Friday, December 13, 2024
Abigail Rix
Senior Program Director
May Center for ABA Services and Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Program
Western Massachusetts
Abbie is being nominated for an Exceptional Service Award because of her exemplary leadership skills.
In April 2024, Abbie was asked to support, mentor, and oversee the Early Intervention (EI) Program. This was in addition to her current responsibilities of providing support to the Western Massachusetts ABA Center and the Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) program. Abbie eagerly agreed to support this additional program.
Since April 2024, she has rebuilt the EI staff, re-established the EI core team, collaborated with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to continue to expand our EI services, revised necessary standard operating procedures, and provided critical input and direction around programmatic expectations and services. Abbie has led with thoughtfulness and kindness, focusing on relationship-building to move the program towards supporting infants and toddlers and their families.
Abbie is a humble and solutions-focused leader with a passion for caregiver collaboration, mentoring and training staff, and ensuring high-quality interventions and outcomes for the children we serve. Abbie's support of May Institute extends into the community. She participates in races for fundraising, engages with local community stakeholders about our services, and builds professional connections at the state level to support our programs.
Abbie is an exceptional team member and an innovative, forward thinking leader who guides her team with humility and purpose.
Shavana Gilmer
Lead
Instructor
May Center School for Brain Injury and Neurobehavioral Disorders
Norwood, Massachusetts
As Lead Instructor at the May Center School for Brain Injury and Neurobehavioral Disorders, Shavana works with our youngest students. The kids are awesome! Full of potential, enthusiasm, smiles and really, really busy days! Shavana manages her classroom and supports her staff in a way that seems effortless (and we know "effortless" is only achieved by a lot of work).
Shavana excels in her position. She has a positive attitude, a calm strength, and is committed to student learning.
Shavana has been an exceptional employee from day one. Working in both the residences and classroom, Shavana consistently takes on new challenges and responsibilities, not for personal gain or recognition, but to ensure each student has the best school experience possible.
Shavana is brave and resilient. This fall, Shavana stepped up as a leader, guiding her classroom team through a difficult transition after a long-time teacher left. Our team recognizes the long hours she spends preparing for her students and her unwavering dedication. Shavana is a joy to work with, a pleasure to supervise, and the Norwood school is fortunate to have her!
A great advocate, a quick learner, and devoted teacher, Shavana is very deserving of an Exceptional Service Award.
Lisa Leite
Program Coordinator
May Center for Adult Services
Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts
Lisa joined May Institute in 2009 as an employee at the Raynham Day Hab. In 2016, she transitioned to residential supports. She has been overseeing a group home in Bridgewater, Mass., for these past eight years, and she continually finds new and creative ways to improve the lives of the five men who live there.
Lisa engages them in big ways—annual camping trips, Special Olympics, horseback riding and equine care, and live sports events. They take individual and group vacations to areas of interest, including Cape Cod, New Hampshire, Florida, Connecticut, and New York. She helps one individual visit his family members who live in other states, coordinating flights and airport drop-offs and pick-ups, or sometimes driving long distances to meet a family member halfway.
Lisa also engages with the men in smaller ways—picking out their favorite trip photos to place in the frames hanging in the living room, making lunch, regular exercise, voting, planning meals, getting the mail, and frequent trips to their preferred convenience store. Lisa helps them stay informed by discussing current events and encouraging them to keep up on the news. She also sets up game nights, movie marathons, and art projects.
In addition, Lisa coordinates holiday gatherings with the families, themed birthday parties, and helps the men in the home understand that they have a voice and can advocate for themselves. Lisa helps the men see themselves as whole people who make unique contributions to the world.
Michael Carlos
Facilities Manager
May Centers for Adult Services and May Center School for Autism and Developmental
Disabilities
Randolph, Massachusetts
Mike is an invaluable member of the maintenance facility team. He is prompt in addressing service requests, often taking care of a concern the same day. Mike will work with us to brainstorm creative solutions when challenges arise, identifying appropriate products, and even constructing custom pieces when needed.
He is flexible, and gives alternatives when things don’t go as planned. He is reliable, and always responsive to urgent needs and emergencies, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions.
Mike completes his work with excellence, and we appreciate his attention to detail with all jobs. He gives the final stamp of approval and does not consider a job complete until it’s done well. This encourages others to maintain his high standards of work, and generally helps make things run smoothly and look nice. It’s great to know we can count on Mike to make things right.
