In celebration of our dedicated team members, Summit DD hosted the 2026 Employee Recognition Picnic. We recognized the amazing efforts of nearly 75 employees with a combined service of more than 1,100 years! Summit DD also presented our exclusive Core Value Awards. Over 80 team members were nominated for exemplifying our values of Trust, Respect, Collaboration, Innovation, Inclusion and Excellence. The final six winners were announced at the picnic, which included Nicole Clark, Parwati Regmi, Nicki (Carolyn) Wilkes, Mary Grzegorek, Jessica Norwood and Sheri Shay.
Nicole Clark: Trust Core Value Award Winner
This award honors a Summit DD team member who earns the trust of their colleagues and customers with each interaction. They address each unique situation with empathy, compassion and a high level of professionalism. They appreciate the ever-changing landscape and its impact on relationships and offerings. They continue to be transparent with our coworkers and customers. “Nicole works closely with families who speak English as a second language and recognized the need to understand their cultures to build trust. She completed trainings to strengthen her cultural competency and partnered with community organizations to better connect families to supports. Through her efforts, families have grown to trust her and have begun using new translation technology with her, improving communication and helping them more easily connect with their communities,” shared Summit DD SSA Manager, Jackie Shaw.
Parwati Regmi: Collaboration Core Value Award Winner
This award honors a Summit DD team member who understands and appreciates other’s expertise, and consistently brings the right people together to develop solutions. They develop, maintain and monitor win-win relationships within our organization or with external partners. They approach each new partnership with a focus on short-term benefits and long-term rewards. Through this, they cultivate a strong, diverse community that offers natural support and opportunities for people with disabilities.
Nicki (Carolyn) Wilkes: Innovation Core Value Award Winner
This award honors a Summit DD team member who approaches each situation with creative problem solving that moves people closer to meeting a given vision of success. They are up to date with changes in regulations, best practices and technology. They understand that thoughtful investments and innovation can offer long-term rewards in the future. “Nicki transitioned to the Adult RSS role and quickly identified a gap for individuals she served who lived in nursing homes and no longer accessed day programs. She partnered with residents and facilities to create meaningful community connections, including organizing a resident-led craft fair. She also presented this need to the Stow Committee on Inclusion, which adopted the initiative. As a result, community volunteers from local organizations and schools are planning ongoing events and opportunities for connection,” shared Summit DD SSA Manager, Jackie Shaw.
Mary Grzegorek: Excellence Core Value Award Winner
This award honors a Summit DD team member who understands the needs of our customers (internal or external) and continuously improves to meet those needs. They understand that our stakeholders depend on reliable and consistent processes. They accept that change is inevitable and continue to evolve, changing course as necessary.
Jessica Norwood: Inclusion Core Value Award Winner
This award honors a Summit DD team member who appreciates and seeks to genuinely understand the diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and talents of co-workers and customers. They are intentional about cultivating a workplace and a community that sees only opportunity in each other. They approach relationships as an opportunity to advocate for equality and inclusion of those we serve. “Jessica is passionate about inclusion. She is always coming up with new and creative ways to help our individuals to feel embraced and involved. Jessica has an immediate impact on our individuals and our community and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with in the future,” shared Summit DD Behavior Support SSA, Jessica Proske-McMurray.
Sheri Shay: Respect Core Value Award Winner
This award honors a Summit DD team member who listens, is thoughtful, and respectful of others and values our customers and colleagues. They are professional and timely with our responses, and approach internal and external relationships with customers with a person-centered approach. “Sheri consistently treats individuals with dignity, patience, and respect, especially during difficult situations involving mental health challenges and crisis. She builds strong rapport and trust with the people she supports and approaches each situation with compassion and understanding. Sheri’s calm, respectful approach allows individuals to feel heard, supported, and safe, even during highly stressful situations,” shared Summit DD SSA Manager, Sara Nyitray.
Service Award Recipients