10/15/2025
(Pictured L to R: Celebrating 35 years of service are Jeff Gould of Journey Health System, Michele Nuhfer of Beacon Light Behavioral Health System & Nancy Bennett of Beacon Light Adult Residential Services.)
Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems (BLBHS), Beacon Light Adult Residential Services (BLARS), Deerfield Behavioral Health (DBH) and Journey Health System (JHS), hosted an annual employee service awards lunch on October 15. The staff members being recognized are celebrating nearly 900 years of service.
Guy Signor, JHS President & CEO welcomed the employees and thanked them for their dedication, commitment and hard work each day toward achieving the organization’s mission.
With 35 years of service, Nancy Bennett of BLARS, Clydia Minich and Michele Nuhfer of BLBHS, as well as Jeff Gould of JHS were applauded.
According to Bennett’s supervisor Lisa Nelson at BLARS, “Each and every day, Nancy shows compassion, kindness and empathy to each person she comes in contact. Co-workers of Nancy describe her as having a loving heart, sweet, very organized, enthusiastic, thoughtful, generous, kind, and very caring.”
Danielle Jasper supervisor of Minich at BLBHS stated, “Clydia has not only made a huge impact on the clients over the years but also her coworkers. We appreciate her dedication to her position.”
Jasper also supervises Nuhfer at BLBHS. She said, “Michele has adjusted to change, challenged herself professionally, and stepped out of her comfort zone over the years. She is extremely helpful and supportive of not only her co-workers but to employees in other departments in the agency.”
Gould’s supervisor Heidi Thomas, JHS CFO said, “Jeff’s ongoing dedication to this organization for thirty-five years speaks volumes about his character and his commitment to the work that we do. He’s hard-working, interested in growth and learning, and a true team player.”
The following employees that reached milestone years of service were also recognized.
Beacon Light Adult Residential Services:
• Five years- Kimberly Brubaker, Brianna Hutchings, Jonathan Jefferds, Nicole Knepp, Amanda Meacham, Dakota Menteer, Sydney Smith.
• 10 years- Morgan Dunkle, Dawn Graham, Susan Herman, Rhonda Howell, Marsha Moyer-Mitch, Amanda Moyle, Melissa Schmucker, Melissa Willhide.
• 15 years- Kevin Button, George Dempsey-Gidley, Cierra Freer, Susanne Isaman, Christina LaCroce.
• 30 years- Lisa Lattin
Beacon Light Behavioral Health System:
• Five years- Aysa Alwine, Taylor Arbuckle, Hannah Frisina, Tiffani Gibbons, Jessica Gresak, April Howard, Christopher Lawler, Shayla Lloyd, Caitlyn Lockhart, Heather Piche, Nicholas Smith, Kenneth Snell, Kelly Woodruff.
• 10 years- Lindsey Brown, Kathy Rodgers, Anthony Ross.
• 15 years- Stanley Brown, Lynette Hughes.
• 20 years- Colleen Dietrich, Jackie Reed.
• 25 years- Marty Cutlip-Pascarella, Patricia Golden, Deana Wells.
• 30 years- Shery Barker, Kelly Costello, Danielle Jasper.
Deerfield Behavioral Health:
• Five years- Sandra Brill.
• 15 years- Richard Barton.
Journey Health System:
• Five years- Gina Adams, Kelsey Padasak, Susan Sayers, Amanda Whitmore.
• 10 years- Pamela Reinhardt, Michelle Samson.
• 15 years- Laquietta Ladlee, Sarah Larson.
• 20 years- Stephanie Rice.
• 25 years- Tim Koppenhaver.
• 30 years- Brian Larson, Lonny Packard, Jennifer Wright.
In addition, the Safety Committee members were recognized.
Special presentations were made for the following annual staff awards:
• Jeremy Norman from BLARS- Recipient of the 2025 Carolyn Carl Distinguished Service Award
• Danielle Jasper from BLBHS- Recipient of the 2025 David Doloway Distinguished Service Award
• Brian Larson from JHS- Recipient of the 2025 Tom Urban Distinguished Service Award.
While Jim Wiseman, executive director of BLARS, presented the 2024 Carolyn Carl Distinguished Service Award to Jeremy Norman, he shared some comments from the award nomination, “Jeremy’s leadership is phenomenal as demonstrated during a recent emergency evacuation at our CSRU. By the time that I drive there, everything was taken care since that’s the type of excellent worker that he is.”
Danielle Jasper was nominated for The David Doloway Distinguished Service Award by his supervisor Jen Gesing, executive director of BLBHS. Gesing stated, “Danielle has been one of our truly solid, long-term leaders. She never hesitates to take on new roles to better our organization and move it forward while providing the best possible client care that she can.”
John Policastro, JHS VP of Support Services, presented the Tom Urban Distinguished Service Award to Brian Larson the VP of Corporate Strategy at JHS. He said, “Over the last year, Brian has grown the professional development program so it spreads across all of our affiliates and supports new residential services’ hires within their first 90 days. He led the employee survey process, resulting in our organization being nationally named as an “Amazing Workplace”. He developed a new training and education department for employees. Brian often comes up with innovative ideas and ways to improve the work environment.”
For more information about a career with Journey Health System or one of their six affiliates, visit www.journeyhealth.org . 🥳
