Dear Friend of Kerr,
As 2026 approaches, I want to pause and reflect on what makes Albertina Kerr special: the connection, belonging, and opportunities that emerge when people are empowered to live the life they choose. Your support makes this possible!
The holidays at Kerr are special. With festive meals, decorated homes, and seasonal outings. A recent story that was shared with me captures the spirit well. Over Thanksgiving, a youth in one of our group homes was the only person in their home for the weekend while everyone else visited family. A Kerr staff member stepped in to make the holiday special. What could have been a lonely holiday turned into an evening out at The Nutcracker!
In addition, thanks to our community, every youth and adult supported by Kerr receives a holiday gift through Grant-A-Wish. For some, this will be the only gift they receive this year. We are so grateful for our generous partners.
This year, we completed our FY23–25 Strategic Plan and reached several milestones:
• Achieved 37% growth in the number of people supported! This was primarily driven through serving more youth in our Crisis Psychiatric Care (Subacute), expanding supports in Supported Employment, and expansion from our merger with Exceed Enterprises
• The Dual Diagnosis Pilot Program expanded support for youth with I/DD and mental health needs in our youth group homes, establishing a new way to serve complex youth
• Earned a three-year Quality Assurance Accreditation from the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL), providing external validation of the quality of our services
• Invested $680,000 across 24 capital projects, including improvements to Kerr’s Crisis Psychiatric Care for Youth facility and group homes, with partial support from the Clark Foundation
• Launched the Therap electronic record system to streamline documentation in our I/DD programs
I am very proud of everyone at Kerr who makes our work possible. This year, several people were recognized for their leadership and dedication:
• Kristine Curtice, Direct Support Professional (DSP), received the 2025 Oregon Resource Association (ORA) Works of Heart Award
• DSPs Topher Britten, Echo Barnard, Victoria Carter, and Eric Clark received ORA honorable mentions
• Shiloh Almaguer, DSP, was selected for the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) DSP Ambassador Program
• Dr. Naomi Fishman, Medical Director of Kerr’s Subacute program, was invited to serve as a mentor through the prestigious Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation Medical Student Fellowship Program in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at OHSU
• Kevin McAdams, Chief Financial Officer, was named a 2026 Portland Business Journal Executive of the Year
I was also honored to be named a 2025 Portland Business Journal Executive of the Year and to be elected to the ANCOR Board of Directors—giving Kerr a voice in national conversations about disability services.
Throughout the year, we came together in meaningful ways, from the graduation of seven Project SEARCH participants at Nike World Headquarters to community conversations during Mental Health Awareness Month and our fall signature event, Together for Albertina Kerr. I hope you will join us again when Together for Albertina Kerr returns on September 25, 2026.
Kerr is proud to be part of Willamette Week’s Give!Guide. Thanks to the generosity of First Tech Federal Credit Union and so many supporters, we met our $5,000 match and are working toward our $25,000 goal. Gifts made through Give!Guide go directly to Kerr programs.
Thank you for being part of the Kerr community. Your support makes moments of joy, opportunity, and connection possible all year. I’m grateful for what we’ve achieved together and look forward to what’s ahead in 2026. I wish you a safe, restful, and happy New Year.
Warmly,
Allison Stark
Chief Executive Officer
Albertina Kerr
**PHOTOS:** Cover photo: Kerr’s Senior Leadership Team (Owen Gibson, CQAO, Kevin McAdams, CFO, Cari Bacon Flick, CHRO, Cindy Stockton, CPO, and Allison Stark, CEO)
**Collage:** First row (left to right): Kerr’s Inclusive Day Services (Powell location) enjoying Hopscotch Portland; Holiday festival fun Second row (left to right): Kerr’s Inclusive Day Services (Powell location) enjoying Hopscotch Portland; Meeting the Grinch; Holiday feasts at Kerr’s Inclusive Day Services (Oatfield and Beaverton locations)