Honoring our Outstanding Team Members

Each year, Rise honors outstanding team members with our two employee awards: Champion of the Mission and Excellence in Leadership. The 2024 Award Winners were presented at our second annual Employee Recognition Party, which was held at the Mermaid Event Center in Mounds View on September 26th.

2024 Champions of the Mission

Every month, Rise collects nominations and selects several Champions of the Month. It is from this group of outstanding employees that a committee chose the following three award recipients. Without further ado, we are pleased to introduce our 2024 Champions of the Mission:

Tim Fahey

Tim is a lead DSP in Crystal. He has supported people with disabilities his entire career, which has now spanned more than 40 years. Tim came to Rise about seven years ago and immediately became an essential part of our team.  He has taken on many extra tasks due to staffing shortages this past year, including filling in to cover for a vacant LPN position, which was a HUGE help to the Crystal team. We are all so grateful for his knowledge and willingness to take on multiple roles with ease. 

Tim is valued by the people he supports and our team. He is helpful and respectful, and we are so happy to recognize him as a Champion of the Mission!

Lori Stellick-Wagner

Lori joined our team about four years ago. With a background in childcare and teaching, she brings equal parts of compassion and experience to her role as a CBTE Case Manager. Lori has a contagious enthusiasm for her work. She says it is because our teams make great things happen! Lori worked hard over the past year as we transitioned to MyEvolv and has done a phenomenal job of building her entire caseload into the system. 

She is quick to support others, and you’ll often find her working alongside DSPs and checking in with people she supports. Lori is collaborative and kind, a true champion of our Rise Mission.

Ron Woolcott

Ron has been with Rise for more than 22 years. As a driver, Ron ensures that everyone we support can get where they need to be each day. Ron has been a bus driver, delivery person and also worked in retail, but he just loves driving throughout our community. He also excels at overcoming the daily challenges our transportation teams face. Ron is an excellent trainer, and you’ll also find him helping plan transportation routes. He has such an eye for safety that if you’re ever on a ride-along with Ron, you’ll notice even the stuffed animals are buckled in! 

Ron is friendly, caring and fun. We are so grateful he is such a longstanding member of our team!

2024 Excellence in Leadership Award Winners

The Rise Excellence in Leadership Award recognizes three outstanding managers and leaders who positively contribute to Rise each year. We’re pleased to announce our 2024 Excellence in Leadership Awardees:

Bryant Corrigan

Bryant cares about the customer experience. As a program manager in Oakdale, this past year he has placed emphasis on the “why” of work. Talking with DSPs about why they do their jobs, why they matter, and how they affect people at Oakdale. 

It all started when Bryant noticed a detachment between DSPs and people they supported. He was concerned that it contributed to negative experiences for people we serve. So, Bryant worked with his manager to develop approaches to give feedback and drive purpose throughout the team. He now regularly includes conversations about purpose and vision during meetings with DSPs, case managers and supervisors. They talk about positive first impressions, program strengths, and consistency in following up with prospects. 

Bryant has also brought new ideas and a strong vision during Oakdale’s life enrichment transition. He’s tackled new challenges with intelligence and intensity. Through it all, Bryant has been professional and clear with his expectations. He isn’t afraid to “shake things up,” and his ideas make Oakdale a better place to work. 

Amanda Dircks

Amanda is always on the go through her role as a CBTE program supervisor where she supports SET sites at several longstanding business partners including Ruan, Medline, and Federal Premium Ammunition. Federal has had several changes and challenges this past year, and Amanda has been a staunch advocate for our teams throughout the process. She meets consistently with Federal to ensure our teams are included and supported. 

One of Amanda’s greats gifts is her unique ability to “see people.” She is known as someone who brings an encouraging, but firm personality to her professional relationships. Anyone who has worked with Amanda will tell you that they always know where they stand with her. 

Not everyone succeeds on their first try. Amanda knows that, and approaches each visit with patience and compassion, working with people to determine what’s holding them back while brainstorming new ideas to overcome obstacles and find success. She provides transportation, picks up the phone to offer encouragement, and is quick to lift others up. She doesn’t just visit with you; she makes time for you. Simply put, she brings out the best in people.

Katie McNamara

Katie is New Richmond’s cheerleader. She leads with a steady hand, creating an environment of support and trust among teammates and people we serve.  

She works hard to provide opportunities that allow people to succeed. And she encourages people we support to advocate for themselves at home, in their communities and at work. New Richmond’s Life Enrichment programs have also flourished under her leadership. 

Katie is also connected to the New Richmond community, where she regularly attends local chamber meetings, and creates relationships that lead to new and exciting community-based activities for the people we serve. She is patient, optimistic, fair, and loyal—all attributes of a great leader who motivates people to bring their best selves to work each day. With a personality that immediately puts you at ease, it’s never difficult to feel valued when Katie is near.