Staff Spotlight: Rosaria experiences Riverside's values first-hand.

Here at Riverside, we talk a lot about culture and values. It is something we focused intently on during our most recent full staff training day known as Teams Day. During this year’s Teams Day, members of our staff participated in discussion groups organized around various strategic initiatives. Each discussion group was guided by a member of the Directors Team and discussions were prompted by a series of questions.  

One group was tasked with defining Riverside’s organizational values (Respect, Advocacy, Community, Compassion, Inclusivity). They were also asked to envision what it would look like for staff members to live out those values in their work. We have come to realize the very best way to express our organizational culture and values is probably through the members of our team who embody it. So, what better way to do that than through a Staff Spotlight? Over time, we will interview members of Riverside’s staff, spotlight their work, and how they experience Riverside’s culture and values each day.  

Recently, Holly Klin (Executive Assistant and Development Associate) sat down with Rosaria Wilson, a member of the Community Based Day Services Program (CBDS) Direct Support staff, to chat about her own experiences as an employee at Riverside. Their conversation wasn’t explicitly about Riverside’s values, but Rosaria certainly touched on them with her comments. She has been a Riverside employee for only one year. In fact, November 5th is the anniversary of her employment! As we reflect on Rosaria’s first year of service at Riverside, here’s what she had to say in response to a Riverside Staff Spotlight interview.

What is your first memory as an employee at Riverside? What is your favorite memory?

“My first memory here is of the staff and my coworkers. On my very first day, I was amazed at how welcoming, caring, and genuinely kind everyone was. Everyone was so nice to me. Now that I have been here for a little while, I understand that is just how it is. Riverside has such a friendly and helpful community.”

“My favorite memory is a bit more personal, and it involves the individual participants I work with. I took some PTO a while back and was away from work for a short time. When I returned to work all the program participants were so happy to see me. I was so shocked and so happy they even noticed I was gone! They gave me hugs and told me how much they missed me. In that moment, I felt so needed, respected, and special. It is such a wonderful memory for me.”

If you could change anything about Riverside, what would it be?

“Literally, nothing. I know that sounds cliché, but I am serious. I think Riverside is a wonderful place to work just as it is and I wouldn’t change anything.”

What is one thing you have learned about yourself while working at Riverside?

“I have learned a lot about myself over the past year. For one, I learned that I really enjoy the feeling I get from helping other people. It is so empowering to know that I can make a difference in someone’s life. I am so lucky to have a job where I have that opportunity. I get to experience that feeling every single day!”