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Inland Regional Center (IRC) is an awesome place to work! If you ask our staff, they will tell you time and time again that “the people” are what make IRC great. Our team is made up of more than 780 dedicated employees working to support people with developmental disabilities in the Inland Empire.

Each month, IRC staff nominate their outstanding colleagues in our Employee Recognition program. In this blog, we are highlighting the contributions of our April award winners, Yesenia Orozco, and Amelia Maldonado!

Above and Beyond Award Winner – Yesenia Orozco

Yesenia Orozco is an Infant Service Coordinator for the Early Start Unit. Yesenia is the first recipient of the newly renamed Above and Beyond Award (formerly Hercules Award) in recognition of her dedication and exceptional work ethic! Here is what her colleagues had to say about her. “Yesenia is a team player. She is friendly, kind, and approachable whenever she is asked to support her team members. She has a great attitude towards the many small and big questions we have. Yesenia is always willing to help, and if she does not have a response, she will search it for you to support you. She truly goes above and beyond her work duties.”

To get to know Yesenia a little better, we asked her a few questions. Here is what she told us!

What do you like most about working at IRC?

What I like most about working at IRC is the support from all my colleagues and manager, and the sense of community and family that you receive. My position as an ISC allows me to work with young children and their families at the start of their journey with early intervention; it is such an exciting and critical time.

Tell us about your position and what a typical day might be like.

A “typical” day is difficult to describe as an ISC. No matter how long you’ve been with IRC or in this role you learn something new every day and things change with workflow constantly. However, a good description might include prepping charts for scheduled visits, going into the home and meeting the parents/caregivers and the child, completing assessments with the family and child, and discussing eligibility. Sometimes we delve into some more difficult topics regarding their child’s delayed milestones and development and offer reassurance through early intervention services. Oh, and the paperwork… there is lots of it! I truly do enjoy that you never know what you are going to walk into, and every visit is different! I love the excitement that Early Start brings.

How do you think this award reflects your personality and work here at the agency?

I am grateful for the recognition. But the way I see it, I enjoy helping others and that is one of the main reasons I do this work. Whether it is helping our consumers and families, or my colleagues, it’s something that is just engrained in who I am.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family. I have a wonderful husband and an energetic two-year old who keeps me busy. I am really into crafting, so I find myself doing a lot of DIY projects during my spare time.

Tell us a fun fact about you!

I used to collect shoes. At one point had over a hundred pairs of Nikes and lots of Jordans. It was an expensive hobby!

 

Positivity Award Winner – Amelia Maldonado

Amelia Maldonado is the Community Relations Specialist for IRC, part of the Community Engagement Unit, and winner of the all-new Positivity award! She is instrumental in communicating with our clients, their families, and the community at large. In addition to keeping IRC’s social media presence fresh and accessible, she also is the main contributor to the agency’s blog, delivering informative and easy to digest content. Chances are, if you see any post, newsletter, or fun story about IRC or our awesome clients, Amelia probably had a big hand in it! Thank you for your hard work and positivity, Amelia!

We asked Amelia to tell us more about herself. Here is what she shared.

What do you like most about working at IRC? 

 The best thing about working at IRC is the genuine passion and care our staff show for our clients. We empower our clients while also working to create inclusive communities where they can thrive.

Working as IRC’s Community Relations Specialist is a blast! There are always new challenges to tackle and skills to master. That, and my department is full of talented people who make it fun to come to work!

Tell us about your position and what a typical day might be like.

My role requires me to balance a large variety of projects! I usually spend mornings working on logistical and organizational tasks. Things like social media planning, project pipelines, research, editing, and meetings. My creativity kicks-in in the afternoon, so that is when I work on things like writing copy, photo editing, and content creation! Then sometimes in the evening, I attend community outreach or legislative events, on behalf of the agency.

How do you think this award reflects your personality and work here at the agency?

Around IRC, I am probably considered a boisterous, high-octane character! I love to see others succeed so I am a bit of a cheerleader, too. And even though I have my moments of sadness or angst, I always try to bring upbeat, positive energy to work.

What do you like to do outside of work? 

Because of the stay-at-home order, I have so much bottled-up energy. So, I have been living in my roller skates outside of work! I am working on new tricks and brushing up on old skills. My skater buddies and I have been sending each other our skate videos (and wipeouts!) since we can’t be together right now.

In non-COVID times, my husband David and I spend a lot of time traveling. We also love nothing more than a long afternoon with friends on the patio of a craft brewery. I’m also a big-time Disneyland fan, spending many Fridays off, strolling the parks with my gal pals. You really learn to appreciate all those little luxuries in times like these.

Tell us a fun fact about you! 

When we first found out about the coronavirus, I started a hand-washing video series called, “20 Seconds of Broadway.” In this series, I would sing 20 seconds from famous Broadway shows while demonstrating proper handwashing.  It was super fun and I got to learn a bunch of new songs!

Congratulations Yesenia and Amelia! Thank you for helping make IRC a great place to work!