The Staff at The Esplanade House
Gloria Rodgers Program Operations Director
Gloria has worked for Community Action Agency of Butte County as the Director of the Esplanade House since 2004. She spent her childhood in Southern Illinois and is a graduate of the University of Illinois. Her career has been in human services, most often in a management role for non-profit organizations. Gloria was drawn to the Community Action Agency because she believes in their mission to end poverty. The Esplanade House program embodies this mission by providing opportunities for willing and committed homeless adults to change their lives and the lives of their children for the better. “What makes my job so rewarding is working with dedicated staff who strive every day to improve the lives of others. The real pleasure comes in seeing the children, who have been so powerless and unhappy, start to smile and thrive and gain self confidence.”
Lucia Navarro-Imsdahl Administrative Assistant
Lucia worked for the Community Action Agency of Butte County for 3 years and has been the Administrative Assistant and Facilities Manager for the Esplanade House for 1 ½ years. She holds degrees in both Criminal Justice and Business Office Technology. Lucia juggles several roles; she assists in grant development, is responsible for the property management of 60 apartments, and acts as a kind of ‘clearing house’ for community organizations that are offering to help in different ways. Whether it’s a community event ( e.g. Coats for Kids) a speaker opportunity, a church activity, or organizing volunteers for an on-site event, Lucia is working behind the scenes to keep it all running smoothly.
“The staff here is amazing,” she says, “They are extremely dedicated to helping the residents achieve their goals, and likewise, our residents work very hard to overcome their past experiences. It’s a blessing to be part of this.”
Candi Marsicano Office Assistant
Candi has the title of ‘Office Assistant’ which at the Esplanade House means she does a little bit of everything, and lucky for us she can do it all! Lovingly referred to as the “List Queen,” she answers phones, enters data, and helps with bookkeeping. She is also an alumnus of the Esplanade House program, so she has been a great resource for information about the program. There’s not much that Candi can’t answer, which is a good thing for someone who is holding down the front desk. She is constantly bombarded by residents, staff, social workers, board members, and the community at large, and seems to thrive on it. “I love it here,” she says, “And hope to continue to grow and give back to the program that gave me so much”.
Susan Prescott Substance Abuse Counselor/Case Manager
Susan is a veteran. She came to the Esplanade House as an intern in 1995 and was offered a position as a substance abuse counselor the next year. Her job has evolved over time into coordinating a substance abuse treatment program. Ten years ago this was merely a dream of hers; now it is a reality. Susan now coordinates our Alcohol and Drug Program that has been certified by the state. This means we are now able to offer clients a comprehensive treatment program to address the physical, mental, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of recovery. “This holistic approach has been very successful, she says, “and I am grateful to be involved in the changes I see in our families.”
Fawn Dorman Case Manager/Substance Abuse Counselor
Fawn has worked as a Case Manager/Substance Abuse Counselor since spring l of 2005. While her case management work includes laying the framework for families to succeed in their goals, her counseling job involves one on one help for parents who are struggling with recovery from drugs and/or alcohol. Fawn has first hand knowledge of the stress and pressure that parents go through in our program, as she herself was a resident in 2001. As a mother of four kids, Esplanade House was there for her when her life spun out of control. She graduate from our program, went back to Butte College and received her Alcohol and Drug Studies certificate to practice substance abuse counseling. Her background makes her extremely effective in relating to the challenges our parents face. “I now have a chance to give back to the program that helped me regain my life” she says, “I very happy to be working here”.
Richard Day Case Manager
Richard came to us as a volunteer originally, after retiring from working case management for Skyway House Recovery Center. He was ADS certified, and as it turned out, liked us so much he accepted our offer to work part time! He is now a Case Manager for families that enter Phase I of our program, which is a daunting job. Case management is critical to the success of families, as it requires devising a plan that will set the goals necessary for families to be self-sufficient, healthy, and “functional” . This covers a lot of ground, and it’s not easy because “one size doesn’t fit all” when it comes to individual families and their
specific dynamics. Lucky for us, Richard feels it’s the best job he ever had.
“It’s very fulfilling for me to be a part of changing people’s lives for the better, he says, “ especially seeing the kids develop and grow in a healthy environment.”
Beth Porter Case Manager
Beth came to us after working at Skyway House for 10 years. Her background includes certification in substance abuse counseling, program management and development, and grant implementation. As a Case Manager, her job is to plan, develop,and manage client services that will allow for her clients to become autonomous and self sufficient. “I am met everyday with challenges on how I can best support an individual or family’s needs”, says Beth “The joy in this is seeing them reach milestones that other people take for granted…..they are really more like ‘little miracles’ to us.”
