employee of the month

Congratulations to Tanisha Wade, our Employee of the Month for June!

by Eddy Luce | Jun 24, 2025 | News and Information

Tanisha Wade has worked within our Head Start program for almost three years, and she is currently a Health Advocate for our Merrick classroom site and for our collaboration with the Salvation Army Cab Horse Commons Child Care Center. Her notable recent achievements include helping to introduce the Chompers Dental Program this year to Cab Horse staff and families, and preemptively getting medical attention for a student upon spotting the early signs of an allergic reaction. Tanisha has been a particularly strong advocate for children in our program with food allergies and has helped staff understand infection control procedures. She is also known for supporting classroom coverage whenever needed, and for being very diligent and thorough about following proper procedures and always consulting with her site’s nurse.

Congratulations to and thanks to Tanisha Wade, our Employee of the Month for June!

Photo: Employee of the Month Tanisha Wade (seated) with (L to R) HS/EHS Health Coordinator Tammi Hatch, RN Christina Lear, Merrick Site Supervisor Lynette Durkin, and Executive Director Carolyn Brown.

Congratulations to Lori Rolince, our Employee of the Month for May!

by Eddy Luce | May 29, 2025 | News and Information

Lori Rolince began working in our Head Start program in 2021 as the front desk Administrative Assistant at our Liverpool site. One year later she became a Family Worker, and currently serves families of preschoolers enrolled at our Sumner site.

Lori was nominated for this award not only for her excellent work performance and positive attitude in the face of an often overwhelming workload, but in particular for the training and assistance that she also takes the time to provide to newer Family Workers. In the words of a co-worker who nominated Lori: “Her commitment to excellence and reliability in her day-to-day responsibilities has not gone unnoticed. Beyond that, her willingness to guide and support new team members reflects both her leadership and her genuine investment in the success of our team.”

Congratulations and thanks to Lori Rolince, our Employee of the Month for May!

Photo: Employee of the Month Lori Rolince (center) with (L to R) Head Start Director Becky Heberle, Partnerships Coordinator Kim Senke, Family Worker Jazmine Holloman, Site Supervisor Kelly Jensen, Family & Community Services Manager Kate Tohafjian, and Family Worker Bobbi Jo Tousley.

Congratulations to Eddy Luce, our Employee of the Month for April!

by Eddy Luce | Apr 30, 2025 | News and Information

Eddy Luce was hired in 2021 to work 10 hours per week as a Graphic Designer in our Community Engagement Department. Since then, she has led the agency’s media efforts, and her creativity, consistency, and commitment to improving our community earned her a full-time position, and more recently a promotion to the position of Community Engagement Manager.

Eddy’s work on our website has made it easier for employees and clients alike to learn more about PEACE, Inc. and its services. Her flyers, banners and other creations are often praised for their clarity and attractiveness. You can also see her regularly attend community and agency events, where Eddy is always eager to take a good photo or learn more about our local resources.

As her supervisor shared, “Eddy is the ultimate team player: She is humble about her many talents and selfless with her time. She is an empathetic listener whose positivity can be infectious. Maybe most importantly, she works hard to improve the lives of others, and takes great pride in the work that we pursue at the agency. She lives our mission.”

Congratulations and thanks to Eddy Luce, our Employee of the Month for April!

Photo: Employee of the Month Eddy Luce (center) with (L to R) VP of Operations and Strategy Todd Goehle, Executive Director Carolyn Brown, Director of Grants and Planning Maribel Arce, and Executive Assistant Connie Magunga.

Congratulations to Angie Taylor, our Employee of the Month for March!

by Eddy Luce | Mar 24, 2025 | News and Information

Angelia Taylor began working in our Head Start program in 2015, following two very active years as a Head Start volunteer. Over the past 10 years she served as a Nutrition Aide, Teacher Aide, and Teacher Assistant at the old Jordan and Baldwinville classroom sites. Last month, shortly after those sites were combined at our new location in Baldwinsville, she became the front desk Administrative Assistant at our Merrick site.

Angie’s years of knowledge and experience, as well as her ability and motivation to learn new things, have helped her excel in all of her various Head Start roles, and they have benefited the many people she has built relationships with along the way, by filling in wherever needed or providing technical assistance or just listening and offering some very appreciated advice. As one of her supervisors commented: “She sets her goals high and is someone staff looks up to for help and guidance.”

Congratulations and thanks to Angelia Taylor, our Employee of the Month for March!

Photo: Employee of the Month Angelia Taylor (center) with Merrick site supervisor Lynette Durkin and Executive Director Carolyn Brown.

