Manager of Housing Development

How has your career grown since you started?

I began at Oaklawn as a peer support professional working with individuals experiencing homelessness at a low-barrier shelter. My passion for working with our unhoused population grew, and so did my role. Leadership at Oaklawn believed in me from the first day I stepped through Oaklawn’s doors and continued to carve a path for me to my current role in management. I am not an anomaly, as I see it over and over again within other departments. Beginning at orientation, Oaklawn provides multiple paths to leadership positions and works hard to ensure every employee has opportunities to be in the role that complements their strengths.

What do you look forward to each day at work?

Working with an entire organization of people who are focused on trauma-informed client care, leading with compassion and understanding that everyone’s journeys are unique.

What’s a memorable or rewarding experience you’ve had on the job?

My most rewarding experience is every single time a person who has been chronically unhoused signs a lease. To come to this point with someone who has been unhoused, multiple Oaklawn employees, community organizations and state and federal partnerships had to collaborate. I am grateful to be a part of an organization that leads the way with our intentional development of community partnerships focused on housing. Oaklawn truly cares about the whole person.

What makes Oaklawn unique compared to other workplaces?

This organization is in a constant state of development and change. This matters because we never do things because “that’s how we’ve always done it.” We strive to discover and implement new processes to improve client care. There has never once been a doubt in my mind that clients are the bedrock of all processes at Oaklawn. In the past several years, Oaklawn has lifted up the value of lived experience. We currently employ well over 40 peer support professionals who work in conjunction with our clinical teams. Again, this is because we understand that the combination of clinical and non-clinical staff provide clients with the best care possible.

What are some ways you feel supported at Oaklawn?

Executive leadership at Oaklawn is approachable and available. There are continuous opportunities for trainings so that employees are provided the education to do the work. If a tough situation arises, there are multiple types of support to assist employees in navigating through. Oaklawn genuinely cares about its employees and that is clear from every level of leadership.