Excellence in the Field of Aging Awards

The North Carolina Association on Aging is delighted to announce the winners of the 2007 Excellence in the Field of Aging Awards.  The awards were presented on April 17, 2008 during the Excellence in Aging Awards Luncheon at the NCAOA Annual Training Conference at the Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center in Atlantic Beach, NC.  Congratulations to Joann Windley, Stacie Nelson, State Senator Vernon Malone, and the NC Division of Aging & Adult Serivces.

     Joann Windley                                      Stacie Nelson                    State Senator Vernon Malone       Dennis Streets with

                                                                                                                                                     NCAOA President Rick Eldridge

Supervisor of the Year - Management Excellence Award: JoAnn Windley has been the Aging Services Supervisor with the Beaufort County Department of Social Services for 8 years. In this capacity, she supervises 36 employees. JoAnn is a trained presenter of the Alzheimer’s “Accepting the Challenge” program, and she is a co-facilitator of a monthly “Caregiver Support Group”. She currently chairs the county’s “Elderfair” which serves 300 + seniors in education and resource awareness. JoAnn has chaired “Township Meetings” throughout the county to gain input from seniors on needs and services in the county, and she was also enthusiastically involved in the “Not 2 Hot 2 Trot 5K Road Race” to raise money for wellness activities for seniors in her region. In addition, JoAnn oversees Home & Community Care Block Grant services provided through her department and facilitates her agency’s role as the Lead Agency for aging services in her county. She provides leadership and represents her department in the community on the Regional Aging Advisory Committee, county interagency council, special planning initiatives, and partnerships with East Carolina University internships. Staff describe JoAnn as “fair and impartial” and state that “she does a fantastic job”.

Executive of the Year - Leadership Excellence Award: Stacie Nelson is the Aging Services Director for Nash County.  The Nash County Senior Center was established is 2001 as the first Senior Center under her leadership. In 2004, the Senior Center was certified as a “Center of Excellence”, the youngest center to achieve this distinction. Stacie was in the first graduating class of the Ann Johnston Institute for Senior Center Management in 2004, and was elected as the charter President for the N.C. Senior Center Alliance in 2006. Since 2003, under her direction, the Home & Community Care Block Grant budget has grown 58%. In addition, the Nash County “Home Delivered Meals” program has grown from 34 clients to 178 clients and from 2 routes to 11 routes in the past 5 years.  Also, Caregiver Respite services were added in 2006. Stacie also began the “Med-Link Prescription Assistance Program” and was involved in the start-up of a non-profit “Med-Link Volunteer Center”. During the past two years, Stacie has been very instrumental in developing the “Senior Friendly Business Certification Program” model, using Nash County as a trial program She has lead numerous workshops at state conferences and meetings showcasing this effort, and has recently put together the total package for replication throughout the state. She can and does choose to be involved with numerous endeavors in the aging field – locally, regionally and statewide.

Elected Official of the Year -  State Senator Vernon Malone has a long history of public service. In his past and present, senior issues have always been important to Senator Malone. He has served in the N.C. Senate for three terms, on the Wake County Board of Commissioners for 19 years, and also on the Wake County Board of Education. He has held the prestigious position as the Co-chair of the N.C. Study Commission on Aging, and has served on the N.C. Senate “Standing Committee for Appropriations”. Senator Malone advocated for, and won, increased funding for Senior Center Operations and for the Home & Community Care Block Grant. He was also successful in winning funding for a pilot program in Adult Protective Services. Very generous in his giving, he has also provided his time, expertise, and public support to garner support for funding in Wake, Durham, Johnston and Nash counties to expand the Wake County “Meals-on-Wheels” program as well as “Food Runners Collaborative”.

A Special Service Award presented at the Conference this year recognized the NC Division of Aging & Adult Services for their exemplary service to the aging network and the NC Association of Aging.  In presenting the award, Board President Rick Eldridge noted that the employees of the Division are "great people" who work with staff in the field across the state to bring about the best possible results.  He indicated that we are indeed fortunate to have the support and assistance of the Division and its resources, and noted the great cooperative relationships that it fosters.  Division Director Dennis Streets accepted the award on behalf of the employees of the agency.  He was accompanied to the Awards Luncheon by HHS Department Assistant Secretary Jackie Sheppard.

Excellence in the Field of Aging Awards are granted annually by the NC Association on Aging to an Employee of the Year, Supervisor of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Elected Official of the Year with constituency to the Association. Nominations are sought in the first quarter of the calendar year for the previous year, and awarded at the Annual Conference held in April.