Rachelle Whitworth Known as “Cheli” , our Child development Center Supervisor has been with our program since 2001 . She holds an Associates Arts degree in Child Development and a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies. After becoming disillusioned with
area school districts, Cheli found her way back to her child development roots and a new career at the Esplanade House. She has seen our program grow from 12 families to 60! She was integral in getting our new license requirements fulfilled, and organizing the move to our current facility in 2004. She and the staff support a holistic family approach that helps to empower families who have limited parental skills and resources when they arrive. “This job fulfills my love for children, and my desire to improve our community as a whole”, Cheli says, ”Our goal here is to break the ‘generational cycle’ of homelessness that these kids are at risk for. It’s not easy, be we have a great team here that is committed to that.”
Heather Whitacre Family Educator
Heather has worked in the child care field since 1999, and holds a BA in Child Development from Chico State. She has taught in our Child Development Center’s infant and toddler program since 2003, and absolutely loves working with young children. She also loves photography, and the combination has resulted in some of the most poignant and beautiful photos that can be seen on a regular basis in our newsletters. As our “on-site photographer” Heather has been able to catch many great memories on film and share them with our families and staff. “Working at the Esplanade House has been challenging compared to private childcare, but also very rewarding,” Heather says, “ I feel I have become a more patient and understanding person because of my experiences here.”
Aimee Phillips Teacher
Aimee holds an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education, and works in
our Child Development Center. She enjoys working with children and strives to see life through their eyes. She works with families of diverse backgrounds, which has made her aware of the different areas of need in our community.
“I see what a huge benefit the Esplanade House program is to Butte County residents, she says, “ I really enjoy seeing the effect our program has on the families we serve.”
Marianne Arends Pre-school Teacher
Marianne holds BA’s in both Psychology and Religious Studies, and will soon hold her teaching credential and Child Development AA. She came to work for us as a substitute in 2004, and was hired full time 2 months later. Currently Marianne works with our preschool children, 2yr. to 6 yr. olds. and jokingly calls herself “Peter Panna” as she is happiest surrounded by the little ones, which includes the diaper brigade, pre-potty and post-potty gang!
Amy Broce Family Educator
Amy worked for the Community Action Agency of Butte County for a little over 2 years before joining the Esplanade House staff in 2005. She graduated with a Bachelors Degree from Chico State in 2003, and recently acquired her Child Development Permit. Amy specializes in dealing with infants and toddlers, and has a particularly challenging job at our Child Development Center where many of our little ones have special needs. Amy’s desire to work with young children was a lifelong dream, and Esplanade House has given her the chance to learn valuable skills in dealing with families in crisis. “I actually look forward to going to work ,” says Amy “All child care has challenges, but being a part of the Esplanade House has the greatest rewards!”
Stephanie Gibbs Courier/Donations Coordinator
“Helping people help themselves” is the mission of the Esplanade House, and a big part of why Stephanie loves her job. Many of our families don’t have adequate transportation, so as courier she assists families with getting to and from to medical/dental appointments, legal aid, grocery shopping, the DMV, and other important appointments they need to keep in order to move their lives forward. She also oversees the organization and distribution of donations from the community, from furniture/household items to food and health supplies.
“I am always amazed at the generosity of the community,” she says, “I love being able to distribute the items to the families that need them..they are very thankful, and so am I. It’s great to be part of the Esplanade House team!”
Gary Cooper Maintenance
Gary is a man of many talents, and we seem to need every one of them to keep our facility in shape! He does a little bit of everything at the Esplanade House, and always does it with a smile. With a total of 60 apartments, a Child Development Center, and Administration building, Gary has his hands full. He enjoys his job and the people he works with. “It’s inspiring to see how the families are getting their lives together, he says, “The Esplanade House is a great place”.
Tonya McGahan Maintenance
Tonya started at the Esplanade House as a volunteer and was hired part-time as maintenance and donations help in September, 2006. She enjoys being a part of helping families start their lives over . “They arrive in at a state of despair, and it is a joy watching them grow into happy families”, Tonya says.
Quick Links
- Gloria Rodgers
Program Operations Director - Lucia Navarro-Imsdahl
Administrative Assistant - Candi Marsicano
Office Assistant - Susan Prescott
Substance Abuse Counselor/Case Manager - Fawn Dorman
Case Manager/Substance Abuse Counselor - Richard Day
Case Manager - Beth Porter
Case Manager - Rachelle Whitworth
Child Development Center Supervisor - Heather Whitacre
Family Educator - Aimee Phillips
Teacher - Marianne Arends
Pre-school Teacher - Amy Broce
Family Educator - Stephanie Gibbs
Courier/Donations Coordinator - Gary Cooper
Maintenance - Tonya McGahan
Maintenance - Thomas Tenorio
Executive Director, Community Action Agency of Butte County, Inc.