(Pictured left to right: Kerr CEO Allison Stark with David Lake, Past Kerr Governing Board Chair, and Paul Litwinczuk, Kerr Governing Board Chair)
Dear Friends of Albertina Kerr,
Graduation season is here, and we are incredibly proud to celebrate several of our teen residents graduating from area high schools!
June is also Pride Month, a time for LGBTQ+ youth and adults to celebrate. At Kerr, our teams help LGBTQ+ individuals in our care feel affirmed, safe, and supported to lead self-determined lives.
We are thrilled to welcome Cari Bacon Flick as our new Chief Human Resources Officer. Cari brings extensive experience in HR leadership and team building, and we’re excited for her to enhance our employee experiences. Learn more about Cari here. (Photo center right)
Dr. Naomi Fishman, Medical Director of our Crisis Psychiatric Care for Youth, was selected as the Oregon Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist of the Year by the Oregon Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists (OCCAP). She received this prestigious award at the annual OCCAP Children’s Mental Health Conference, where she served as an expert on a panel discussing the challenges and successes of implementing components of positive psychiatry in various treatment settings. Congratulations, Dr. Fishman. We are so proud of you! (Photo top left and right)
Our team recently attended the 2024 Self-Advocacy Convention of Oregon, hosted by The Arc Oregon and Disability Rights Oregon. The event offered valuable skills and knowledge to enhance self-advocacy for people with disabilities, covering everything from how to work better with providers to legislative advocacy. Kerr’s Self Advocate Coordinator, Artemus Towers, and Best Practices Manager, Eli Toombs, presented on the work happening at Kerr to increase self-determination. (Photo bottom left: L to R Artemus Towers and Eli Toombs)
I was honored to be invited by Senator Gelser-Blouin, Chair of the Senate Committee on Human Services, to share my insights with the Oregon Senate Interim Committee on Human Services. I spoke about the qualities and attributes needed for the next Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS). You can listen to my testimony here at 1:04:02.
Thank you to the fantastic volunteer group from Deloitte who painted one of our residential homes. Your hard work and generosity have made a tremendous difference! (Photo bottom right)
Summer is here and the perfect time for an outdoor adventure with Kerr Bikes! With bikes for all abilities, it’s a fantastic way to enjoy the sunshine with your colleagues and family. Plus, every ride supports Kerr’s vital services!
As we wrap up the final month of our fiscal year, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our outgoing Governing Board members: David Lake, past chair, Mary Lago, and David Wilson. Their invaluable contributions and dedication have significantly advanced Kerr’s mission, and we are deeply grateful for their service and positive impact. In particular, David Lake helped orient and support me with his sage counsel as I transitioned into leading this amazing organization. (Photo middle left: L to R, David Lake, David Wilson, and Mary Lago)
I also want to thank all our supporters for making this an incredible year. Your involvement is essential to our success and significantly impacts the lives of the people we serve.
Sincerely,
Allison Stark
CEO, Albertina Kerr