ANCOR Names 2019 Direct Support Professional of the Year

The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) announced that Antoinette Morris, direct support professional at Trinity Services in Des Plaines, Illinois, has been named the recipient of the association's 2019 Direct Support Professional of the Year award. Morris joins more than four dozen other honorees who will be recognized at a ceremony next month in Portland, Oregon.
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Awarded annually since 2007, ANCOR's Direct Support Professional of the Year awards recognize outstanding professionals who provide long-term supports and services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The awards and the accompanying presentation at ANCOR's Annual Conference, which are underwritten by Relias, were created to celebrate the important role Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) play in ensuring individuals with I/DD can be included and empowered in their communities, and to raise awareness about a direct support workforce in crisis. Nationally, turnover rates near 50 percent amount to a significant shortage of DSPs.
"ANCOR created the DSP of the Year awards precisely because the accomplishments of DSPs demand celebration," said Barbara Merrill, ANCOR's chief executive officer. "Though these awards represent only a small fraction of the praise DSPs deserve, we are thrilled to honor Antoinette Morris and dozens of other DSPs like her who really are making community inclusion possible for people of all abilities."
The 2019 Direct Support Professional of the Year awards will be presented in a ceremony in Portland, Oregon, on May 8, 2019, at ANCOR's Annual Conference, Bridges to Better Outcomes. The full list of honorees to be recognized at the ceremony is below. Members of the press interested in attending the awards presentation should contact Sean Luechtefeld, ANCOR's Director of Communications, at [email protected] or 703.535.7850, ext. 100.
 
National Direct Support Professional of the Year
Antoinette Morris, Trinity Services, Des Plaines, Ill. - Read more about Antoinette here.
 
Special Category Award Recipients

• Hayley Armold, Penn-Mar Human Services, Glen Rock, Pa. (category: Leadership)
• Jacqueline Barnes, RISE Services, Eugene, Ore. (category: NADSP Tenets)
• Thomas Carter, RHA Health Services, LLC, Augusta, Ga. (category: Relationships)
• Samantha Glover, Aspire, Inc., Aberdeen, S.D. (category: Innovation)
• Danielle Hay, BrightSpring Ontario, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. (category: International)
• Jesse Knickmeyer, St. Louis Arc, St. Charles, Mo. (category: Supporting Person-Centered Plans)
• Marquavius Moore, Sunrise Communities, Miami, Fla. (category: NADSP Tenets)
• Sue Smith, Valley Residential Services, Walla Walla, Wash. (category: Supporting Person-Centered Plans)
• Allan Thibodeau, OHI, Hermon, Maine (category: Leadership)

 
 
State Direct Support Professional of the Year Award Recipients
Alaska: Jacquelyn Evans, BrightSpring Alaska, Fairbanks
Arizona: Tommie Gross, RISE, Inc., Mesa
Arkansas: Rebecca Hansel, Bost, Inc., Fort Smith
California: Hope Gutierrez, Bayberry, Inc., Napa
Colorado: Jennifer Acree, Dungarvin, Palmer Lake
Connecticut: Debra Main, Mosaic, Cromwell
Delaware: David Oruko, Mosaic, Elkton
District of Columbia: Linda Ballard, RCM of Washington
Florida: Phillip Kibbat: BrightSpring Florida, Clearwater
Georgia: Rose Mary Bradley, Lynndale, Inc., Augusta
Idaho: Macy Henze, Consumer Direct Care Network, Meridian
Illinois: Gary Ferguson, Marcfirst, Normal
Indiana: Johneka Jewell, Dungarvin, Indianapolis
Iowa: Linda Renn, The MENTOR Network, Vinton
Kansas: JoDee Bryant, Mosaic, Pittsburg
Kentucky: John Mattingly, Tri-Generations Louisville
Louisiana: Marvette Harris, Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana, Metairie
Maine: Kim Redmun, John F. Murphy Homes, Auburn
Maryland: Marian Mulbah-Poquee, Mid-Atlantic Human Service Corporation, Bel Air
Massachusetts: Christopher Amado, Delta Projects, Dedham
Michigan: Tanya Scherer, BrightSpring Michigan, Saginaw
Minnesota: Lisa Riley, MSS, Eagan
Mississippi: Aleia Dye, The MENTOR Network, Oxford
Missouri: Mona Mergenthal, Emmaus Homes, St. Charles
Nebraska: Lisa Behrens, Mosaic, Beatrice
Nevada: Linda Brown, Dungarvin, Silver Springs
New Hampshire: Nicole Dufour, The Institute of Professional Practice, Inc., Concord
New Jersey: Dausy Wurie, Dungarvin, Somerset
New Mexico: Brenda Vasquez, ARCA, Albuquerque
New York: Marc O'Mara, Heritage Christian Services, North Tonawanda
North Carolina: Shane Whitaker, BrightSpring North Carolina, Kings Mountain
Ohio: Amber Estergall, Welcome House, Westlake
Oklahoma: Travis Dottrich, Home of Hope, Vinita
Oregon: Maria Morales, Community Support Services, Inc., Salem
Pennsylvania: Gayle Ferona, Keystone Human Services, Harrisburg
Rhode Island: Josiah Olowoporoku, Community Living of Rhode Island, Warwick
South Carolina: Crystal Campbell, Charles Lea Center, Spartanburg
South Dakota: Samantha Glover, Aspire, Inc., Aberdeen
Tennessee: Allen Selby, Core Services of Northeast Tennessee, Johnson City
Texas: Lafawndra Allen, BrightSpring Texas, Austin
Vermont: Kevin Hadsel, Families First, Wilmington
Virginia: Skyler Ross, Resources for Independence of Virginia, Fairfax
Washington: Cindy Ply, Bethesda Lutheran Communities, Renton
West Virginia: Gabriel McEskew, BrightSpring West Virginia, Buckhannon
Wisconsin: Dee Otte, BrightSpring Wisconsin, Jefferson