Mike communicates well and is always pleasant. He brings laughter and a healthy sense of humor to the job, which contributes to an atmosphere of joviality. It is easy to build a relationship with him, and Mike takes time to build rapport with staff and residents alike.
Mike’s expertise and commitment to maintaining safe and fully functional homes have directly contributed to the quality of life for the individuals we support. When a resident shows interest or wants to help with a project or repair, he finds ways for them to get involved safely, teaching them along the way. His ability to troubleshoot complex issues and implement effective solutions underscores his outstanding contributions to the services we provide at May.
Morgan Downey
Teacher
May Center School for Autism and Developmental Disabilities
West Springfield, Massachusetts
Morgan is a standout Special Education Teacher and a proven leader across the school. She demonstrates professionalism in all her interactions. She has a calm, supportive, and kind demeanor and treats the students with respect and dignity.
Morgan joined the West Springfield School team as an Instructor in 2021. She was soon promoted to Instructor 2, taking on additional classroom responsibilities. She then became a substitute teacher during which time she submitted exceptional MCAS-Alt portfolios. From this experience, she decided to enroll in a Teacher program and was promoted to Special Education Teacher. In this role, Morgan has implemented group Smartboard lessons and organizational systems within the classroom to keep the schedule running smoothly throughout the day.
Her leadership and professionalism were very much in evidence when she supported a difficult student admission last year. The clinical leadership team for the organization provided additional support to this classroom, and while the timeframe was very challenging for the classroom due to the student's intensive needs, Morgan remained composed and supported the student, family, and classroom staff.
An all-around team player, she is proficient in Safety Care and is often a first responder when others need help. She consistently shows up to support the students and coworkers with impeccable attendance.
Morgan has a natural knack for modification and monitoring of skills that makes her a true special educator. She brings a keen sense of her student's strengths to every interaction. Her ability to effectively collaborate with parents, the Allied Health team, BCBAs, and classroom staff is evident in her students’ success. Morgan is quick to identify problems with student learning and just as quick to present potential solutions. We are so lucky to have her on our team!
Margarette Morency
Direct Support Professional
May Center for Adult Services
Eastern Massachusetts
Margarette is a direct support professional who has been with May for 10 years. She is someone who consistently goes above and beyond for our individuals and does so in such a caring way. It is no surprise that she is adored by many of them, as well as by staff and parents.
Margarette is a joy to work with and makes the lives of the individuals we serve better. She prioritizes their health and care when working with them at the residences and at the day program. She is a leader and mentor in both settings. Many staff appreciate Margarette’s passion and follow her steps. This fosters a positive environment for the individuals we serve.
Margarette has a big heart and is compassionate towards everyone she meets. She is beyond thoughtful to the needs of the individuals and will prioritize each individual’s needs. Whether it’s making sure they have nicelooking clothing or freshly prepared meals, Margarette will go out of her way for each person in her care.
Margarette is a team player and loves to encourage others to start a special project or team challenge. She is always willing to help others and will do it with a smile on her face. She is a very active person and makes it her mission to get the individuals walking and moving throughout the day. Over the years, Margarette has organized walking challenges, events, and various cultural activities for the individuals and staff. She is always thinking about the next event to ensure the individuals live meaningful lives.
Margarette is truly inspiring and such a wonderful person to have on our team. We are so appreciative of Margarette's hard work and dedication. We look forward to her continued success!
Rachel Vieu
Sr. Human Resources Business Partner
May Center Schools for Autism and Developmental Disabilities
Chicopee and West Springfield, Massachusetts
I am pleased to nominate Rachel Vieu for an Exceptional Service Award this year, recognizing her outstanding performance as our Senior Human Resource (HR) Business Partner. With approximately 14 years of dedicated service to May Institute, Rachel has consistently demonstrated qualities that not only elevate her role but also significantly contribute to the success of our organization.
Rachel is a reliable and dependable team member whose positive attitude and efficiency are evident in everything she does. She has played a pivotal role in hiring countless employees over the years, ensuring that we have the talent necessary to operate effectively. Her ability to support two schools while maintaining a sense of poise and grace—even in the face of challenges—is truly commendable.
Her insightful approach and balanced personality allow her to adapt to various situations with ease. Whether providing encouragement or exercising firmness when necessary, Rachel's demeanor fosters an environment of respect and collaboration. Her professionalism and expertise have made her a respected leader in the HR field, and her contributions extend beyond her job responsibilities to enhance our overall operations.
