Operational Excellence is definitely the phrase that exemplifies the winner of the GEO Reentry Services Leadership Award. Danielle Gehrung, Program Manager of the Shasta County Day Reporting Center (DRC) is the recipient of this prestigious honor.
Since the day Danielle began, she has carried a professional standard with her team, participants and the customer; and is often asked to speak at County events, including presenting on evidence-based practices (EBP) to Shasta County Probation. She was also voted in as a member of the Shasta County Community Corrections Partnership (CCP), and sits as an active member representing a community provider that works with the criminal justice population. She not only looks for ways to invest in her customer and be a supportive presence to them, but she also looks for ways to invest in herself. Out of many candidates, she was chosen to be a student in Leadership Redding, a group that affords students the opportunity to develop as a community leader.
Danielle received an award for Innovation and Creativity in finding diverse ways to grow the skills of her team to solidify fidelity of services and develop subject matter experts (SMEs). Some of her innovations that benefit GEO as a whole include the “My Why” initiative as well as the use of a QR code for the quarterly participant surveys. More recently, we have all benefited from her creativity through her contribution to several of the primary elements that now make up the Youth Individual Success Plan (ISP). Danielle never stops thinking outside of the box to explore ways to be more efficient, enhance systems and processes, and highlight, in unique ways, the wonderful work that is being done by GEO.
A comment often heard about Daneille is “that she is such a great communicator.” She is able to step into any situation and communicate with clarity and purpose, which, in turn, aids in the development of strong relationships with others. In addition, her active listening skills are one of the foundational reasons why her relationship with the customer has grown and become so strong. She listens to their needs and is able to read between the lines. She has also established relationships with multiple community providers, some of which were not in support of the program, until they attended the outstanding events that Danielle hosts. By connecting with them and showing interest in who they are and what’s important to them they are now some of the biggest voices of support for the Shasta DRC.
Another one of the many outstanding qualities and abilities that Danielle possesses is her eye for outcomes. She is able to look at a project and put it into a framework for development that not only helps keep her own team on track, but also aids the Northern California Non-Residential team. She assists with developing new ideas and brings them to the Area’s Key Performance Indicator (KPI) calls. She has trained her peers on excel basics to enhance their skills and understanding, and is always ready to help with deep data dives to aid her peers in developing action items for their programs. The customer also benefits from Danielle’s data-driven mind, due to the fact that, she listens to their feedback when presenting her annual data, and accommodates what they would like to see in the next report. She is trusted by the customer to develop the extensive, annual program report, and through collaboration, ensures the layout and design is exactly what the customer would like to see.
Danielle can also be counted on for her follow up and attention to detail. Because of this, she has been able to remain exceptionally organized, while she juggles multiple projects. One of the largest projects she has been foundationally involved in is the set up and implementation of Medi-Cal at the Shasta DRC. Danielle has been the backbone of the development of this element, and bringing the DRC to a “Medi-Cal Certified” status. This was a huge undertaking, and without her investing in this heavy lift, this certification would not have been achieved. In addition, while she was working on the Medi-Cal certification, she was also running multiple programs including, two youth programs, and an in-custody program. Despite any challenges she faces, delivering operational excellence is non-negotiable for her.
There are so many things I could continue to share about Danielle. These few things just scratch the surface of the investment of time, dedication, and perseverance that Danielle puts into the work she does every day. Her resilience is a testament to her character, and having her be the recipient of the GEO Reentry Services Leadership Award, makes her peers and colleagues proud. Danielle, you are an inspiration to everyone you come in contact with, and I am sure I speak for us all when I say, this award went to one of the most well-deserving people. Thank you for being such a bright light in GEO and to all of us on the Northern California Non-Residential team!
