[NFBWATlk] Fwd: Welcome new hire OTC Program Manager Deja Powell

Wed Sep 4 02:44:00 UTC 2019

That is so exciting.  I love Deja!
Jennifer

On Tue, Sep 3, 2019 at 5:59 PM Marci Carpenter via NFBWATlk <
nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> We are thrilled to welcome Deja Powell as the new director of the OTC! For
> those who don’t know her Deja is a blind woman who has been living in Utah
> and running youth programs there. She had training at the Louisiana Center
> for the blind and Louisiana Tech University.  She will be a great addition
> to the DSB staff. She and her husband Lucas will be a great addition to our
> affiliate.
>
> Marci
>
> Sent from Marci's iPhone
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> > From: "MacKillop, Michael (DSB)" <michael.mackillop at dsb.wa.gov>
> > Date: September 3, 2019 at 4:46:18 PM PDT
> > To: DSB DL All DSB <DSB at DSB.WA.GOV>
> > Subject: Welcome new hire OTC Program Manager Deja Powell
> >
> > Hi all:
> > I wanted to introduce you to DSB's newest hire for the Orientation and
> Training Program Manager position, Deja Powell. I have included the
> recommendation letter for hire below which details a bit of the experience
> and qualities both the community and in-house interview panels reported to
> have observed during Deja's interview process.
> >
> > As you'll see below, Deja's start date is September 23rd, which will
> give time for knowledge transfer from Julie Brannon before Julie's
> retirement date end of October.
> >
> > I bcc'd the community members who were part of the interview process
> (thank you Marci, Denise, Nathan, Sheri and Dorene!), and also bcc'd Deja's
> personal email here. Please welcome Deja when she arrives here at DSB later
> this month!
> >
> > Cheers all, I am excited for having Deja in the role to continue Julie's
> great success in guiding the OTC!
> > Michael
> >
> > Michael MacKillop, Deputy Director
> > Department of Services for the Blind
> > 3411 South Alaska Street
> > Seattle, WA 98118
> > 206-906-5520
> > Michael.mackillop at dsb.wa.gov<mailto:Michael.mackillop at dsb.wa.gov>
> > www.dsb.wa.gov<http://www.dsb.wa.gov>
> >
> >
> > From: MacKillop, Michael (DSB)
> > Sent: Tuesday, September 3, 2019 11:00 AM
> > To: Durand, LouOma (DSB) <louoma.durand at dsb.wa.gov>
> > Cc: Itou, Arlene (DSB) <arlene.itou at dsb.wa.gov>
> > Subject: recommendation for hire - OTC PM
> >
> > Hello Lou Oma:
> > I would like to put forward Deja Powell as a recommendation for hire in
> the OTC Program manager role.
> >
> > A community panel and a more formal interview panel met with the
> candidates, and both groups were aligned in their feedback that Deja Powell
> represented as the best fit for the agency and the OTC program.
> >
> > The interview panel had identified some values through which they would
> be considering candidates. They sought a candidate who would:
> >
> > *        Maintain and add to the strengths of the OTC
> >
> > *        Address the needs of the changing OTC world - in particular,
> support staff in individualized/creative work with students with multiple
> disabilities and/or intensive needs
> >
> > *        Be a good communicator and listener
> >
> > *        Demonstrate patience, flexibility,  and be a visionary
> >
> > *        Continue OTC work to integrate and not silo from other parts of
> the agency
> >
> > *        Emphasize vocational aspects of learning, and support
> internships
> >
> > *        Be able to work well in developing and motivating staff, and
> >
> > *        Align with agency philosophy and culture
> >
> > The panel felt Deja best exemplified those values. They appreciated her
> apparent deep student-focus, and felt her energy, creativity, problem
> solving, openness and emphasis on collaboration would represent the OTC
> well among a wide range of stakeholders. She stated that she wanted to
> guide the OTC to be a place people would want to come to and learn at. She
> demonstrated examples that showed her experience and facility with adapting
> training to fit individualized needs. She displayed a management style of
> collaborating to set goals, actively following up on progress, and
> readjusting as needed. She stated she had built her own set of curriculum
> and measures for her training.
> >
> > Her references confirmed many of the strong skill sets the panels
> observed. Her current supervisor noted that Deja is an "ideas" person, and
> also does the work to see those ideas put into implementation through her
> follow up, goal setting and collaboration skills. Her references also
> reported that Deja doesn't shy from the necessary and challenging
> conversations she will face in the role, but confronts issues directly and
> immediately. Deja is reported to understand and observe the appropriate
> professional boundaries that are especially necessary in a residential
> training center environment.
> >
> > Deja believes strongly in the importance of consumer groups as an avenue
> for peer mentorship; she stated in a follow up discussion with me that she
> understands that the agency is strongly supported by both consumer groups,
> and that the agency strongly supports both consumer groups equally.
> >
> > Deja gives a start date of September 23rd.
> >
> > Please let me know if you have any questions or need any further
> information on this recommendation.
> > Thank you!
> > Michael
> >
> >
> > Michael MacKillop, Deputy Director
> > Department of Services for the Blind
> > 3411 South Alaska Street
> > Seattle, WA 98118
> > 206-906-5520
> > Michael.mackillop at dsb.wa.gov<mailto:Michael.mackillop at dsb.wa.gov>
> > www.dsb.wa.gov<http://www.dsb.wa.gov>
> >
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