We are thrilled to salute our 2023 Staff Award Winners! As you read the bios of each of the individuals below, you will see why each of them is so deserving of being honored. We are grateful for their dedication to WJCS, its mission, and our clients. It was thrilling to celebrate them at our 80th Anniversary Staff Celebration on June 6th!
Batkin Award
Rodney Campbell
Residence Manager, Maple House
Rodney Campbell has been working at WJCS since April 2000, first as Assistant Residence Manager and then as Residence Manager for the Cannon Residence. In 2008, he transferred over to manage our new Maple Residence and worked closely with the Residence Manager of Harrison House in helping to transition three individuals from Maple Residence. With Rodney’s cool demeanor, these men adjusted well and are enjoying their lives at Maple House. Rodney kept the residence running smoothly during the challenging days of the pandemic, making sure individuals were vaccinated and the residence was kept clean. He went above and beyond when his Assistant Residence Manager needed to assist with another group home that had no managerial staff. Left with limited staffing, Rodney took on extra tasks in order to keep the home, individuals, and staff in the routine to which they were accustomed. Rodney’s dedication over the past 22 years has been exemplary. We are proud to recognize his achievements and contributions.
Clinician of the Year Award
Rhonda Donat, LCSW
Clinician, Trager Lemp Center: Treating Trauma & Promoting Resilience
Supervisor, Juvenile Sexual Offender Program
Rhonda Donat is a highly skilled clinician trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Cognitive Processing Therapy, in addition to leading the Juvenile Starting Over (JSO) Program practically singlehandedly. Rhonda always comes from a place of YES. She is a true team player who offers assistance in any way, shape, or form, and always with a smile and a never-ending positive attitude. Her knowledge is staggering and her work ethic is something we all strive for. She is an amazing person through and through. She has exhibited tireless compassion and dedication to providing excellent treatment at the Trager Lemp Center and to her JSO clients. Rhonda has worked for years with parents and their children, helping them to understand and make sense of sexually reactive behaviors, while providing evidence-based treatments to reduce these behaviors. There are not many clinicians who are able to work with this population, however, Rhonda has been a quiet leader in this specialized field. There are special people who are loud and we can’t help but notice them. And then there are people, like Rhonda, who do amazing work quietly behind the scenes. We are thrilled to honor Rhonda’s exceptional work.
Leonard Rohmer Award
Liane Nelson, Ph.D.
Chief Psychologist & Director, Trager Lemp Center: Treating Trauma & Promoting Resilience
Liane Nelson epitomizes professional accomplishment, innovation, creativity. and expertise. She has a calm demeanor, emotional and academic intelligence, and compassion. Liane has shaped the professional lives of many interns and fellows at the Trager Lemp Center. She has earned the respect of those who work with her at WJCS as well as in interdisciplinary professional forums throughout Westchester County and New York State. Liane speaks and teaches passionately, training individuals and organizations about trauma and trauma informed care nationwide. Liane is a champion for racial diversity, equity, and inclusion and makes space for those whose voices have traditionally been silenced. She is visionary and develops ideas, like Trauma Informed Supervision, that bring lasting change. During the pandemic, Liane launched an initiative in Westchester to bring together facilitators and the workforce in non-hierarchal trauma informed cohorts to expand the conversations to include COVID trauma and racism. This initiative has continued to grow. It is currently in its fifth cycle, and WJCS is sought after by other counties to provide training on this model. Liane continually raises the bar, ensuring that WJCS clients receive state-of-the-art treatment and staff receive the highest quality work experience in their professional journey. We feel so fortunate to have Liane as part of our WJCS team and are thrilled to salute her contributions.
Reggi Mensch Spirit Award
Valerie Rosen, LCSW
Director of Integrative Services, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
POINT Consultant
Valerie Rosen is a creative, kind, generous, open-minded, and caring professional who has had a positive impact on countless lives. Valerie has successfully implemented and now supervises our CCBHC services, which include care management, connection to education, employment resources and peer support, in three of our clinics. Previously, Valerie launched the WJCS OnTrackNY program which provides services to individuals who have experienced a first episode of psychosis. She was also involved in developing our Mobile Crisis and Response Team. Valerie cares deeply about individuals with physical, emotional, and cognitive disabilities. She has devoted many hours of her own time to ensure that members of POINT perform in wonderful Theatre for Action Productions. Valerie, as a motivating exercise enthusiast, runs a weekly Achilles Walking Running Club for people with disabilities at the Kensico Dam from mid-May to mid-October. She also leads the monthly POINT/Shelanu Shabbat services, a well-attended activity that parents enjoy as well. Valerie is a rock star to our clients, their families, and to all of us who are fortunate to work alongside of her at WJCS!
Bernie Kimberg Employee of the Year Award
Zoila De La Rosa
Residence Manager, Gramatan House
Zoila De La Rosa, known as Zoe, has worked for WJCS Community Programs for over 11 years and is a wonderful Residence Manager of Gramatan House. She handles every challenge, including significant illnesses and severe behavioral issues, calmly and effectively. She ensures that residents are happy, well cared for, get to all medical appointments, and go on community outings. She works well with families, keeping them up to date on what is happening with their loved ones and managing all aspects of staffing. Zoe is a team player and is always willing to help others. When another residence manager was out on maternity leave, Zoe didn’t hesitate to offer her assistance. She split her time between the two houses—one in Yonkers and one in Mount Vernon. It was incredible how she managed to run both houses and not have anything fall between the cracks. Zoe’s hard work and dedication keeps our agency #WJCSstrong.
You make us #WJCSProud!
