What first brought you to UCP? Were you in Human Services prior to UCP?

I joined UCP in 2019 as a per diem position to see what it was all about. I had no experience in Human Services. Most of my work career involved working in retail starting at age 16. By the time I left retail, I worked my way up to assistant manager. After that, I was a Certified Nursing Assistant for 9 years.

You’ve grown from an Advocate into a Mentor—what has that journey meant to you?

Going from an Advocate to a Mentor has been huge for me. I feel that I have a lot of supervisory experience. A lot of our staff trust me and know that they can come to me with anything. I am proud of our team and the work they do.

What do you enjoy most about mentoring and supporting other staff?

What I enjoy most about mentoring and supporting other staff is helping them understand the job and their roles and responsibilities. I feel empowered to make decisions. It also forces me to step out of my comfort zone sometimes and I like to think that makes us all feel successful.

You play a major role in planning CAMP UCP—why are these camps so important to you and to the families we serve?

CAMP!!!! This is one of the best parts of my job and something I love to do. We have successfully run 3 sessions for the past few years. There is a lot of planning of activities, food and fun. It is important to me because I love the look on our members’ faces when they get to experience something new. The look when a butterfly lands on them for the first time in their lives, their view of a step-by-step painting that we worked on together through their eyes and the smiles of when they catch their first fish or take their first kayak ride. Without us, some of our members would never get to experience these things. It gives them a sense of pride and happiness.

Is there a moment at UCP that stands out as especially meaningful or memorable?

Honestly, it was this past summer during August camp. A group of us went down to the lake and we took out kayaks. There was an individual who had never been in one. He was in a 2-person kayak with a staff member. The smile on his face as he navigated the kayak was priceless. I have never seen this individual smile like that or look more confident.

What are you most proud of from your time at UCP so far?

There are many things that I am proud of. But the most important thing is going home at the end of the day knowing that I have made a difference in someone’s life. It doesn’t even have to be a big moment, just the little things that may have made someone’s day better.