes the characteristics of a model team player and we are fortunate to have him on our team!”
Brandy Radley, Toddler Teacher, CRC
“Brandy is a toddler teacher in our CRC location. Her enthusiasm is wonderful. Every day she comes in the classroom with a contagious positive attitude which the children pick up on right away. The staff also enjoy Brandy and work simultaneously with each other. The dynamics in the classroom is seamless and you feel it when you watch the classroom work. Brandy is very creative with the children, never missing an opportunity to demonstrate science by looking at a spider web in the playground or taking an afternoon walk to feed the birds under the bridge. We are lucky to have such a great person.”
August 2016
Bernard Bennett, Family Advocate EHS/HS
“Bernard has worked very hard this summer getting families ready for Fall Enrollment. He has contacted over 100 families to enroll in our program in the Fall. Bernard never says “no” to any task that is asked of him. He covers classrooms for breaks, covers the front desk when asked, he meets with families on their terms where ever and when ever is needed. He is a great asset to CEO. He is dedicated and resourceful for families and CEO. Bernard is very helpful to all the staff and families. It has been a pleasure watching him grow in his professional career, what a difference a year makes!”
Augustine “Junior” Mauras, Custodian, Community Resource Center
“Jr. is always pleasant. I appreciate and look forward to his singing when he comes to the operations suite. Jr. takes it upon himself to clean out the microwave along with his many duties; I came in to work to find our carpet had been shampooed. He is gracious and an awesome addition to our staff.” “Junior has gone above and beyond for our center. He comes in every day smiling and with such a positive attitude that it is hard for it not to be contagious. He is always there to help if anyone needs it, whether it is a coworker or a customer. The children absolutely love him, and they get so excited to give him a high five every day. I am sure I can speak for everyone when I say Junior is a joy to work with!”
Teresa Raso, CRC Center Manager
“It is very exciting to have Teresa on board as our CRC Center Manager. This is a unique center for Early Childhood services, as it is the hub of many of our Community Services programs. Teresa has done an exceptional job taking on a leadership role in this building. She is positive and interactive when dealing with customers that are not from Early Childhood and has made many efforts to reach out to the appropriate programs and staff members to locate resources for customers who come through the front door or call on the phone. Her calm nature and ability to work with others has helped diffuse situations in the building that could have easily escalated. She truly embodies CEO’s goal of changing lives and improving our community.”
July 2016
Penny Bashford, Program Manager, WIC Vendor Management
“Penny is a great program manager. She is constantly working rigorously around the clock to create and enhance her goals and ideas for the program. For example, she has created a WIC vendor training app which has been implemented throughout the entire state of New York. Penny’s hard work and determination was recognized when our VMA recently expanded and we’re excited to see the opportunities resulting from the new territory. Penny’s staff is extremely grateful for her commitment and enjoy working with her each and every day.”
June 2016
Kelly Berbrick, Family Advocate, Schodack FRC
“Kelly exceeds above and beyond her job duties. She sustains a positive relationship with her peers and families. She continues to exhibit professional growth weekly and provides the center with leadership.”
Ashley Fuda, HS Teacher, Schodack FRC
“Ashley goes above and beyond creating a positive climate in her classroom. She is nurturing to each individual child in her classroom and builds positive relationships between them.”
Jessica Marsch, Teacher Assistant, Schodack FRC
“Jess has demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the year. She has gone above and beyond to sustain a positive climate in her classroom and has been flexible in her role to accommodate to each individual child’s needs.”
Elsie Ray, HS Teacher Assistant, Lansingburgh FRC
“Elsie has gone above and beyond for the program by filling in for class 7 during a period of staffing transition. She willingly took over the responsibilities of lead teacher and served as a mentor for the new teacher assistant. Elsie served as the consistent staff member to ensure that the classroom operated successfully!”
Jocelyn Ryan, Center Manager, Hoosick Falls FRC
“Jocelyn demonstrates a true passion for our children, families, and staff. She works to promote a center that is open, caring, and comfortable for staff. She is a very reflective leader that encourages herself and staff to do the best work they can.”
December 2015
Jim Thurber, Custodian, Hoosick Falls FRC
“Jim continuously goes above and beyond to ensure the ongoing upkeep, health and safety needs of the Hoosick Falls Family Resource Center are met. Jim’s pride in all the he undertakes is evident and is appreciated!”
Donna Fowler, Mental Health Manager
“Donna continuously volunteers to enhance projects with the contribution of her creative talents. Her skills are many and varied, and appreciated tremendously by her colleagues.”
Ann Sweener, Teacher, Hoosick Falls FRC
“Ann went above and beyond her role as an Early Head Start Teacher by helping out to cover the Hoosick Falls Family Resource Center while the Center Manager was in training this summer. Ann displayed the true qualities of a team player by pitching in and helping out to cover the center to ensure smooth programmatic operations.”
Elsie Ray, Teacher’s Assistant, Lansingburgh FRC
“We started the school year at Lansingburgh Family Resource Center without a UPK teacher, and as the Teacher’s Assistant in the room, Elsie stepped right up and took full ownership of the classroom. She set up the room and produced classroom rules, structure and consistency. Elsie met all required deadlines as if she were the classroom teacher. She directed the sub and fostered relationships with the parents. Elsie did an amazing job keeping the classroom running until a Teacher came in to the classroom in November.”
Karen Kable, Teacher’s Assistant, Troy FRC
“Karen goes above and beyond her job description to assist in the classroom. She is very creative and a fabulous artist. She creates birthday boards each month with a unique theme. Karen is an asset to the program and is willing to help in different classrooms as needed. She is always willing to help and loves the children.”
Ed Mainville, Facilities Technician
“Ed is an employee everyone wishes they had. He has worked his way up the ‘ladder’ by showing his determination and commitment to CEO through his work. Ed can always be counted on to go above and beyond his daily routine.”
Evelyn Diaz, Teacher’s Assistant, Lansingburgh FRC
“While Lansingburgh Family Resource Center was in the process of filling a Teacher position, Evelyn stepped up and fulfilled the Lead Teacher duties for her classroom. For the first six weeks of school, she completed all requirements of the position, including 45 day deadlines, home visits, screenings and more. I couldn’t be prouder of Evelyn for taking this on and not only meeting all requirements, but also for setting the classroom up for success for the rest of the school year.”
Leah Carroll, Development Manager
“Leah’s commitment to her work is unparalleled. Her execution of the recent Taste! fundraiser not only demonstrated her talent, but also her perseverance. She successfully raised $35,000 and entertained a group of more than 250 people. She is a CEO star!”
Kristi Miller, Grants Manager
“Kristi recently volunteered to represent CEO on a NYSCAA (New York State Community Action Association) committee to improve and formalize needs survey templates statewide. As a result of the success of the project, she has been selected to sit on a panel to education Community Action Executive Directors on the process and outcomes, and will present at the National Community Action Partnership conference in January. This is a demonstration of Kristi’s talent and success, and CEO is lucky to have her on our team.”