Residential Coordinators

Jan 21, 2016

January 20, 2016

Dear Valentina Brice, Danyelle Jackson, and Antoinette Buchanan,

This time last year, we had the following vision for Residential Services: The administrative burden that had created a stranglehold on the Residential Management team would be released; systems would be in place to efficiently and reliably assure full compliance with all regulations and SPIN procedures; the Assisting Directors would be free to spend more time being fully present in their homes to support their staff in the People First work of supporting people to achieve and enjoy a life of possibilities. In other words, we needed a miracle!

The Residential team knew the vision would take hiring new talent. We already had the right person at SPIN West. Valentina had already created systems and was managing a big part of the administrative work there. In addition to creating a new position profile for a Residential Coordinator, we now would need two more employees with a skill set based on excellent organizational skills, a professional people first approach, customer service expertise and attention to detail to match what we had in Valentina.  Then on May 4, 2015, in through the SPIN doors came Danyelle and Antoinette. The question loomed on everyone’s mind, “Could this new team of three help us fulfill our vision?”

Valentina, Danyelle and Antoinette, when you stepped into this new and uncertain role, you took charge with a can do attitude that immediately began to impress! After just a few weeks, together you identified areas of needed change and proceeded to develop systems and tracking mechanisms that would provide for better record keeping and time line recording. You also ensured that communication between Assisting Directors and other support departments improved so that timelines were met and jobs got to done. Everyone began to take notice!

Frank Margerum and Michelle Blackson wrote in their nominating letter, “It is sometimes said ‘If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself’.  We would like to permanently rewrite this motto to now read; ‘If you want something done right, ask the SPIN Residential Coordinators’.

Ladies, your supervisors and other colleagues throughout SPIN are singing your praises. You have developed excellent relationships with all operations departments; HR and finance in particular. The outcome to everything you do is more efficient, streamlined and timely workflow, improved trust and better compliance outcomes. But creating efficient systems and being impeccably organized isn’t all the three of you are known for. Smiling faces, a “whatever it takes” approach and great relationships with everyone including the people we support also make you so very valued throughout SPIN.

Often times, when you are excellent at what you do and everyone knows it, the demand for you to do more can become overwhelming. When this happens, I am told that the three of you never have a no answer, but rather a, “Can we talk to make it all work?” response. This is true, professional customer service.

You are also known for some unique and special qualities. A visit to the Vernon Road office would never be complete without first stopping at Valentina’s desk for a warm hello for the people who live in the homes at SPIN West! For the Drummond Road Residential team, don’t try to sneak a birthday past Antoinette and Danyelle! A full out celebration is going to happen with both of you around! The three of you bring your sparkling personalities with you to work each day making everyone around you feel just a bit better about facing their own workloads.

So we now know the answer to the question we first asked. Yes, this team is helping us fulfill our vision! Yes, this team is advancing SPIN’s mission! Yes, the Residential Coordinators are our own little miracle workers!

Today, the entire SPIN team, me included, acknowledges, thanks and praises the three of you, our most deserving Residential Coordinator team, for all of your incredible team work, collaboration and accomplishments. On behalf of SPIN’s Corporate Board, the management team and all of the people you support, congratulations to Valentina, Danyelle and Antoinette for being SPIN’s Team of the Quarter for the fall of 2015! We admire and deeply appreciate you and all that you do!

Warmest Regards,

Kathleen Brown McHale
President & CEO