Residential Services Supervisor @ Horizons (Chisholm, MN)
Employed with NHS Northstar: 14.9 years
Christine was nominated by Carla Schwartz and Anna Ruper, who shared the following:
Christine is always willing to jump in and help out at any program. She puts the clients’ needs above all else and makes sure that the teams she works with feel supported. Even when times are tough, Christine comes through with a positive attitude and never complains. She works well under pressure and is able to come up with creative solutions to make the important things happen for the individuals we serve.
An example was shared when Christine was with a client at an appointment. The client needed new glasses but could not see the frames they were trying on. The client was looking very close in the mirror and asking others for their opinions, but they could not decide. This was challenging for that individual and they were getting frustrated. Christine suggested that she take a picture of the client in the different frames so they could pick out their favorite while using their old prescription lenses. With this quick idea, Christine was able to deescalate the situation and allowed the client to still make their own decision, happily. This was just one of many examples where Christine’s demeanor and client centered approach stands out.
We are proud to have Christine here at NHS Northstar!
Congratulations, Christine!
Take-Five
We ask each of our Shining Star winners to complete a quick, “Take-Five” questionnaire so we can get to know them a little more and hopefully inspire others to shine! Christine shared the following:
What motivates you to do your best work every day?
My daughter is what drives me to do my best every day. She is my hero in many ways.
What do you love most about working with the individuals you support?
It is an honor to be a part of someone’s life and help them reach their goals.
What is one skill or quality you have developed in your role that you are most proud of?
Teamwork. Working with different personalities is both challenging and rewarding. I love recognizing skills in myself and each person that I work with. I work with some amazing teams that push me to do better and learn more.
What is something you do outside of work that you are passionate about?
My daughter and I are PADI certified scuba divers. Scuba diving with her is 100% my happy place.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to grow in their role or career at NHS Northstar?
Be patient, don’t be hard on yourself. Things are not always going to work out perfect, but how you handle yourself and resolve an issues will stand out more than a mistake that was made.
We can only award one Shining Star of the Month at a time, but would like to recognize others that have been nominated. These staff and their nominations will stay in the running for future award opportunities:
Pauline Peterson, RSS II @ Grandview – nominated by Denice Cumber
Candace Williams, DSP II Orion – nominated by Carla Schwartz
Tarsia Mattila, DSP Evans – nominated by Joan Niskanen
Amanda Miller, DSP Orion – nominated by Stephanie Lee