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Exceptional People, Making Exceptional Strides

posted on Monday, December 23, 2024

We greet the end of the year with time to take a moment in celebrating our staff and exceptional accomplishments.

Honoring our Direct Support Professionals
In September, we celebrated all 155 of our Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) during DSP Recognition Week. Twelve of these DSPs were specially honored for going above and beyond, earning a place in the Five Star Club. Here are some of their achievements:

  • Chloe for her innovation in helping individuals achieve their goals.
  • Mike for advocating to secure a safer, more suitable job for someone he supports.
  • Nulee for being a great representative of EPI at volunteer sites.
  • Stephanie for her encouragement of others to try new things.
  • Meka for her creativity in connecting those we serve with their communities.
  • Jackie for her dedication to meeting each person's goals.
  • Danielle for providing constant comfort for those she supports.
  • Kaylee for her willingness to go the extra mile - ensuring the best quality of life for everyone.
  • Rachael for her focus on building strong community relationships.
  • Chris for consistently putting the people she supports first.
  • Colin for eagerly jumping in and thriving within his new role at the Virtual Connection Center.
  • Gisela for her self-starting attitude and leadership.

Celebrating Leadership and Excellence
Join us in congratulating, Maghan Bowman, EPI's Executive Operations Director, on her election to the Board of Representatives of the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR).

  • Our employment services team also shined at the recent statewide Iowa Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) conference: 
  • Trista Higuera was nominated for the Advocacy Award for her dedication to supporting those she serves.
  • Two individuals served by EPI's employment team were nominated for Personal Achievement Awards for their incredible progress in securing and maintaining employment in the community.
  • Lindsay McDermott received the Professional Award for her tireless dedication to advancing the Employment First initiatives, to EPI, her team, and those served by EPI and throughout the Cedar Valley area.

Welcoming New Talent and Honoring Long-Standing Dedication
We’re thrilled to welcome Jennifer Quigley, our new Program Manager, who brings extensive experience in disability services. 

Recently, we also celebrated several milestone anniversaries with EPI.

Celebrating 10 years:

  • Bethany Giachino
  • Philip Gillott 
  • Esther Meuer-Valtchev
  • Rachael Tyler

Celebrating 20 years:

  • Megan Henning

Celebrating 25 years:

  • Bobbie Schmidt 

A Heartfelt Thank You
We’re consistently inspired by the dedication of our 300 staff members. If you’d like to recognize an exceptional team member or share our opportunities with someone you think would be a great fit, click here.

Thank you to each and every one of our staff members for your exceptional work.