Employee of the Year!

Sounds kind of weird but I won this award, Employee of te Year from Jewish Vocational Service. There were 1200 people from the business community at a luncheon held at the Jukebox Marriot in San Francisco. Here is my acceptance speech.

When I tell people I work at CW Forensics, they usually think I'm like one of those detectives on CSI, examining dead bodies. Then I tell them the kind of living people I actually work with, and their eyes grow even wider.

You might think that working where I do would be difficult and draining, but the truth is, I love it. Previously I have worked in financial services, investing money for people. Before that I worked in jury trial consulting, helping lawyers in high risk litigation. Never have I had a job that was as satisfying as the one I have now. I feel privileged to work with people who have gone through so much, and are working so hard to improve their lives. Their striving is an inspiration for me. It is gratifying to know that the work I do makes a difference in my clients lives. Because of my work, fewer people are wasting away in jails, prisons, and mental hospitals or panhandling on the streets of San Francisco. I feel honored for my small part of their success.


There are so many people that helped me along the way. I want to thank a few of them today especially my supervisor, Greg, who has given me guidance and the freedom to create my own job. My colleagues in the Supported Employment program; Naomi, Caroline, Autry and Khary. All of you are a dream team! I also want to thank all the Case Managers at CW Forensics for their huge commitment to our clients and our program director, Kathleen, whose tireless efforts keep the lights on. Finally, thank you to Wells Fargo for sponsoring this award and to JVS for supporting me in my job search. I will always be grateful.