Excellence in the Field of Aging Awards

The North Carolina Association on Aging announced the winners of the 2009 Excellence in the Field of Aging Awards on April 29, 2010 during the Excellence in Aging Awards Luncheon at the NCAOA Annual Training Conference at the Downtown Marriott in Greensboro.  Congratulations to Kelly Hooker, Mary Brymer, Cynthia Davis, and NC Senator Katie Dorsett seen below accepting their awards from Award Committee Chair Stacie Shatzer.

Employee of the Year—Service Excellence Award: This award honors an Employee for the quality of direct service they provide to older adults in their community.  Kelly Hooker  In 2005 Kelly sought assistance at Pamlico County Senior Services as a family caregiver and became involved as a SHIIP volunteer.  Shortly after she was hired to work temporarily with the Medicare Part D Prescription Program.  In 2007 Kelly was hired full time as an Office Assistant IV to provide assistance to the Community Alternatives Program for Disabled Adults, CAP/DA, unit.  She performs clerical duties, does the billing-data entry for case management, verifies units of service and data entry for supplies for the CAP/DA program.  Additionally, Kelly performs pre-screenings for the Home Improvement program and the Family Caregiver Support Program.  She is a certified instructor for the Powerful Tools for Caregivers program, provides Information and Referral and is a trained SHIIP counselor.  Kelly served 522 Medicare beneficiaries in Pamlico County during the past year.  She participated at 19 SHIIP outreach events reaching 6,076 persons in her county.  Kelly is described as going above and beyond to research assistance for the people she serves.  Her co-workers say she is always willing to help other staff and the general public that comes into the senior center.

Supervisor of the Year—Management Excellence Award: This award honors a Supervisor for quality supervisory skills in the management of programs and staff that provide benefits to older adults.  Mary Brymer  is currently the Supervisor of Senior Programs with the Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Department.  She was instrumental in the consolidation of the City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County Parks and Recreation Departments in 2005.  Since then she oversees all of the senior programs in Cumberland County.  Under Mary’s supervision there has been a 30% increase in Club membership and a 20% increase in center participation.  Mary has led her center to become certified as a Center of Excellence by the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services and recently achieved National Accreditation.  In October 2009, The Fayetteville Senior Center was Nationally Accredited by the National Institute of Senior Centers.  This achievement has only been made by one other center in the state of North Carolina.  Mary is described as having a drive that spills over into the department.  She exhibits a high level of motivation, compassion, respect and intelligence .  She believes “Supervisors should not be stars, rather make stars.”

Executive of the Year—Leadership Excellence Award: This award honors a Chief Executive/Administrative Officer for the quality of leadership and organizational management they provide to their organization and to the aging network.  Cynthia Davis is the Aging Program Director of the Mid-East Commission Area Agency on Aging, Region Q.  In 2005 Cynthia became the director and has been with the agency for close to 25 years.  This year she led her region to be the recipient of the Project Care expansion grant and was awarded a Linkage Grant to assist primary care physicians to identify community resources for early stage or younger onset Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.  Cynthia has supported senior centers in becoming Centers of Excellence. She developed a comprehensive and coordinated system of service delivery within her region.  She has been instrumental in bringing awareness to the public and providers about the use of Medicare Advantage Plans in her region.  Cynthia is a strong leader promoting professional development for service providers, resolving grievances in nursing homes and adult care homes, advocating for residents of long term care facilities, and providing training, planning, assessments and technical assistance to communities.

Elected Official of the Year—Service Excellence Award: This award honors an elected official who has made significant contributions that address and elevate issues important to the field of aging.  The elected official has championed senior causes through advocacy, legislation, appropriations, or other methods that make a positive impact on public policy.  Senator Katie Dorsett is a member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's twenty-eighth Senate district since 2003.  She earned her doctorate degree in 1975 from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.  A retired educator, Dr. Dorsett taught business at NC A&T State University for 32 years.  Following her retirement she became the first African-American female elected to the Greensboro City Council, serving two terms there before becoming a Guilford County Commissioner in 1990.  In 1992 she was appointed Secretary of the Department of Administration by Governor Jim Hunt making her the first African American woman to hold a North Carolina Cabinet post. She was elected to the state Senate in 2002 where she presently serves as the Democratic Majority Whip. Senator Dorsett is a member of the Pensions & Retirement & Aging Committee and sits on the Governor’s Study Commission on Aging. She has long been a champion of and dedicated advocate for services for seniors in our state.

Excellence in the Field of Aging Awards are granted annually by the NC Association on Aging to deserving nominees 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.