Rachel is not only deserving of this recognition, but is also highly respected by her colleagues at all levels. Her dedication, adaptability, and commitment to excellence make her an invaluable asset to May Institute.
Rachel’s contributions will continue to make a lasting impact on our organization for years to come.
Pamela Yung
Service Manager
Adult Day Habilitation Program
Revere, Massachusetts
Pam started working at May Institute 17 years ago as a Direct Support Professional for the Adult Day Habilitation Program in Revere. Today, she is the Service Manager for the program.
She is best known as the one person at the Day Hab to be the first person to help an individual no matter the need, behavior, or issue. Any classroom that asks for help can always count on Pam to be the first one to respond. When someone is at the door of the Day Hab and needs assistance, Pam is the first one who greets them with a smile each and every time.
Pam is a wonderful communicator with the Direct Support Professionals, ensuring they are on time for their shifts and on task with paperwork as well as other assignments.
Pam is amazing at being on top of and organizing the interdisciplinary team that includes a speech-language pathologist, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, and a nurse, in addition to clinicians.
Her easy-going personality is an asset when it comes to motivating others. She effectively supports the various team members, so they are able to effectively complete all parts of their required paperwork. Overall, Pam is a tremendous team member who can always be counted on to provide support to the variety of people she works with. The Revere Day Hab Program is lucky to have someone like Pam on the team.
Andre McPherson
Program Coordinator
May Center for Adult Services
Western Massachusetts
Andre is a Program Coordinator in a Spanish-speaking home that supports four men. In addition, he oversees one individual who lives independently in his own apartment. Andre is easily able to adapt to the varying needs of all the individuals he supports.
In the 24-hour residence that Andre manages, he has great relationships with each individual as well as the staff. The biggest focus for all is having fun and enjoying life. Of course, Andre maintains thorough paperwork and ensures compliance with medications, medical appointments, and finances, but he goes beyond that to ensure each individual enjoys their life and has fun.
Andre met with his team and came up with a plan to take each individual on a vacation that matched their interests and comfort level. Andre’s staff paired up to plan vacations for each individual including dates, attractions, cost, etc. Andre reviewed the plans to ensure staff coverage to support each man. Some of the trips they took included Lake George, Niagara Falls, Six Flags in New Jersey, the White Mountains in New Hampshire, and Sesame Place. Andre even worked with other programs to include other individuals who would enjoy visiting these locations.
Andre also planned a vacation with the individual he supports who lives independently. Andre met with him and discussed what he wanted to do for his vacation and planned it from there, once again including a compatible individual from another program to maximize the fun for all.
Andre spends the time getting to know each individual and what they want out of life, and then works with his team to achieve this. In my years as a supervisor, I've not seen anyone with the energy, drive, and commitment that Andre shows to his job.
Nicole Barlow
Assistant
Executive Director
May Center School for Autism and Developmental Disabilities
Randolph, Massachusetts
Nicole has dedicated 14 years of exemplary service to May Institute in several different capacities. Our program continues to benefit from her extensive educational background and the invaluable, hands-on experience she has gained through the various roles she has held during her time with us. Through the years, Nicole has led by example and excelled in every role she has held.
A member of the first Teacher Certificate Cohort at Bridgewater State University, Nicole began her career at the May Center School in Randolph as a Teaching Assistant prior to becoming a Teacher. From there, she became Educational Administrator, then Director of Education. In 2020, she was named Assistant Executive Director.
Nicole faces the most complex and challenging problems with a positive attitude and a focus on solutions. When she was promoted to Director of Education during the pandemic, her leadership was critical to designing online learning and facilitating the return to on-campus instruction.
As Assistant Executive Director, she has led the program through several significant changes in structure and composition. Her supervisors and colleagues count on Nicole to help solve large and complex problems and rely on her to provide candid feedback and recommendations for creative and practical solutions.
She truly represents the mission and values of May Institute through her commitment to compassionate, evidence-based practices. Nicole is a fantastic asset to May Institute and is very deserving of this award.
In December of 1993, the May Institute Board of Directors created the Exceptional Service Award to recognize employees from across the organization who exemplify May Institute’s ideals of service and professionalism. The members of the Board established a fund for the purpose of recognizing the outstanding performance of a dedicated group of individuals each year.
This year, we received many nominations which were submitted by senior staff members from every program. Ten individuals were selected for this very special recognition.
May Institute’s Board of Directors honors the recipients of the Exceptional Service Award for 2024.
Congratulations to each of you!