New VPAS Staff Join Highland and Bath Counties

New VPAS Staff Join Highland and Bath Counties

In July of this year Bath Highland Regional Director and Case Manager Kathryn Coit assumed a new position of Outreach Specialist in the Staunton, Augusta, Waynesboro and Harrisonburg, Rockingham Regions. Kathryn continued to serve as the Case Manager in Bath and Highland until a new Bath Case Manager and a new Highland Case Manager was hired. Recruitment efforts to hire two Case Managers resulted in no interested applicants who applied. A month after Kathryn moved into her new position, Bath Highland Senior Transportation Coordinator Dorothy Stephenson announced her resignation, leaving her position on September 6. Shortly after Dorothy’s resignation, Bath Community Senior Center (BCSC) Director Joyce Ryder announced her resignation, leaving her position on September 4.

These changes created two unique opportunities in Bath and Highland Counties:

• The Highland Case Manager and Highland Senior Transportation Coordinator positions were combined into a new position called “Highland Service Coordinator.”
• The BCSC Director, Bath Case Manager, and Bath Senior Transportation Coordinator positions were combined into the existing BCSC Director position.

By combing these positions, both the Highland Service Coordinator and the BCSC will become the trusted source and focal point for service delivery for older adults and their caregivers.

Recruitment for these positions began late August.

In Highland County, Highland Senior Services Local Council Chairwoman Sharon Hevener and VPAS Chief Administrative Officer Jenn Chestnut selected candidate Harmony Leonard for an interview on September 5. Sharon and Jenn were very impressed with Harmony’s prior work experience and her tremendous passion and commitment for living and working in Highland County; they knew she was the perfect individual for the position after the interview concluded.

On September 10, Harmony was welcomed to VPAS as the new Highland Service Coordinator. She will start her new position on September 17 working with Waynesboro Case Manager Effie Ward and training with Jenn in Monterey the following week. Harmony’s enthusiasm for her new position is contagious.

In Bath County, BCSC Local Council Chairwoman Mary Susan Blankenship, Local Council member PY Henry, Local Council and BCSC member Pat Davenport, BCSC Director Joyce Ryder, and Jenn Chestnut interviewed three candidates on September 3. The interview panel was very impressed with the candidates who interviewed for the position, but one candidate stood out from the rest.

On September 11, Laurie Altieri was welcomed to VPAS as the new BCSC Director. She will start her new position on September 12 working with BCSC Substitute Director Nancy Johnson, working with Staunton Case Manager David Taylor and Staunton Senior Center Director Lynn Harris the following week, and training with Jenn at BCSC the week of September 23. Laurie is very excited to start her new position and hit the ground running.

Jenn, Highland Senior Services Local Council, BCSC Local Council members, and VPAS CEO Paul Lavigne could not be more thrilled to welcome both Harmony and Laurie to Highland and Bath Counties.

Individuals interested in learning about services available to them in Highland and Bath County should call Harmony at 540-468-2178 and Laurie at 540-839-5604, respectively.