Every year the State of Oregon celebrates Public Service Recognition Week (May 5-11) by taking the opportunity to thank public employees for their service, make visible their important work and deepen connections between state agencies and the communities they serve.
As part of this celebration, state agencies award employees the Ambassador of Public Service Award and are allowed to nominate employees for statewide recognition. Based on DELC’s size, we are allowed to select up to three employees to be considered for this honor.
For this year’s Public Service Recognition Week, DAS chose the theme of Operational Excellence. Whether their customers are external or internal, these nominated employees embrace the principles of:
- respect for every individual,
- continuous improvement,
- and empowering others.
These principles help us create a culture of excellence within Oregon state government. We want to acknowledge and celebrate the DELC staff members who demonstrate an unconditional commitment to giving the highest level of service to every person. Public service ambassadors embody the enterprise values of integrity, accountability, excellence, and equity.
The statements below were taken directly from the colleague-submitted nominations. Please join me in congratulating our 2024 DELC Ambassadors of Public Service award recipients, Adindu Iheanacho, Dayna Jung, andHilda Diaz!
Adindu Iheanacho brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the field of child care licensing. With 31 years of public service, he has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to serving Oregon communities and supporting the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC.)
Adindu uplifts those around him and contributes to a more knowledgeable and consistent work environment. He places a high priority on being responsive and dependable to both internal and external customers. This reliability and commitment to excellent customer service not only reflects positively on him as an individual but also enhances the agency’s reputation and effectiveness.
Adindu’s approach to his work is characterized by courtesy, respect, and a focus on collective problem-solving. In his interactions with providers, he demonstrates a respectful approach to every individual, and prioritizes collaboration to find solutions that benefit all parties involved.
Adindu’s contributions as a child care licensing specialist go far beyond his years of experience; they speak to his integrity, professionalism, and genuine care for the well-being of children and families. He is an asset to the agency and a shining example of dedication and service.
Dayna Jung exemplifies extraordinary customer service as the Preschool Promise Manager of the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC).
Whether leading child care providers and early educators through the first statewide expansion of the Preschool Promise program during the pandemic,
or fielding requests for support to improve the quality and services of programs, Dayna is passionate about empowering others and ensuring communities have what they need to be successful. Even during difficult times, she has continued working to find innovative solutions to complex issues.
Her hard work has not gone unnoticed. As a bilingual Spanish-speaker, Dayna has shown a demonstrated commitment to ensuring that Spanish-speaking grantees and all early learning educators receive information and support.
Dayna is intentional about increasing access and equity for the Preschool Promise program, ensuring that resources, including grant agreements and manuals, are available in multiple languages. She also provides exceptional technical assistance to multiple DELC units and other state agencies to promote aligned messaging and to improve their customer service in interactions with Preschool Promise grantees.
Each day, Danya’s remarkable contributions and achievements are evident in the work she does. Dayna’s commitment to the needs of families and the small business owners of the Preschool Promise program makes her an asset to communities across Oregon and a strong agent of customer service for Oregon state government.
Hilda Diaz embodies the value of customer service. Hilda has been with the Department of Early Learning and Care’s Direct Pay Unit (DPU) for over five years, initially serving as a Claim Payment Specialist and currently as a Public Service Representative Branch Liaison.
Hilda is the definition of a team player and routinely goes above and beyond her regular duties to make sure that Oregon families and child care providers receive the support they need.
Among her duties, when questions or issues about benefits arise, Hilda serves as a liaison between families and Oregon Department of Human Services eligibility workers. She ensures families are supported at every step, with the utmost skill, responsiveness, and integrity.
When confronted with questions and issues from providers or families Hilda listens attentively and always seeks to find creative solutions while also clearly communicating rules and requirements to DPU customers. She has regularly taken exceptional initiative in “going the extra mile” to provide service to both internal and external services.
Hilda’s steadfast care and support of customers and demonstrated commitment to a culture of excellence make her an exceptional ambassador of public service within Oregon state government.
While the agency was only able to nominate three individuals, all DELC staff strive to deliver excellent customer service – to our colleagues and our external partners – every day. Thank you for all that you do!