Catawba County News

Employee, Team of the Year Awards Announced for 2022
Published: October 18, 2022
Catawba County celebrated its 2022 Employee of the Year and Team of the Year at a recognition event Tuesday, Oct. 18.
Georganna Stephens, Administrative Assistant II for the Catawba County Tax Office, has been selected by her peers as the county’s 2022 Employee of the Year. Stephens has worked for Catawba County for 27 years and is a key part of the County’s tax revaluation team.
As stated by Stephens’s nominator, “Georganna looks for ways to improve any process. She is a creative thinker. For these reasons she is sought out to be a part of projects that involve not only the revaluation department but other areas of Tax as well. She is passionate about using her skills to help solve problems in the office. She continually seeks ways to improve workflow and extraction of data within our CAMA system. Also, she actively pursues ways to improve the job she does, thoroughly thinking through issues to ensure all aspects of the assignment are thought about and covered within any report she is asked to produce.”
Stephens was one of 31 Catawba County employees nominated by their peers for Employee of the Year recognition. She was selected from a pool of 15 finalists that included Daijaha Covington, Foster Care Social Worker III, Social Services; Leah Haas, Economic Services Supervisor, Social Services; Rodney Hamby, Landfill Superintendent, Utilities & Engineering; Tina Hedrick, Income Maintenance Caseworker I, Social Services; Kayla Hefner, Paramedic, Emergency Medical Services; Emily Killian, Public Information Officer, Public Health; Angie Massagee, Family Net Administrative Supervisor, Social Services; Carrie Morris, Business Services Administrator, Social Services; Lori Owenby, Mountain Creek Park Superintendent, Planning & Parks; and Karina Zamora, Administrative Assistant II, Public Health.
The 2022 Catawba County Team Award was presented to the School Health Assistants Hiring Team for their efforts to coordinate the rapid hiring of Catawba County Public Health School Health Assistants to help support COVID-19 response in the county’s three school systems. Selected by a panel of local county managers, the Team Award recognizes employees for their innovation and collaboration in providing services above and beyond the normal scope of duty.
The School Health Assistants Hiring Team is comprised of Catawba County staff members Julie C. Byrd, Women and Children’s Health Administrator, Public Health; Jeremy J. Stockton, WIC Director, Public Health; Angie S.Triplett, Human Resources Program Manager, Human Resources; Cynthia L. Eades, Human Resources Director, Human Resources; Tyler A. Garrison, Business Manager I, Tax; Cathy B. Jones, Personnel Coordinator, Social Services; Melissa Kirkpatrick, Staff Development Specialist, Public Health; Cee L. Lee, Human Resources Specialist, Human Resources; Ashley N. Propst, Administrative Assistant I, Public Health; Martia J. Vang, Human Resources Specialist, Human Resources; Amy R. McDonald, Human Resources Program Manager, Human Resources; Getzemani Tiscareño, Quality and Data Coordinator, Public Health; Jennifer C. Lindsay, Public Health Strategist, Public Health; and Paulette V. Smyre, Human Resources Specialist, Social Services.
This team was one of five nominated and ranked among the top three finalists for the Team Award. The other finalists were the Catawba County Social Services Links/Foster Care 18-21 Program team, comprised of David P. Vines, Social Worker Supervisor III; Elizabeth E. Enck, Social Worker III; and Laurie B. Wakefield, Social Worker III; and the Social Services Food and Nutritional Services team comprised of Jimmiann W. Huffman, FNS Program Manager; Erica N. Swanson, FNS Supervisor; Ashley B. Summerlin, FNS Supervisor; Melinda M. Arrowood, FNS Supervisor; Yarenis M. Anglin; Emily L. Beagles; Kelly N. Crossley; Kelsey R. Davenport; Amanda J. LaValley; Karla P. Lopez; Vicki A. Mays; Sydney L. Mitchel; Sarah M. Boudreaux; Latoya M. Ramseur; Carolyn E. Reitzel; Alean R. Rhinehardt; Ancy M. Rojas; Angie F. Shade; Allison C. Smith; Kate M. Smith; Allie N. Webb; Bayley A. Yoder; and Victoria L. Young.
“The employees honored today exemplify the County’s high standard of excellence, both in their day-to-day leadership and in their continual efforts to raise the bar,” said County Manager Mary Furtado. “I congratulate all our nominees and extend them my sincere gratitude for their commitment to doing what matters most for our citizens.”