Supporting Employees through the Years: Workforce Development Starts at JEVS

At JEVS Human Services (JEVS), helping people build skills, find opportunities, and move forward in their careers is central to our work. This approach also shapes the kind of workplace JEVS strives to create for its own employees.

It’s evident in the experience of staff members who have grown with JEVS over decades.

This year, JEVS recognizes employees reaching milestones of 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service. Their careers span different roles and programs, but the stories shared about them reveal something they have in common. Over the years, they have gained expertise, developed relationships, and helped other people recognize their own potential.

Building careers through helping others

For some long-time employees, workforce development is what they do. Preparing people not just to complete training—but to succeed once they enter the workplace—is a critical part of workforce development.

At Orleans Technical College (OTC), Robert “Bob” Watts has spent 20 years helping students prepare for future employment opportunities as an assistant instructor in Building Maintenance. His supervisor, Academic Affairs Director Anna Bogdanov shared messages from students. Bob is a tough instructor, they say, but it’s because he teaches them how to be ready for their careers. He challenges and encourages OTC students to thrive.

Kemahsiah “Kema” Turner has similarly spent 20 years guiding participants and creating connections. As a Job Developer at PA CareerLink® Suburban Station, she works with employers and builds relationships that support JEVS’ workforce-development efforts. Her manager, Jahara Russell, speaks about Kema’s kindness and her ability to build trust with employer partners. That combination of professional expertise and human connection is a hallmark of her work.

Bob and Kema’s experiences illustrate the two sides of workforce development at JEVS: employees develop their own knowledge and experience while using what they’ve learned to create opportunities for others.

Developing expertise and meaningful relationships

Building on a foundation spanning over 85 years, JEVS works with individuals to create paths to economic independence and personal fulfilment. This legacy is apparent in the range of programs that JEVS provides and in the impact of those who work directly with participants.

For Recovery Educator Anthony Buenaflor, his 25 years with JEVS are reflected in the relationships he continues to build with the people he serves. During the milestone celebration, his supervisor, Director of Recovery Services Jacqueline Stabler, shared messages from participants Anthony has worked with and supported. Many spoke about his kindness, and several ended their messages with an inside reference and personal tribute: “May the Force be with you.”

The importance of relationships is a recurring theme at JEVS. Erika Creighton, Director of Community Residential Rehabilitation Services, has 35 years of service with JEVS. Reflecting on working with Erika, Alycia Keeports-Love, JEVS Vice President Integrated Behavioral Health, shares that Erika makes people feel valued, heard, and important. She adds that people naturally gravitate toward Erika because of the way she treats them.

These tributes show what often develops over a long career at JEVS: extensive knowledge elevated by heartfelt dedication.

Creating a workplace where people can keep growing

Recognizing 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service is about more than celebrating the passing of time. It is an opportunity to think about what enables someone to continue learning, contributing, and finding purpose in an organization.

Senior Vice President of Human Resources Joy Smith-Groomes extends her appreciation to not only recognized employees but also those who support them. Our goal at JEVS, she adds, is creating an environment where people learn, grow, and remain. This environment matters because the people who carry out JEVS’ mission are themselves a workforce worth investing in. The skills they deepen become skills they share. The relationships they build strengthen programs and partnerships. And the experience they gain over years of service benefits the people JEVS exists to serve.

As JEVS President and CEO Cynthia Figueroa says, “it’s the people of JEVS who make us extraordinary.”

Congratulations to each of the 2026 milestone honorees! Thank you for the experience, compassion, and commitment you bring to JEVS and to the people we serve every day.