Mandi, Community Engagement Coordinator
Whether you’ve participated in company events, are enrolled in the Tuition Assistance Program, or are a Mentor at your home, you probably have had the pleasure of meeting Mandi Pederson. Mandi is our Community Engagement Coordinator and oversees the Mentorship Program, Tuition Assistance Program, and community event planning at both ACR and Athur’s. Mandi plays an essential role in making this a great workplace for employees as well as a great place to live for the people we support.
Here’s what Gene Leistico, COO of ACR Homes had to say about Mandi, “At ACR, we like to say that we look for “attitude and aptitude” when it comes to hiring and promoting employees. If someone has a positive attitude and the right aptitude, the sky is the limit in terms of what they can contribute and accomplish. If you’ve had the opportunity to work with Mandi, you will quickly realize that she is real stand out when it comes both of these attributes that make for an outstanding employee and someone who is a pleasure to work with. Mandi is also impressively creative. ACR and the people we support have greatly benefitted from her many creative solutions for engaging in-home and virtual events and activities for staff and residents.”
We recently caught up with Mandi to ask her a few questions and here is what she had to say:
Background:
Attended college at: University of MN- Go Gophers!
Majored in: Psychology, minored in Spanish
What is your favorite hobby? I’m currently hooked on fishing. MN fishing is cool but any chance I can catch things like crabs/bigger fish I will take it! I recently caught a shark on vacation. I love that you never know what you’ll get when ocean fishing!
Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to? Spain!! Amazing country and culture!
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? Back to Spain, then hit Greece- it’s been on my list for a while!
Something you are looking forward to doing this summer: More fishing! And honestly, happiest on a boat in a MN summer!
One thing you can’t live without: La Croix/Bubbly! I’m addicted.
Experience at ACR
Began working at ACR homes in: 2013
What house did you work at as a Direct Care Professional? Fulham!
What was your favorite part about working direct care at Fulham? I just love my people there! The residents and staff captured my heart and we all just had such a cool bond that it was just so fun coming to work. It was more like visiting friends and caring for family than actual work it felt like!
What does the ACR Homes Community Engagement Coordinator do? Oh man, lots of things! Mentorship and TAP coordination, Community event planning, etc.! I find myself in the funniest scenarios at work sometimes. Some days I’m out delivering mini donuts to residents for a state fair week, sometimes I’m updating spreadsheets and in meetings, other days I am hosting events and beyond. It’s different every day and I love that!
How have you had to adapt due to covid? Lots of my work was in-person with staff and/or residents and so COVID changed so much of the format of my job. We quickly learned that we could still gather people virtually, so it was kind of fun to adapt to that and to try to implement new things. I always love brainstorming new ideas and finding new ways to connect staff.
Do you have a favorite memory at ACR Homes? I remember taking one of my past residents out to eat on multiple occasions. He was HILARIOUS in restaurants because he got so excited (for especially burgers, pop, and donuts) that he’d be YELLING to the staff, BIG POP, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! It was always just such a funny experience to share his enthusiasm with people in public. It was fun to celebrate his small wins (which were big wins to him!) with him. He shocked many strangers with waves, THANK YOUs and robbing straws from the McDonald’s pop stand. We laughed a lot!!
Anything that you would like to share about your experience working at ACR? ACR has an awesome community of staff members and company culture not only in the homes but in the office too. I had no idea when I started that I’d be working in the office but it’s truly a cool, supportive, warm environment to work in and I would encourage anyone to search for internal roles with ACR if you’re graduating! It’s been such a gift to continue my work with ACR from a DCP to now full-time in the office for years!