Employee of the Month for January is Kelly Glasser

by Eddy Luce | Jan 31, 2025 | News and Information

Kelly Glasser has been a lead teacher in our Head Start program since 2008, first at the Merrick site and currently at the Genesee site, she previously received the Employee of the Month award in September 2016. Her supervisor described her impact on the many students she has taught as follows:

The care and love she shows for each one of her students is over the top, and gives each one of them the safe, secure learning environment that they need to be successful at school. She goes above and beyond to interact and form a special bond with each of her students and their families. This is apparent by the stream of returning students that have to stop by her room for a quick hug and a check-in as they head down the hall to their current classrooms.

Kelly has also made a lasting influence on her program by using her expertise from many years of Head Start experience to train newer colleagues.

Congratulations to Kelly Glasser for being honored again as Employee of the Month, and as our first for 2025!

Photo: Employee of the Month Kelly Glasser with (clockwise) students Arraiya and Dream, Teacher Aides Nor’Rianna Days and Laura Petitto, Site Supervisor Tricia Daley, Executive Director Carolyn Brown, Teacher Kelly Fletcher, and Nurse Karen Morano.

Employee of the Month for December is Becky Gellert

by Eddy Luce | Dec 19, 2024 | News and Information

Becky Gellert has been a Health Advocate in our Head Start program since September of last year, having served our Liverpool and Genesee classroom sites as well as some of our collaboration organizations. Her co-workers throughout these locations agree that the qualities that help her excel in this role include her work ethic, and the knowledge and expertise that she brings from her previous extensive daycare experience, and the many little things she does to lift people’s spirits.

Thank you, Becky, and congratulations for being named our Employee of the Month for December!

Photo: Employee of the Month Becky Gellert, with (L to R) Executive Director Carolyn Brown, HS/EHS Health Coordinator Tammi Hatch, and HS/EHS Assistant Health Coordinator Toni Parkhurst.

Employee of the Month for November is Brittany Young

by Eddy Luce | Nov 26, 2024 | News and Information

Brittany Young has been a Family Worker at our Merrick Head Start / Early Head Start site for three years as of this month. She was nominated for this award for all of the ways she consistently brings positive enthusiasm to not only her case management duties, but also when assisting her co-workers in many ways such as covering classroom breaks, filling in as a school bus monitor, and in particular helping with technology issues — while also managing an additional caseload due to our current shortage of Family Workers.

Thank you, Brittany, and congratulations for being named our Employee of the Month for November!

Photo: Employee of the Month Brittany Young, with (L to R) HS/EHS Family & Community Services Manager Kate Tohafjian, Merrick Site Supervisor Lynette Durkin, and Executive Director Carolyn Brown.

Employee of the Month for October is Stephanie Misner

by Eddy Luce | Oct 30, 2024 | News and Information

Stephanie Misner is having a very eventful week: she is celebrating her 10th anniversary as a lead teacher at our Liverpool Head Start site, she just returned from the Elevate Conscious Discipline conference in Las Vegas, and today we are honoring her as our newest Employee of the Month! Stephanie was nominated for this award because even among our highly effective educators she stands out for all of the ways she engages and shows appreciation for her co-workers, her students, and their parents.

Congratulations to Stephanie Misner, our Employee of the Month for October 2024!

Photo: Employee of the Month Stephanie Misner (center), with three of her students and Liverpool HS Site Supervisor Sharon Bean and Executive Director Carolyn Brown.

Employee of the Month for September is Travonda Baker

by Eddy Luce | Sep 27, 2024 | News and Information

Travonda Baker joined our Head Start program in April of 2023 as a Health Advocate at the Sumner site. Since then, she has consistently performed her duties very efficiently, and has shown a willingness to ask how she can be more effective. Travonda has also put in a great deal of additional effort in recent months while there has been a nurse vacancy in her building.

If you see Travonda today at Sumner, or tomorrow at our Staff Day event, be sure to congratulate our Employee of the Month for September 2024!

Photo: Employee of the Month Travonda Baker (center),with (L to R) Assistant Health Coordinator Toni Parkhurst, Health Coordinator Tammi Hatch, Classroom Specialist Tammy Bean, Site Supervisor Kelly Jensen, VP of Operations & Strategy Todd Goehle, and Executive Director Carolyn Brown.

Employee of the Month for June is Shirley Dawson

by Eddy Luce | Jul 8, 2024 | News and Information

Shirley Dawson was hired as our main office front desk Administrative Assistant in May 2005 after serving as a volunteer for many months at our Eastside Family Resource Center, for a total of 20 years of service to the agency! She was honored as Employee of the Month on her second anniversary as a PEACE employee, and has consistently shown the same high level of professionalism and dedication in that role ever since.

We are pleased to honor Shirley Dawson once again, as our Employee of the Month for June 2024!

Photo: Executive Director Carolyn Brown with Employee of the Month Shirley Dawson.