Meet Alana! Alana is part of our Adult Day Services team and serves as the Intake and Staffing Coordinator, she has been with Goodwill Columbus for 24 years!
Alana came to Goodwill during a transitional period in her life where she felt ready to take on a new chapter. “ A few years after graduating from college, I was ready for a change and was considering either returning to school or pursuing a new career opportunity,“ said Alana. “When I saw a Case Manager opening at Sage Crosswoods, I decided to apply. The position aligned well with a beloved volunteer experience at Ohio University through ATCO, an organization that supports adults with developmental disabilities and partnered with my service fraternity on social activities.”
Alana spent 22 years serving as a Services Coordinator and Program Manager at Sage Crosswoods, Edgehill, and ADS Gahanna when she found herself ready for a new challenge and fresh opportunities. This led her to apply for and accept the Intake and Staffing Coordinator position she currently holds.
“In the intake portion of my role, I conduct tours, help teams begin the intake process by gathering required materials, attend transition and resource fairs, collaborate with local school transition coordinators to support students moving into adult day programming, and work with marketing to raise awareness of Adult Day Services. On the staffing side, I partner with Human Resources throughout the recruiting, hiring, and onboarding process,” explained Alana.
“This position allows me to continue working with the individuals and team at ADS while expanding my skills. Throughout my career, I found it important to communicate my professional goals with my supervisor, which helped open doors to new challenges and learning opportunities that prepared me for advancement. Throughout my time at Goodwill, I’ve been fortunate to learn from many exceptional teachers and mentors.”
It’s these special relationships between individuals throughout Goodwill and the families we serve that Alana’s see as one of her favorite parts of her role in ADS. “My background in Service Coordination gives me a good understanding of the developmental disabilities system, allowing me to help families navigate transition planning and access services for their loved ones. Many families are unsure where to begin, and it is rewarding to help them understand the process and find the support they need.”
Looking forward, Alana is excited to see greater self-advocacy and expanded opportunities for the individuals we support. “It’s an honor to contribute in any way to those efforts.”
Well done, Alana!!
