Each year, Inspire recognizes our Employee of the Year. The employee is selected based upon their exemplary performance and outstanding work ethic. This year, Inspire of Central Florida recognizes Operation G.R.O.W. Coordinator Nashalie Soto as our Employee of the Year. Nashalie and her team of Employment Coaches transformed the G.R.O.W. program in a short period of time. Under Nashalie’s leadership, Operation G.R.O.W. has grown from a concept to a fully realized and very successful supported employment program. Nashalie and the coaches helped several specialists to secure jobs in a competitive employment environment. Since March, Nashalie has been creating and providing remote learning classes via ZOOM to participating specialists during our closure due to COVID-19. The daily lessons proved to be a lifeline to the specialists and their families during these unprecedented times. These daily life lessons have continued to be provided each weekday, both in-person at the ADT and during the daily ZOOM classes for those who are unable or who chose not to attend the ADT at this time. Nashalie has successfully earned community employment, with an emphasis on customized employment, certificates through the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE), facilitated by Nancy Brooks-Lane, MS, LMFT, LPC, Senior Associate with Griffin-Hammis Associates. Additionally, the employment team is participating in a Discovery Practicum, working with job seekers under the tutelage of Ms. Brooks-Lane. More recently, Nashalie has also been awarded a scholarship through Spelling to Communicate, to be certified as a practitioner as a Communication Partner to assist non-speaking or unreliable speakers through letterboards. Nashalie has taken on these additional responsibilities while managing to balance her other duties as well, a tremendous accomplishment by any standard. Please join us in congratulating Nashalie Soto as the Inspire of Central Florida Employee of the Year 2020!